A Weekend in Villa De Layva

One thing I have learnt this weekend is that Colombians (or all Latin Americans for that matter) can dance like no-one else. It's like there is a beat that only they have ears for and they can shake their booty pretty damn well. 

I've had such a big weekend! From clubbing in Bogota to horse-riding in Villa de Leyva I am still feeling so worn out!

On Friday night a small group of exchange students who have banded together went out with some Colombian friends. It was so much fun. Everyone goes out and drinks in a local place before going clubbing. Most people it seem to buy a bottle of spirits and drink shots, usually rum or Colombia's national drink aguardiente which is clear spirit with an aniseed flavor, Its really smooth and a bit too easy to drink. But the craziest thing about the alcohol her is that it comes in cardboard carton as well as bottles! 

The are many different kinds of people out hanging in the town square or park, some playing reggaeton from their cars others jamming on the bongos and dancing. They is even girls that walk around the square offering tequila shots from a handy utility belt where they mix the shot in front of you. The clubs are very fun too they play all sorts of rhythms and everyone is so so amazing at dancing.

The next morning (after 2.5 horas sleep) I got up and well on a weekend trip with my exchange buddies. we stopped at a few towns along the way but our final destination was Villa de Leyva, a beautiful colonial town. We went for a horse ride sat afternoon through the cobbled streets and out of town to a waterhole where the water was clear sparkling blue. So  of course I had to go for a swim. the water was fresh and crystal clear. I was such an experience especially because this part of the Andes is very arid. 

We spent the night in the town square listening to people jamming and having a dance! And I ate this amazing sweet called obleas which is caramel and blackberry jam sandwiched between two wafers. ooh so yummy! 

The next day was for shopping! well and sight seeing we visited a sacred sight of the indigenous people where they once studied the sun and used long cylindrical stone columns to penetrate the ground in order to make it more fertile.

The trip home that night was long and slow because it had been raining in and around Bogota the traffic had been held up.

Today after our Spanish lesson we went on a trip to Zipaquira Underground Salt Cathedral which was about a half hour away from Chia where the university is. It is in the mountain, carved entirely of salt and is the largest salt cathedral in the world.