Blogs from San Agustín , Huila , Colombia, South America

Había llegado el fin del juego.....solo que quedaban todavía muchísimos kilometros entre Trujillo, en los desiertos del Norte del Perú, y San Agustín y mi casa en Colombia. El plan fue hacer el viaje rápido y directo; lo contaré en la misma forma. No hubo bus directo de Trujillo a Tumbes, en la frontera norte, tocó coger un bus primero los 7 horas a Piura (primer pueblo europeo en Suramérica, fundado por Pizarro al llegar al continente, antes de caerles a los Incas) y de allí otras 5 horas mas hasta Tumbes. Mucho desierto, mucha arena, vida y verde solo en los valles de los ríos que cortan el desierto. Llegué a Tumbes tarde, de noche, poco antes de que la lluvia, tome un cuarto en el primer hotel que vi; me levanté temprano, había llovido ... read more

Our final stop in Colombia is the region surrounding the small town of San Agustin, in the departamento of Huila in the far southwest of the country and only a few hours away from Ecuador. Located in the mountains of the Macizo Colombianowhere the spine of the Andes divides into the three Colombian cordilleras, San Agustin itself is not much to look at but is surrounded by some of the most splendid scenery in Colombia. The hills and valleys surrounding the modern town of San Agustin were home, some five thousand years ago, to a highly developed pre-columbian civilisation also known by the name of San Agustin. While much about the San Agustin people remains shrouded in mystery, the countryside for miles around is scattered with dozens of tombs and distinctive funerary statues which have made ... read more

San Agustin - A timeless question She looks at me through the light rain and I notice her jaguar eyes and teeth, I am told her name is Diosa de la Lluvia, (Goddess of the Rain). A rainbow sits on her head like a hat and she smiles with a promise. A promise of what? I have no idea. Unfortunately no one has any idea, the culture that made her had no written language and disappeared long before anyone could ask. Experts can only guess, and make assumptions based on other traditions with similar designs and techniques in the area. If the level of a culture is measured by its metaphorical art and not written language then these statues are proof of a highly intelligent culture. There are over 500 statues ranging from half a metre ... read more