The paramo of Chingaza Don’t know what a paramo is, no worries, neither did I until Moka told me about them. A paramo is an alpine eco system that is found in the tropical Andes above 3000 m.a.s.l., in Colombia, Ecuator, Venezuela and Costa Rica. It is guarded by Fraliones, a kind of small funky palm, and even just a quick visit will leave you physically and mentally refreshed. PART ONE At Chingaza National Park just a couple of hours from Bogotá, the landscape has been shaped by glacial movements, it is rugged and striking. Deer watch us pass as we ascend the winding road and appear completely indifferent to our presence. Mountains are not rounded gentle peaks, but dramatic sharp lines jutting out from the earth, like toast from a toaster. The layers of rock
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