Villa de Leyva, Colombia 🇨🇴
I decide I need a decent breakfast this morning before my bike ride. At the cafe I am suggested Cazuela Boyacens which is a typical dish, I do need to eat more local dishes so I go for it. The dish turns out to be eggs poached in warm milk which then has bread sat in it. On a positive this is the closest I have come to poached eggs in 8 months but otherwise it is just unpleasant. I eat enough to sustain the energy for the ride and then set off for the bike shop.
They are really thorough in my directions and I set off confidently into the countryside. I am still unfit as I wheeze up the hill and then down to an Orchid farm. The family are so friendly and lovingly show me all their orchids, even pulling some pods off for me to grow. They have lots of geese and crested ducks. Behind the farm is a blue pool. The area has lots of these due to mineral content, useless for irrigation but they look pretty.
Next stop is a Rock garden or art, this lady was a bit more hippy and loved showing me the labyrinth that represented a route to give thanks to your mother’s uterus…wasn’t keen to try it. The balancing rocks were nice and the place had a good vantage point to see surrounding hills. My cycling seemed to be getting easier as I eased myself into my next stop and promptly shoved the peddle into my shin.
El Fossil is a museum built around a Kranosaurous skeleton found in 1977. I have never seen this sea dwelling dinasour before and the theory is that it beached itself before being encased in mud and preserved. This area is notorious for fossils and when this one was discovered by a farmer the locals decide to preserve it where it was found, building the museum around it. I think that is really cool and loved seeing this large creature laying where it has for years.
I push on, confidently taking the longer loop back to town passing other attractions but keen to keep cycling. I return safely in about 3 hours and I’ve covered 15km, which I have enjoyed.
I walk back past the main plaza where families are flying kites, so cool just watching old and young enjoy this activity. I am waylaid by Pizza and follow it with a delicious mango and mint ice cream. I spend the evening enjoying a few Netflix episodes of Elementary.
