Road Trip to Boyaca - Day 2

Saturday began sunny and cool and after a relatively restful night at Casa Eslava.  We all rose early (early sun and early birds including a rooster).  We took turns showering due to water availability.  The hot water was generated by an immediate electrical device located at the shower head.  I had seen this type of contraption on House Hunters International but never in person.  It worked pretty well and we all had warm/hot showers.

Our instant hot water shower - a little scary looking but it worked

Breakfast was taken in the 250+ year old comedor (dining room).  Angela, Paula and Mauricio prepared coffee, warmed up arepas, bread and the stuffed corn husks, and put out fruit and cheese.  They used the modern stove as the traditional one takes some hours to heat up using coal.  It was a treat to sit in the middle of history of a very personal sort and eat authentic and delicious food with wonderful friends.

Mauricio and Paula heat up the arepas and the corn husks on the modern stove

The ancient oven which we didn't use - the Eslavas tried it one time for pizzas but it was not very successful

The ancient stove which they normally use but we didn't have time to fire (literally) up

Angela assembles breakfast

Little sausages

Mashed corned and cheese that has been in the corn husks - delicious!

At the breakfast table in the venerable comedor

Breakfast was excellent

Discussing the day's plans

Thus fortified, we packed and loaded up.  I explored the gardens and house in daylight (the light was fast fading when we arrived on Friday) and took a bunch of photos.  Paula and I also walked through the main square (actually two squares) for more photos as it was night when we walked through the evening before.  Firavitoba is not the most charming village in Boyaca but it is pretty, peaceful and friendly.  We enjoyed our experience thoroughly and hope to return for another night next year.

Randy outside the ground floor of the ancient house

The courtyard garden - a little wild but beautiful and bursting with life - trees, flowers, butterflies, insects, birds, snails

The neighbor's sheep grazes in the backyard

Fruit trees and more in the large backyard

The cozy living room in the morning

Our bedroom

Looking from the "new" wing to the old one

The stately entrance gate to the courtyard compound

Another garden shot

The new house and garden seen from the upper balcony of the old house

A bedroom complex in the old house (we did not use this) - note the wall of sticks - the interior of the wall construction as this part was partly renovated

Another view from the upper level of the old house

Flowers in the garden - bleeding hearts, I believe

A wild lily in the garden

Another beauty

A fruit tree in the backyard (not sure what fruit this is)

Paula outside the compound gate

I am in front of the old Eslava house on the public square side

The enormous eucalyptus tree in the square was planted by an Eslava forefather

The square in front of the Eslava house

I am in front of the impressive church in the neighboring square

The church was rebuilt after an earthquake about 20 years ago

The European style massive interior

Typical Boyaca dress by men and women - poncho and hat

The glorious trees in the square

Another shot of the Eslava house exterior

Mauricio restakes the sheep in the backyard before we leave

Washing his hands in the old stone water basins

We were very glad to have shared this experience with our wonderful hosts!

The house next door is now a music school and was visited by Simon Bolivar

Paula and Angela say goodbye to Firavitoba

After Angela returned the undrunk beers to the shop and bought a lot of the local cheese (which is famous and excellent) we headed to our first stop, Iza.  The drive there was bucolic and pretty with rolling hills, green fields and lots of dairy farms with black and white cattle.  We admired the pretty square of Iza and picked up a few gifts from a local shop and then headed for Lago del Tota (Lake Tota).

The pretty church on the main square in Iza

The gorgeous bougainvillea in the Iza square

This is the largest lake in Colombia and is a natural lake with a (surprise) natural white sand beach (Playa Blanca).  We circumvented the lake driving through extensive green onion fields near the lake edge.  They grown here year round and many fields were being harvested (by hand, of course).  We stopped for a few photo opportunities and arrived eventually at Playa Blanca.  The beach is large and attractive and there were some swimming though I think the water would be way too cold for me.  We admired the place and used the facilities and had drinks (water for me and a local hot liquor drink for Randy) and then set off.

Landscape between Iza and Lake Tota

This is dairy country with milk cows grazing on green fields

A view from up high of Lake Tota, the largest in Colombia and a natural lake

The weather was perfect

Onion fields (green onions) were all around this side of the lake

More fields and lake

Randy would like to retire here

Playa Blanca - White Beach - yes, it is

Paula and Angela admire this remote beach

Paula enjoys the sun

Too cold to swim for us (though some people were)

Angela and Mauricio - the sand was very nice - fine grained and clean

Randy and his Canelazo

Cinnamon hot water with a dose of the Colombian liquor, Aquardiente

Driving through the town of Tota (not on the lake) we backtracked through Iza and Sogamoso to the high village of Mongui.  This has been called the most beautiful village in Colombia with good reason.  It is set beautifully in the high hills and has many preserved colonial buildings (the village was founded in 1601) including three on the Colombian Natural Heritage Register.

Mauricio walks the streets of Mongui

The huge church of Mongui, a registered national monument

Another view looking very old Spain

Such a pretty place!

The oldest church in Mongui and also a registered national monument

The exterior of the attractive chapel of San Antonio

The simple but impressive interior

Another street view

Randy on a street looking towards the main square

The old bridge - started 1603 and finished in 1715 is also a national monument

The bridge is quite pretty and still very functional

The stream below

Mauricio admires and corner building

We walked the streets and found a place for a late lunch - the Casona Hotel.  We ate on the terrace overlooking a gorge with a small river running through it.  We started with an appetizer of a root vegetable like a potato in a cheesy sauce. I cannot remember its name but it was noba or nabo or something like that. Yummy! My trout with garlic was very tasty and the others enjoyed their regional food.  I also finally had my first beer of the trip - the local Poker which tasted like a Budweiser, maybe a bit heartier.

Our lunch spot was ideally located although not our first choice - that was a place next to the bridge but was closed

On the terrace of the Casona Hotel in Mongui

Mauricio and Randy both ordered a mixed grill of chicken, beef and sausages including a rice filled blood sausage

View from the Hotel Casona terrace - a lovely place to lunch!

I loved Mongui

Paula fed this street dog her left over rice outside the hotel

We bought a small soccer ball for Henley (Mongui makes 30,000 soccer balls each month including some used in the World Cup) and explored the square and cathedral.  However rain drops began and we piled in the car and headed home.  I would like to see more of Mongui next time and there is a paramo nearby too that could be visited with some more time and advanced planning.  The rain never materialized to much but we had a long drive back and hit traffic (of course) on the outskirts of Bogota.  We arrived back to the Embassy Suites around 8 PM.

The main square of Mongui

A local band plays on the square

The impressive facade

This warrants the title of basilica

Mass was going on inside

Randy and I decided to walk around the area of the hotel - packed restaurants on this Saturday night.  We ate at a hipster and upscale Italian place recommended by the hotel reception clerk.  Vitto was full of young and apparently flush Bogota professionals enjoying a Saturday night.  We were fortunate to find a table in the small but pleasant garden and had food better than we expected.  I had a pizza and Randy had cannelloni and we split a salad.  I drank a couple of glasses of Chilean red wine while Randy was happy to find Jack Daniels and coke (very overpriced).  While by Colombian standards we paid a lot, with the favorable exchange rate it was a reasonable dinner out for us.  After strolling a few more blocks we entered the welcoming and comforting embrace of the Embassy Suites.

The trendy but delicious restaurant near our Bogota hotel

My pizza was thin and really good - Randy ate part of it!

Randy was pleased with his salmon stuffed cannelloni and Jack and Coke

Upscale young people enjoy Saturday night in Bogota

Vitto entrance - an enchanting display of lights

Our trip to Boyaca exceeded expectations on all counts.  Randy was ready to make his retirement home at Lake Tota while I itched to return to explore more of Mongui and its fellows in rural Boyaca.  There is much more to see in the region and we hope to make a repeat road trip with the Eslavas next year.  Something to look forward to.

One of the best trips ever - can't wait until next year when we can explore more of this historic, beautiful, clean and friendly area of Colombia - thank you, Eslava family for sharing it with us!!