colombia te quiero.

bogota has a population of 8 million, and is located at more than 8,000 feet above sea level. bogota has cafes, bohemia, dancing and an atmosphere that is impossible to capture in pictures.

the tim horton's of colombia, juan valdez. mmmm deliciosa!


plaza bolivar in bogota:


park 93 where all the action is in northern part of the city:


a typical colourful street in the candelaria, in downtown bogota:


the view of montserrat, a church high on a mountain overlooking the city:


villa de leyva is a perfectly preserved colonial town about four hours north of bogota. the surrounding mountains are stunning too. you can easily see the town in a few hours, but it is the kind of place you want to hang out longer. the town was declared a national monument in 1954: streets are cobblestoned, houses are whitewashed. during the week, the town was quiet and serene, but on the weekend, colombian tourists invade the town! we also chose possibly the busiest week to visit, the week off leading up to easter.

plaza major, the largest main square in all of colombia:


hiking in the area around villa de leyva:


souvenir shopping in the artesanian village of raquila:


the colours were AMAZING. certainly an overstimulation of crafts and souvenirs! we bought jewellery, and little pottery sets:


we returned to bogota for my last day. we joined many others who flocked to the top of montserrat on easter weekend. what a view of the city!


it is hard for pictures to fully encapsulate my impressions of colombia. i was continually struck by the vibrant colours, the rich architecture and incredible views. i will definitely be back!