Tominé with New Friends of Mine (May 20, 2026)
When Felipe asked if I wanted to meet his family, I was excited. THIS is the experience of Colombia I really want. It’s not the architecture and museums that fill me up, but meeting people all over the world and having deep and meaningful conversations (see related post).
Bill, Adriana, Nicholas and Felipe visiting Tomine together
Strategically, Felipe had his son Nicholas drive with me in the passenger seat so that we could get to know one another. My first “test” occurred when I got around to asking, “So, Nicholas, what kind of work do you do?” They all laughed and both of Nicholas’ parents explained that for ten years Nicholas has described what he does, but neither parent really understands what their son does for a living.
Challenge Accepted!
Nicholas is the director of revenue operations for Discovery Channel. He’s responsible for all the financial accounting and auditing that must be performed by any publisher working with advertising agencies to ensure the purchased media aired exactly to specification. Now, if you’re not in the advertising industry, that sounds confusing. So, to simplify, I put it this way:
Think of Nicholas as a hotel manager. There’s a certain number of rooms that must be occupied each night or the hotel fails. Nicholas is responsible for the money the hotel brings in to make sure it’s accurate and the hotel remains profitable so it can stay in business.
Success! Both Nicholas’ mom and dad got it. And Nicholas thanked me for over simplifying so that his parents had a better idea of what he does. Meanwhile I was excited because I have 30 years running my own marketing and advertising agencies and knew precisely the challenges Nicholas was managing. Especially with the recent acquisition. Warner Bros. Discovery (the parent company of the Discovery Channel) is in the process of being acquired by Paramount Skydance in a massive $110.9 billion deal ($31 per share). The merger, which was approved by shareholders, is currently undergoing review by U.S. federal regulators according to multiple sources.
But THIS is what we came to see … an intentionally flooded city
A little about the Tominé Reservoir. This sits above a giant damn that’s used for hydro-electric power in addition to drinking water. The lake is so deep that it flooded an entire city and the rumor is that when the reservoir is low, you can see the church steeple poking out. Some dispute this rumor and of course the lake was full up when we visited, so all I can do is share what I’ve heard.
Nicholas and his wife love it here and I can see why. When you live in a huge city like Bogota, it’s so worth the 1–2-hour drive to the countryside where everything slows down and you get an opportunity to take in nature. Sure, the lake is massive, but what’s even more impressive is all the trees and mountains surrounding it. There’s a vibe of Lake Tahoe. Clean, pristine and deeply colorful. The blue sky contrasts with the deep greens of the trees and grass that further contrast with the granite and different colors of the lake depending on where the sun is striking it (or not if the sun is behind clouds for the moment).
There were many lunch options to choose from, but Nicholas and Adriana had received a recommendation nearby at a place called La Cava Guatava. Wow. This place was spectacular. Family owned, amazing food integrated with an incredible outlook on life. Good food, good living. When we eat great food, we tend to share it with the people we love and cherish. I knew I was in great hands from the start. The owner welcomed us, sat us and realized her son would be the better server as he spoke fluent English. He’s also a food artist.
Felipe, Me, Nicholas and Adriana about to enjoy an epic meal together
Quick note that La Cava Guatava was rated one of the top 10% restaurants in the world by Trip Advisor for several years in a row. I took all the suggestions and had a fabulous locally prepared, locally sourced meal from Tominé, Colombia. When our server recommended an ice-cream made from queso (cheese), I was suspicious, but tried it anyway. Amazing. I’ve never had a cheese-based ice-cream, but it was just as flavorful as any other milk-based version I’d had before.
Driving by an upside down house on our way out of Tomine
Before leaving, we took a “drive by” picture of the house that was intentionally built upside down. I realize this is intended to be a tourist attraction where I go in and examine what an upside-down house is like inside, but I just liked the novelty of what we were seeing from the road. No further inside investigation was necessary (for me at least).
Getting silly with Susana (Felipe’s daughter) and Matias (grandson)
While Susana and her son, Matias, were unable to join us for our Tominé adventure today, they wanted to meet up on our way back home, so we stoped for a coffee. What was cool was that we visited their nearby coffee spot where Matias has grown up and feels at home. This was perfect as we were all sitting together in a place where Matias could roam free and play with the bus up on the shelf. I swear I thought Matias was five, but he’s only three (about to turn four).
Susana, like her mom Adriana, is a professional Pilates instructor. The two of them together have quite a following here in Bogota and continue to grow and expand. Having never used a reformer machine, I booked a private lesson with Adriana for Monday so I can see what this is all about. I love spending time experiencing what others have dedicated their lives to doing — especially if it can help me improve my own health and vitality.
Wow. That’s a lot! Here’s to an amazing day spending quality time with Felipe’s family here in Bogota. I’m going to take it a bit slower tomorrow as Felipe and I prepare to fly to his home country, Medellin. That should be another amazing experience through the eyes of a local. I feel so fortunate to be here in Colombia in this way.
