The Valle de Tenza in Colombia

The plaza in Guateque

I have traveled to Colombia over a 37-year period and recall seeing many buses indicating that they were traveling to the Valle de Tenza in the province of Boyacá, about a three-hour ride from Bogotá, toward the northeast. Foreign tourists did not appear to visit the region with any regularity, as most of them go to the colonial-style town of Villa de Leyva, also in Boyacá but in a different direction.

The town of Somondoco as seen from Guateque

In December 2015 I made my first trip to the area, visiting the towns of Guateque and Tenza. One can not help but be impressed by the immense mountains and gorges that mark the route once one turns off the main road to Tunja and heads east. After the considerable twists and turns, I stopped in Guateque, the first major town in the valley on our route. Guateque has a temperate climate, warmer than Bogotá and the towns immediately to the north of the city. While in Guateque, I met with a professor named Luis Carlos Uscátegui who was in the area doing research and supporting an artisans' cooperative that specialized in basket weaving. He suggested that I visit Tenza, and I hailed a taxi to take me there. I didn't have a lot of time to spend in Tenza, but it was well worth it: the town was beautiful and quiet. I had some time to meet a gentleman named Marco Antonio Roa, who was the director of folk dance groups in the town.

One of the quiet streets in Tenza

In April 2017 I returned to the valley. This time I passed Guateque and kept going to a town named Garagoa which was a little farther down the route. There were even more landscapes that awaited, and I was taking every photo I could with my iPhone while the bus bounced over the bumps in the road. My time was limited in Garagoa, so I focused on the church, which did not disappoint with its beautiful interior and many statues that were lovingly preserved. The local people were very friendly, and eager to chat with me about American politics.

Valle de Tenza still has more that awaits my discovery, as there are several other towns in the area with their own views and enchantment.

Interior of the church in Garagoa

Overview of travels and encounters with Latin culture

Since I last posted in March 2015, it has been a whirlwind year in many respects. I am finally getting myself in a position to resume writing here. I hope to become more consistent in my writing from now on, but in between posts you can also visit my Facebook page Mike Esposito's Travel Blog or my Twitter account @meesposito for photos and quick tidbits of information.

On the Facebook page I'll also include trips that are not within the realm of Latin America and the Caribbean, and in particular those that can easily be done from my home town of Philadelphia. (I especially enjoy going to Lancaster County and visiting the Amish.) Here is a quick photo summary of trips I've made recently, along with some encounters with Latin culture closer to home.

Crafts store in Tenza, Colombia

One of the many Nativity scenes on display in Colombia

Aztec dancers at Mexican Independence Day Festival in Philadelphia

Mexican mariachi at Cinco de Mayo Festival in Kennett Square, PA

One of the many unique decorative touches you will find at Andrés Carne de Res Restaurant in Chía, Colombia