Above:  Bucaramanga’s main square.  Having been spoilt with travel by private car two days ago, we decided to repeat the experience from Barichara to Bucaramanga, where we stay only one short night before a morning flight.  It’s a nightstop of necessity.  Public transport would require one change, taking 40 mins plus waiting time plus at […]

For breakfast, I had opted for the Tamal filled with meat, chicken and chickpeas.  It was nice, like a Chinese bakchang but with a corn mash instead of glutinous rice.  The Santander-style arepa was very dry unlike the greasier version back at Villa de Leyva. Seated by the gardens with chirping birds, including some bright […]

Moving to Barichara As public transport from Villa de Leyva to Barichara involved two changes, totalling maybe 7h, we booked a car and driver that would take us. With a pick-up time of 0930, we managed to get a walkaround of the traditional markets before departing. Text continues after this gallery.     The route […]

Today was a day of relaxation in my case, and for Kim it was for recovery and recuperation.  Even though I wasn’t unwell in Bogota, I feel discernably better.  It could be knowing that Kim was better.  Or maybe I was slightly affected by the higher altitude. We took walks around the old town.  For […]

Leaving Bogota After a highly interrupted night’s sleep (without the aid of any medication) for both of us, I woke around 0600, well before our alarms. We took care to unlock the various layers of security at our accommodation and checking our room was empty before locking our key inside.  We summoned a taxi by […]

Getting to Zipaquira I woke around 0600 and let Kim sleep till around 0700.  I had needed half a sleeping pill to take me through the night. Kim was feeling decidedly off-colour again and I gave him the option of neither one of us going to the Salt Cathedral about 90 mins away.  He felt […]

Getting started I woke around 0630.  With the time difference with Europe, I should have been raring to go.  I was good but a little sluggish.  I was wary of the fact that Kim had come from the opposite time zone from me and would be slow in the morning. I worked away on my […]

Getting to Madrid With a 0920 departure from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid and connection to Bogota, I had to wake at 0540.  I left the room at 0610 for the walk to the bus stop, which I had located yesterday.  The streets were somewhat busy with people who had been out partying.  The taxi […]