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.
Tag: Colombia
Villa de Leyva
Villa de Leyva is located in the Boyacá province, a four-hour drive north of Bogotá. Founded in 1572, Villa de Leyva Is a city frozen in time and one of the most beautiful colonial villages in Colombia. Declared a national monument in 1954, this photogenic village has been preserved in its entirety with cobblestone roads and Spanish-style whitewashed buildings. Its town square, the Plaza Mayor, is one of the largest in the Americas. Founded in 1620 by the Dominican fathers, the Convento del Santo Ecce Homo is a stone and adobe construction convent close to Villa de Leyva.
Hola Colombia!
Having spent part of the winter in Asia, part of the spring in Europe, and most of the summer in North America, the fall season brings me to South America — Bogotá, Colombia to be exact. One might be skeptical about claims that this city is at par with other South American capitals. But Colombia in general is experiencing a tourist resurgence. This subtropical country has clamped down on violence and cleaned up its act. I am here to check it out!

