Chat Zone for The Big Big Trip Journal!

[HobbesOnTour]

Thank you for the additional photos! Are you going to post an album?

I throw up some extra pictures and you still want more?


Do you have any idea of the time (online) it takes to make an album?
My internet connectivity isn't always great! I'm not in the great State of Texas anymore!

Anyway, you've seen all I have of the church.

It may be something I do later, when this is all over, to relive some things and put together some albums of different themes or roads or whatever. I've never done any albums like these before (until this trip) and I'm still trying to figure it all out.

But since you asked, a particularly pretty stained glass window from the Cappuchin(?) church in Socorro, just down from where I was staying. No effects, just "night mode" again.

Thanks for the YouTube links. Not really in a position to watch them now but will later.

Oh! Villa de Leyva is quite the spot for star gazing going back to preHispanic times. They even have a yearly get together with Astronomers from all around the world.
Wouldn't that make a great destination on your trike?
(And bloody right I'll be looking for lots of photos!)

 

[HobbesOnTour]

A+ for you. That is very close, but better IMO, than what Google translate came up with. "Monument to the illustrious people who with their work magnified the name of our municipality"

For Google I think we should adopt a variation of the 80-20 rule;
80% of the time it works ok but 20% of the time it can get you into serious trouble!
This applies to Maps and Translate.

Ye wouldn't believe some of the absolute crap it throws up as a translation at times! Sometimes it can be dangerous!

For anyone interested, Spanishdict.com is an excellent translator (and educational resource) that understands the difference dialects of Spanish.

Mucha suerte!

 

[cwskas]

For anyone interested, Spanishdict.com is an excellent translator (and educational resource) that understands the difference dialects of Spanish.

Mucha suerte!

Thanks for the link.

Willie

 

[cwskas]

It's possible I'll get bored of such scenes, but I doubt it.

Your panoramic views are fantastic!

Willie

 

[cwskas]

I throw up some extra pictures and you still want more?


Do you have any idea of the time (online) it takes to make an album?

I certainly dont want to appear ungrateful! Perhaps, as it says under my initials, I was having a 'senior member' moment!

Willie

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I certainly dont want to appear ungrateful! Perhaps, as it says under my initials, I was having a 'senior member' moment!

Willie

Don't be worrying yourself, Willie
I'm in Colombia....... Nothing bothers me here!

 

[IaninSheffield]

I understand it's a bit of a tourist trap

Most definitely a touristy place and full of tourists

Curious where the tourists might be from, given you're now deeper in Columbia and travel is generally still somewhat limited. Are they Columbians or folks from elsewhere?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Curious where the tourists might be from, given you're now deeper in Columbia and travel is generally still somewhat limited. Are they Columbians or folks from elsewhere?

I'm not sure travel is limited, at least domestic travel?
They're all Colombians and since I'm getting close to Bogotá, most seem to be from there. A mix of young couples, families and older folks.

The couple running the lovely place in Girón were about to pull the trigger on a second property because business was booming. After a lockdown and a reluctance to international travel "home" tourism is booming.

 

[Shadow]

Am really enjoying Colombia.....or I should say I am enjoying your thoughts on your journey through it!

The church in Oiba - super picture, lovely light, provides a real sense of specialness. (the night mode function on the camera is impressive). And the flowers to the right and left in front of the altar, they are huge arrangements. That must keep some folk busy. I wonder from where they are sourced.

Your road signs making eyes at you - I could resist no longer! So I resorted to looking at Colombia's version of the Highway Code. I surmised it had something to do with lights but could not guess completely correctly. It means 'Low beam headlights'. Very useful to know as a cyclist!

Moniquira - I trust you sampled the bocadillos and panelitas de leche in the area, for which it is well regarded and well known?!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Am really enjoying Colombia.....or I should say I am enjoying your thoughts on your journey through it!

That makes two of us then!
Just remember my thoughts and impressions are just that - mine!
I could be very wrong in a lot of things!

The church in Oiba - super picture, lovely light, provides a real sense of specialness. (the night mode function on the camera is impressive). And the flowers to the right and left in front of the altar, they are huge arrangements. That must keep some folk busy. I wonder from where they are sourced.

Thank you! I'm very proud of that shot.
There are no shortage of religious shrines along the roads, usually immaculately kept. Flowers are a major component of any of the markets and each town has one.

Your road signs making eyes at you - I could resist no longer! So I resorted to looking at Colombia's version of the Highway Code. I surmised it had something to do with lights but could not guess completely correctly. It means 'Low beam headlights'. Very useful to know as a cyclist!

Yes! There was a lengthy discussion on this years ago on CGOAB and the same conclusion was drawn. For me, it's usually a sign of an impending steep climb!

Moniquira - I trust you sampled the bocadillos and panelitas de leche in the area, for which it is well regarded and well known?!

Don't you know that the greatest single advantage of bike touring is to be able to graze the whole way?

The bakeries here are pretty amazing but trying to keep track of the names is a nightmare. And sometimes they change from one region to another. Pointing is safer (I remember my faux pas in CDMX all too clearly😊).
In Spain a bocadillo is a swandwich! I've been known to dream about Spanish bocadillos de bacon!
Also, something with cheese can be sweet or savoury! Confusing!

Here's a selection of cookies!

The very modern "confession room" in the church in Oiba

 

[Shadow]

Just remember my thoughts and impressions are just that - mine!
I could be very wrong in a lot of things!

Of course. Would not want it any other way!

it's usually a sign of an impending steep climb!

That was my conclusion too.

The very modern "confession room" in the church in Oiba

Ummm...glad I'm not a practising Catholic!


And now you have just out done yourself...four posts describing a huge total of a 32k bike ride, on a sunday, when nada pasa except for going to church. Excellent reportage, thank you.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

And now you have just out done yourself...four posts describing a huge total of a 32k bike ride, on a sunday, when nada pasa except for going to church. Excellent reportage, thank you.

😊
I'm waiting to get called out for being full of crap!

 

[cwskas]

Santa Sofia, Boyacá, Columbia is located at an altitude of 2,387 metres (7,831 ft)!

Museo El Fósil - one afternoon in 1977, some local farmers stumbled across the massive, near-complete skeleton of a Kronosaurus, a Cretaceous-period relative of the crocodile.

 

[cwskas]

Magnificent scenery.

 

[cwskas]

this is what "real" tourists do

You mean you didn't want to ride this road?

Paso de Angel

According to lonely planet: "This vertigo-inducing mountain path running along a ridge on the way to the Guatoque waterfall is a popular attraction in its own right. At its narrowest point, the Angel's Step, it's only around 33cm wide for about a meter and a half, with vertical drops of over 100m on one side and 30m on the other. Views on both sides are amazing."

Willie