After an incredible week of touring through Colombia, we must say adiós and gracias to the lovely Marcela Restrepo. Be sure to visit Marcela’s blog and if you wanted to take home a souvenir from this week’s Guest Blog, check out Marcela’s online store too. Thanks again Marcela!! Have a great weekend everyone! - Jenny x

Over the past week I have shown you how beautiful and magical Colombia is, but it doesn’t mean I don’t find Australia as beautiful. I love the Aussie landscapes, people and lifestyle. I am very happy here too and having a great time. The only thing that I really miss are family, I wish they could be here with me.

But having said that, I do have very special friends like Kate Banazi who help me feel at home.

During our trip, we didn’t have time to visit all the places we wanted to go but we did buy some souvenirs and gifts!

Wooden statues and tray with Barranquilla Carnaval motifs.

Okay, okay, I didn’t bring any emeralds but I really wanted to draw some to mention their quality.

Canaflecha items handcrafted by the Zenu indigenous cultures, included the traditional ‘Sombrero Vueltiao’

‘Sombrero Panama’ which are actually made in Ecuador, not Panama.

Traditional pottery from El Carmen de Viboral

Wool rug from the high mountains

Bags, each from different indigenous cultures. Love the blue one handcrafted by the wayuu culture. They also make the most beautiful hammocks!

Horn spoons, and coconut & macana wood spoons.

You can find latinamerican art and crafts in Syney at The Latin Shop and Caramba in Newtown.

We brought a bottle of a special edition of Aguardiente, the traditional liquor from Medellín, made from sugar cane with a touch of anise. I am not a fan of anise but some shots of Aguardiente would warm anyone up on this crappy weather we are getting in Sydney these days!

That bottle I would enjoy drawing.

Brought some of this for Kate. It’s the best quality for making hot chocolate or those delicious brownies she bakes.

Good traditional recipes in English!

So I guess that is all from the other side of the world. The Toucans hope you come to visit.

I had good fun showing a bit of where I come from and what I am so passionate about. Thanks everyone for your patience and your lovely comments. Also thanks to the silent readers, I hope there are some!

I also want to thank again to Lucy and Jenny for the opportunity, it was a great honour for me.

I leave you with some shots of rainy Bogotá. Detail of one of Rogelio Salmona’s buildings, Master of the red brick architecture in Colombia.

Also, in the bottom, a piece from the Museo del Oro/Gold Museum. Representative of the Dorado Leyend.

- Marcela

We continue our amazing week with Marcela in Colombia by visiting some of her favourite places around her home town. Today’s post is filled with many beautiful pictures of the Colombian countryside and lifestyle, thank you Marcela for sharing so much. – Jenny x

We spent several weekends (45 minutes up the mountain) in El Retiro and Rio Negro and other weekends (2 hours down the mountain) in La Pintada and Puente Iglesias. It’s what we look forward to the most when we go to Colombia, staying in some country houses.

Driving on Colombia’s curvy roads is very exciting. While we enjoy the most amazing views, we also burn some adrenaline when overtaking the long trucks… Just enough time to overtake before the next turn!

It’s nice to stop on any of the restaurants that can be found on the side for a snack or a big traditional meal. Not so nice to see all the trucks you had overtaken already, passing by while we are eating… but a ‘bandeja paisa’ or a hot chocolate with some cheese and cassava bread are worth the stop.

Different types of cheese and cassava bread. Traditionally taken with hot chocolate (Colombian style). All recipes are on  mycolombianrecipes.

Fruit stands on the side of the roads

Traditional Bus or ‘chiva’. These usually have beautiful colourful graphics on them.

‘Cerro Tusa’ from the road

Colombia is the second largest flower exporter and many of the plantations are located in towns up the mountain from Medellín where the weather is slightly colder. One of those being Santa Elena, home of the silleteros.

La pintada, Antioquia. Two hours down the mountain from Medellín.

Puente Iglesias, Antioquia. Also about two hours down the mountain from Medellín.

Puente Iglesias. We had the best beef, made on a real barbecue!

Above Left: beautiful ceviche. Right: Yellow pitaya, very exotic tropical fruit. It is sweeter than the red one.

Above Left: Cattleya Trianae. National flower of Colombia Right: Green toucan.

We had time to enjoy some of the snacks and beer we used to have.

Rescued from old albums, a vintage image of my mom and dad and their LandRover…

…and the Renault 4 that took us to so many places around the country.

- Marcela

Today Marcela takes us on a tour of her home town; I guess we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that it’s a place known for design and creativity . We see some of the local talent and of course some of Marcela’s own work, but the list doesn’t stop there. – Jenny x

I was born in Medellín, the second largest city in Colombia but the top industrial city in Colombia.

Its elevation is 1,495m and it’s surrounded by peaks on the four sides. Medellín’s nickname is ‘City of Eternal Spring’ because of its mild temperatures (24° C average) all year round.

It has a big history of violence too as it suffered from the drug cartel fights back in the eighties. I had a very happy childhood but the violence touched everybody at some point.

But Medellín has changed very much since then, being considered today as a forward thinking place, full of great initiative and creativity.

Lately it has been noticed for a ground-breaking approach to urban planning and architectural design. Most notably new public state of the art libraries and schools as a driver for change in some of the poorest barrios. Also efforts to provide new public space community infrastructure, and sports halls accessible to all the community via innovative public transportation systems. I just love to ride the metro cable and literally fly low over the rooftops and the street space going up the steep hills.

From left to right, top to bottom- 1. Jardín Botánico (Botánical Gardens) 2. Parque Explora / sciences  and the Cable.park-museum 3. Biblioteca España / library 4. Coliseos construidos para los juegos panamericanos. Coliseums built for the Panamerican Games

Mural by artist Fredy Serna seen from the Metro train station.

Pony Malta and Chocorramo!

Daniel loves it as way to recover from his road cycling adventures up the mountain Roads. I hate it! It is very sweet malt drink. I love the Chocorramo though.

You can buy the Pony Malta and other Colombian products in Sydney at the Fiji Market and La Cumbia Restaurant.

Bonuar restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art. Each table graphics by a different local artist.

In Colombia nothing goes to waste. Sustainability is about using all that is available; everything is reused as a measure of economy!

Plaza Botero outside the Museo de Antioquia has sculptures donated by the Colombian born and one of the most celebrated latin-american artists Fernando Botero.

- Marcela