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Lago de Tota
I took dozens of photos like this, but none of them really captured the beauty of the lake. From Villa de Leyva I took a 40-minute bus back to Tunja, and then an hour-long
collectivoto Sogamoso, which I planned to use as a base for exploring Laguna de Tota, a high-altitude lake and the largest natural lake in Colombia.
As we approached the town, I was pretty disappointed. I had expected it to look like Tunja - nestled in a valley with plenty of hiking opportunities. I also thought it was right on Lake Tota. Instead, I found an industrial city with factories, eroded hillsides, and awful traffic. I thought about just continuing on to somewhere else but it would be getting dark soon and I had basically already paid for my accommodations.
But it grew on me since the owners at Hostal La Cazihita were so friendly, the city is completely void of any sign of tourism, and the streets looked much better up close than from afar.
The town is at 2,600 meters and the lake is at 3,200, so the bus the next morning climbed above the city, revealing that Sogamoso isn't as big as I'd thought. The bus traveled clockwise around the lake (on a surprisingly well-constructed tarmac road), so after an
Mapa
I took a photo of the map on the hostel wall, for those who are looking for better information (i.e., not mentioned in Lonely Planet, since it would take up some of their space about 19th century frescoes). hour and a half and a couple of stops we arrived at Aquitania (see map).
The sun was barely shining through the thick mist but the views of the lake were still incredible. Lonely Planet describes the area as being "largely unexplored" by foreigners, and I definitely got that feeling wandering through the streets - I got quite a lot of stares, but everybody I talked to was helpful in getting the bus to Playa Blanca. In hindsight, I should have just stayed in Aquitania for the night.
The rain grew more steady during the 20-minute ride to Playa Blanca. I walked around there for a few hours and ate lunch at a trout restaurant right on the beach, but decided to continue on to Tota or Iza, where I thought I might find better options. I walked for an hour along the road and eventually, when another red bus came by, I flagged it down.
This is one my favorite videos because the sound of the rain and faint music captures the experience so well.
The towns of Tota and Iza are charming and picture-perfect, but the tourism is set up for weekend getaways
Stairs in Sogamoso
Reminds me of home from Bogota and not for backpackers (Iza is known for its desserts; I walked past a dozen or so shops with enormous trays of cakes and other
postres sitting out and wondered who would eat them all?), so most
hospedajes were closed or didn't have dormitory options. With the continuing rain and having no view of the lake anyway, I decided to just complete the loop and stay another night in Sogamoso, which would be warmer and more comfortable.
Back at Hostal La Cazihita, I felt nostalgic because this kind of place was common 15 years ago - a true mom and pop operation, run by people who have managed to keep their passion for giving directions and advice and making everyone comfortable before the chains came and places called "Chill" and "Nest" sanitized the experience without anyone noticing or caring. It may not be perfectly designed and polished to fit every backpacker need, but it has personality and feels genuine.
I ate dinner at a tasty pizzeria in the main square and got in some runs around the city until it was time to take the 3 1/2 hour bus back to Bogota for a night flight
Onion Farms
There was a faint smell of onions in the air all around the lake. to Buenos Aires. I really enjoyed Colombia and I'm happy that I decided to return (a long layover in Bogotá was my first ever blog) to explore it more.
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