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 Terraced foundations of
Ciudad Perdida by jungles |
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 Sanctuary of Las Lajas by jungles |
 Trees covered in Spanish moss
(Tillandsia) by jungles |
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Barichara is a lovely colonial town that has been designated as a national monument, thus no modern buildings are allowed, and the town looks much as it would have when it was first built in 1714. All the houses are painted in the characteristic two-tone style and have overhanging roofs. It is a pleasure to walk around the cobblestone streets, though the town is quite small (population 10,000) and very quiet, so there's not much to do once you've admired the Cathedral, the other three churches, and the home of the former president Aquiles Parra. There is an attractive waterfall called the Salto de Mica about a thirty-minute walk away along a trail with good views of the surrounding scenery, though the water is polluted and a bit smelly. Directions: 22km from San Gil, accessible by bus.
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 Statues in San Agustin by jungles
The most accessible statues are those within the Parque Arqueologico, which has been developed for tourism and has gravel footpaths connecting the various sites. More statues can be found further afield along trails either on foot or on horseback, but enquire about safety before attempting this on your own. Several companies in town offer guided tours to these areas. Within the park itself there are several groups of statues that have been left in situ, though the ones in the 'Bosque de las Estatuas' have been moved and rearranged. In addition to the statues, there are also some interesting rock carvings in a stream bed called 'Fuente de Lavapatas.'
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Cartagena is absolutely gorgeous. The view on the ride from the airport into town may be a bit of a letdown, but once you enter the old walls of the inner city you will be blown away. I have seen many beautiful Spanish colonial cities, but this one tops them all. The buildings have been meticulously restored and painted in vibrant colours, and it's a pleasure just to wander aimlessly through the streets under the many overhanging balconies. There are several churches, plazas, and museums of interest, though the inner city is small and can be easily covered in a couple of days.
Outside the walls, Cartagena's coast is also a beach resort destination that is popular with the package tour crowd, though it baffles me why anyone would stay in one of the concrete aparment blocks on the beach rather than the beautiful old city. Boat trips out to the coral archipelago of the Islas del Rosario are also popular. Be warned that Cartagena gets very hot in summer.
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 Bogota's Cathedral in Plaza
Bolivar by jungles
The historic centre called La Candelaria holds the bulk of Bogota's attractions; other places of interest include the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) and the view from the top of the Monserrate peak. For more info look for my soon-to-come Bogota page.
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 Cross over the main altar by jungles
The original underground salt cathedral was built by the salt miners themselves in 1954, and was dedicated to their patron saint, Nuestra Senora del Rosario. Continuing deterioration made it unsafe and it was closed; the new cathedral was opened in December 1995. It is built entirely underground and was created by carving huge open spaces out of the rock salt deposits in the mine. The mine is still in operation today.
Prior to visiting, I had pictured intricate decorations carved out of salt on the facade of the cathedral. In fact, there is no facade as such, just a huge space carved out below ground. There are sculptures representing the 14 stations of the cross near the entrance, but they use only straight lines and are not very detailed; they are essentially just crosses. I imagine it's probably impossible to carve with much detail in rock salt. What is impressive is the sheer size of the place. It's also interesting to see how the manipulation of light makes it look like a giant white cross is hanging in thin air above the altar; in fact the cross is carved out of the wall behind.
Entry costs US$4 (half-price on Wed.) and includes a guided tour. Directions: Don't listen to locals who tell you that you must take a taxi; the mines and cathedral are only a 15 minute walk from the bus stop.
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 Plaza Mayor by jungles |
 Main square of Zipaquira by jungles
Directions:
Zipaquira can be reached by bus from Bogota, which takes about 75 minutes. It is also accessible from Tunja by taking a Bogota-bound bus and getting off at La Caro for connection to Zipaquira. In addition, on Saturdays and Sundays there is a tourist train that runs from Bogota to Zipaquira for US$8 (the bus costs US$2 each way).
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