ramblings - part one: Colombia

So on our last night in Bogota we encountered our first minor problem with accommodation; an allergic reaction to the bed covers. So glad we brought sleeping bag liners!

Got a taxi out to Bogota bus station which is miles out of the city, ended up going through loads of warehouses and pot holed dirt roads to get there. Another interesting zoning combination along the way: about four blocks of opticians and then the same straight after but selling refrigeration units. Handy. Buses are very cheap and comfortable, though the roads up and down and over the Andes can be quite bumpy.

Here are some photos of the scenery on the way from Bogota to Villa de Leiva.

Villa de Leiva is a colonial town which has been preserved, there is no modern architecture in the town at all and its streets are cobbled with huge uneven stones. There is a huge main square that we were staying on. When we arrived there was a show going on on the steps outside the church with different indigenous groups from around South America singing and dancing in their native costume. It's a really pleasant town, with a warmer climate than Bogota; more of a weekend getaway for wealthy Bogotanas than a backpacker spot as there are organic food shops, nice restaurants and craft shops everywhere. Also visited an ancient Muisca site about an hours walk away from the town along a dirt track.