Christmas in Colombia

Christmas time in Colombia is like none other. I remember being little and going over to my neighbors home to dance salsa, merengue, and typical Christmas time music (I was like 5).  I also remember the daily fireworks throughout the whole month of December and the many people praying around the manger's all around the city. Christmas for my immediate family wasn't really celebrated because of it's so called pagan roots. However, as years went by, my family began to get together  to make amazing food and give their children presents on Christmas Eve. Anyway! This year I spent it with my aunt Nelcy´s family in Bogota. We ate, exchanged only some of our presents and then went home to exchange the rest with my mom, dad, and little brother on Christmas Eve.

About the food:
My cousin got married to a Puerto Rican gal. My aunt Nelcy made the Muchacho (Chicken with beef inside) and my cousins´ wife introduced us to some of her food. Conclusion: not my typical Christmas food but still amazing. 

 Desert:
 Three layered gelatine and flan de queso (cheese flan...?)

What I wore:
If you know my mother you know she is a very elegant woman. She loves dressing up and she makes sure that her family also looks great. So for the 24th of December (day we celebrate Christmas in Colombia) I woke up early, washed my hair, and welcomed a lady who came to the apartment to get my nails and my hair done (I have never seen my hair so straight in my life). Mom also bought me a beautiful jardinera (dress), and a navy polka dot blouse to wear for our family get together.

My hair my glory

Casateatro

I will admit the keeping up with a blog can be kind of hard. I have a LOT of pictures to show and a lot to say about what I have been up to here. Right now I am in the city of Neiva. Keep in mind that your idea of "city" might be different from what a city is here in Colombia. Neiva is where my dad's side of the family is from. It has a population of 378,857according to google and it is the capital of the Department of Huila. In such a large family (my grandma had 14 children) a diversity of talents is prone to abide. I personally, have been so amazed at that very fact. The talents, passions, and lifestyles within the family is very diverse and I love it.

Yesterday evening my auntie Mayuri invited us to the place where her happiness is defined. It is her world, her comfort zone, and her husbands life. It is the Casateatro (theatre house) of Neiva. Turns out that my uncle is one of the best story tellers in the country, and my aunt is his supporter. Here are two mini video clips of what happened yesterday. Enjoy!

 

What you see is the front area of the Casateatro. Behind it is the actually stage for theatre performances and well, the theatre in it self.

This is a picture of my aunt Mayuri (I need to get a picture with my uncle)

This picture is so amazing. This is my dad, and a new cousin. Well, not necessarily new, but one whom I had never met and I love him already.

TWELVE years Later

It is 1:59 am, December 22nd of the year 2012. The world did not end... I Just had to put it out there. 

Anyway! It has been a LONG time since I blogged. Truth is, I have been meaning to catch up on my blogging so what better time to do so than now. Lots of exiting things have occurred since the last time, BUT I figured I would let them out as we go along. As for now, I am in the BEAUTIFUL country of....COLOMBIA. I haven't visited my home country in over TWELVE years and it is crazy to even fathom the fact that I am HERE. 12 years later I am arriving to the same apartment I lived in before I left to live in California. 12 years later I am coming back to my old room, my old books, bibles (had never realized I had so many of them), old toys that mean the world to me and so much more. My mom has kept everything. I will be posting pictures of old memories, LOTS of food because if you follow/followed my Instagram specially when I was in Costa Rica, you know I am fascinated by anything that is edible, and of course lots of family pictures. Just imagine----if there is such a thing as a "LEGIT family reunion" this is THE one--TWELVE years later.

Natalia Manrique