its big...its really big!

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15th september-16th sptember


Arriving in Villa De Leyva, was like stepping back in time, of what i can only imagine Colombia once looked like before modern planning.
Stayed in a cosy hostel "hostel colonial", and mesmerised by the town, i went for my camera at which point i realised that it was missing. The only time my bag with camera had left me was when i headed to the bathroom on the bus... that was when the thieves must have taken it!!



Surprisingly, have learnt to be quite chilled on holidays, so the experience didn´t deter me too much...and i manage to get some of my favourite photos back from others, and use other´s camera to take the photos that i wanted!



Villa De Leyva is a beautiful gem of colonial architecture. Centered around The Plaza Mayor, it was special to just stand there and absorb the atmosphere of the town.



Got on a tour the next day with one of the nicest couples that i´d met on my travels. He was spanish, she was colombian, and they have been keeping their relationship together for the prior 3 years seas apart! with Juan Fran and Natalia, we headed out on horseback tour through the surrounding region.



Once covered with sea water, it was filled with fossils everywhere. They had even uncovered the fossil of a Kronosaurus- a 120 million year old prehistoric marine reptiler vaguely resembling a crocodile. No doubt, we bought some fossils!!!



Visited El Infiernito, it contained around 30 cylindrical stone monoliths that were not only for ritual processes, but also for seasonal recognition of appropriate harvest times. Strangely, there was also a plethora of phallic symbols everywhere.



We went back to the lovely tour guides house afterwards, and joined him for beers...on the house!



It felt so restricting not to have my camera in such an amazingly beautiful place!



then off to Bogota...

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Photos

wall of fossils
one of the museums we visited. juan fran and natalia acting their crazy cool selves

Plaza Grande
the biggest plaza in columbia. with mountains rising from behind, it was beautiful.

horsebike riding
with natalia and juan fran

nearby lagoon
with water from minerals settling for millions of years

kronysaurus
million year old fossil!