Grand Escapades
Travel Photography & Travel Experiences of Africa, South America, the Middle-East & Asia
A top performance of folkloristic dances from the Cordoba region presented in a firework of emotions and devotion that brought tears in your eyes
Small flyers all over town promoted the performance of a group of dancers from Cordoba, Argentina. In a small outdoor venue the show began with great pathos: Argentine’s flag was carried in, we all rose for the country’s hymn, the directors were introduced and the Columbian people praised and thanked. Continue Reading →
Having visited countless “most beautiful colonial towns” all over Latino America, we immediately noticed this one was different. Who has ever seen a plaza 120 meters x 120 meters in seize, all cobble stone with a tiny fountain in its center, surrounded by beautifully restored colonial homes
Tell any Columbian you made the ancient colonial town of Villa de Leyva part of your trip through Columbia and you get raving descriptions of its beauty and nothing but praise for your good judgment. Located only 160 kilometers north of Bogota, it is a very, very popular weekend destination for city dwellers, who enjoy the clean air and dry climate in this charming town. Continue Reading →
On our last day in town, sunshine touched Plaza de Bolivar and the thousands of pigeons that ascend on Bogota’s most famous square…
On our last day in town, sunshine touched Plaza de Bolivar and the thousands of pigeons that ascend on Bogota’s most famous square to feed on the maize that children throw at them. The very same children then take great pleasure in running into the throve of pigeons making them fly off in panic. The plaza is surrounded by churches and official buildings underlying its importance. Continue Reading →
Every Sunday and Holiday, 122 kilometers of Bogota’s busy streets are closed for traffic and people on bikes, skateboards, rollerblades or others simply walking or pushing a pram take over.
Equipped with several phone numbers we arrived in Bogota, relatives or long time “amigos” of Leonardo, our Columbian friend and neighbor in Vienna. One was Carmen, a friend from Leonardo’s studies at the Academy of Art. Carmen’s family owns the very cozy Restaurante Rosita on the Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo, the supposedly very place where Santa Fé de Bogotá was founded in 1538.
The Museo del Oro leaves nobody untouched. Not only does it display an unbelievable 55.000 (!) pieces made of gold and other materials, but the museum is also very cleverly organized.
Now let’s turn to the bright side of the city. The Museo del Oro leaves nobody untouched. Not only does it display an unbelievable 55.000 (!) pieces made of gold and other materials, but the museum is also very cleverly organized. Continue Reading →
Like most backpackers, we stayed in La Candelaria, the partially preserved colonial centre. Doing so over a weekend, you either need to be a party animal or bring good ear plugs! Our search for a comfortable place took on epic dimensions
Everyone we met before arriving in Bogota had a very clear opinion of the very capital – so we were curious which side we would end up taking, especially since we never really enjoy huge cities, with a few exceptions, like Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, or … Hong Kong. Our first steps made us rather lean on the negative side. But all is not lost! Continue Reading →
A short walk from the Observatory takes you into amidst incredible rock formation of different reddish colours, the ?Laberintos de Cusco? (Cusco Labyrinths), dotted with different cactuses. The little towers, cliff and ravines were sculptured by the wind and infrequent rain
Some travellers we met along the way raved about this place and since it meant a nice break in the 9 hour bus ride from San Agustin to Bogota, we decided to check it out and we LOVED it. Located in the valley between the Cordillera Oriental & the Cordillera Central, it gets relatively little rain and being situated only 441 meters above sea level, means it is warm, really warm. What a nice change after the rather chilly evenings in San Agustin, Tierradentro and Salento.
Exploring San Agustin on horses…
Since it is quite a way to get to San Agustin, we decided to make the most of it, especially given the stunning landscape surrounding the town. Continue Reading →
Faces are carved into the rocks, La Chaquira, above the Rio Magdalena, San Agustin, Huila, Colombia, South America
Tourism in Columbia, apart from Cartagena, has been picking up slowly over the last few years, with the vast majority being domestic tourists finally daring to leave their cities and venture into rural areas. Continue Reading →
5000 year old scultures, in San Agustin, Alto de Los Idolos, Huila, Colombia, South America
Little to nothing is known about the civilization that chiseled these mysterious sculptures from volcanic rocks about 5.000 years ago, making it one the oldest cultures in the Americas. Continue Reading →