Evening Mood On The Plaza Mayor

Saturday morning at 4:30 clock alarm clock rang our, because together with Angie, we wanted to make a weekend trip to Villa de Leyva. According to our guide, it is one of the most beautiful colonial cities of Colombia. It was still pitch black and we took a taxi to the bus station. In the large, comfortable bus we made ourselves for the next two hours drive comfortably. After one change and another hour on the bus we arrived at Villa de Leyva. The ride went past mountains, but everything looked pretty dried out, not as green as we were still used by New Zealand. Many houses are made of brick and roof tiles have terrakotafarbene. It looks pretty Mediterranean, almost like in Greece or Spain.
Our stomachs were growling very nice when we were in Villa de Leyva arrived and we looked at the central Plaza Mayor, one of the largest marketplaces in South America, Net ein Café. Angie ordered us a couple of typical Colombian specialties: Tamal (a dish of various meats, Vegetables, Cooked corn flour and egg in banana leaf), Almojabana (soft small buns with cheese flavor), Arepa de Boyaca (crispy fried flat bread made of corn flour and Colombian cheese). In addition, there gabs scrambled eggs with lots of cheese and ham, fresh tangerine juice and Colombian coffee. Everything was delicious and afterwards we were pretty full.
Since Angie works in a Colombian Travel Agency, we have the night in a Hotel Antonio Nariño Free bekommen. After a hearty breakfast we were pretty tired and therefore first made before a siesta we in the afternoon with the bicycles, the environment explored. In the beginning it went steeply uphill and it was quite exhausting. The heat, the altitude and the thin air made us a little bit to create. We biked along the road and then on gravel roads through beautiful countryside. All around, we always had the great mountains in view. Past the lakes “Blue Pits” we drove to the El Fosil Museum. There is a 120 million. Years old baby Kronosaurus Fossil. There is still exactly in the same place, where it was found. The small museum was built just to the dinosaur skeleton around. It is the world's most complete of its kind. In the surroundings of Villa de Leyva very many fossils have also been found elsewhere, z.B. of shells, which have been incorporated as a decoration in many homes.
Then we went on to “Estacion Astronomica Muisca”, einem der Muisca Observatorium, the natives of Colombia. It was once used as a sort of calendar and looks a bit like Stonehenge – many stone monoliths arranged in a special pattern on a lawn and were used by the Muiscas for example, to determine the seasons. All around there are also many huge phallic symbols in stone, available for the fertility of the region.
During the trip we saw left and right repeatedly beautiful villas. But one house stood out particularly: the so-called Terrakottahaus. It is built entirely of terracotta, even the bed, Lamps, Chairs, Decoration … everything. In the evening we rode back and met at a small café with Angie's business partner José, offers horse rides in the area. His wife Olga and friends Juan and Sandra were also there and we agreed to meet the next morning for a ride. José even invited us and we tried Canelazo, a hot drink with cinnamon, Sugarcane, Limes und aguardiente, tastes like a shot of ouzo.
After a delicious breakfast, Plaza Mayor wieder am, Juan has us picked up on Sunday morning. A few kilometers outside of Villa de Leyva is the estate of José. He lives there with his wife Olga, 16 horses and 5 dogs. After a tour of the many antiques and memorabilia beautifully decorated house and the property with its own lake Juan told us a lot about the proper handling of the horses. Colombian horses are different than e.g.. European horses. The Colombian only be conducted with the reins and not with the spores. Liliana saddled our horses and each of us went with his horse a bit familiar. After that, the ride could start.
I had pretty much closer to horses, but after I had acquainted myself with my horse Al Caravan and had a few minutes of practice, it went quite well. Seppel's mare was Tomarichi and Angie had a stallion named Fidel. We trotted past tomato plantations, small fincas, Aloe Vera Feldern, many dogs, a few cows and all around we were able to admire the beautiful mountain scenery. In the hilly landscape, it went uphill and downhill, but at some point we were faced with a steeper mountain. Juan told us, that the horses uphill prefer to go a little faster, because it is easier for them. We should therefore let the reins a little looser and not “brake”. My horse has probably sensed this opportunity and equal los sprinted. Links past Angie and right past Seppel we arrived as the first top. I just tried myself as best I could hold in order not to fall down. At the top was Al Caravan then luckily again are. My heart was pounding and my knees were shaking a little. So I had not imagined it! As I before the next mountain was thus even more respect, Juan took my horse and me in tow, so it does not galloped off again. Comfortable, we went back towards “Loma Amarillo”, the house of José and Olga. Unlike me Seppel always wanted to ride a bit faster and had to drive his horse again and again to. I was glad to have frankly solid ground under the feet, but it was a very great experience. Even if I feel like it almost everything hurt. Juan was also very good care of us, and especially to me, care.
Back in Villa de Leyva, we received a typical Colombian grill “Pariada” taste: Black pudding (Reisblutwurst), Beef- and pork, Rind, various potatoes and plantains. Very hearty, but good! Before it back to the bus direction Bogotá went, we walked in the afternoon once more through the cobbled with huge cobblestones streets and the Plaza Mayor, where there is even a “Dorfkneipe” are.