A four hour drive north of Bogotá through a highway with four tolls and lots of rough roads led me to Boyacá. Evoking a sense of patriotism among Colombians, it is in the Boyacá region that Colombian troops won their independence from Spain at the Puente de Boyacá, led by Simon Bolivar. The country side is quite verdant and interesting sights abound. It is also in  Boyacá where the one-horse town of Raquirá is located — the pottery capital of Colombia. It is here where the colonial houses with handicraft stores are at its most colourful.