Boyaca, including Sotaquira
The Colombian "departemento" of Boyaca borders on eight other departments of Colombia, including the one in which I live, Antioquia! A Colombian departamento is analogous to a US state. Boyaca also boarders on the Republica Bolivariana of Venezuela, simply called Venezuela. The capital city of Boyaca is Tunja.
The following introduction to the area can interest a first time tourist and, perhaps, a first time explorer.
Hostel:
If you are interested in ecotourism, Boyaca may be a good place for you to do some exploration. It can interest birders too. Much tourism has been developed for Colombians and other Spanish speakers. When your linguistic abilities do not include Spanish, there are still ways to enjoy your time in this departamento. There are guided tours available with guides who may speak a language with which you are familiar. There are also a good number of pleasant and comfortable hostels available. Most of them can provide you with a great deal of interesting and useful information. Many are likely to have information in a language you know. Many hostels will have personal who speak one or more European languages. A good hostel can be a valuable asset.
Better hotels often have someone available who speaks English or a European language other than Spanish. Most hotels seem to have less tourist information of interest to the foreign tourist than do most hostels. But even those hotels may put you on the trail to some interesting and useful information; information like the phone number of a reputable tour company.
In Boyaca much exuberant flora to be found; Boyaca has rivers and lakes; waterfalls and hot water spas; Colonial towns and churches; plenty of trees and a bit of desert.
There are places to stay which are interesting, pleasant, and comfortable. Many of these places can be found outside the cities, some in wonderfully scenic locals. Often there is an inviting swimming pool available. The food can be good, some both good and bit exotic. From nearly every place, you can be directed to an establishment with healthy and tasty food. If a place looks iffy you may be sensible to request food to be served very hot from the kitchen. When you are in a place for the first time it could be best to resist that delicious looking fresh fruit drink or lovely salad.
Two popular small cities that you may find worth a visit or a stay are Villa de Leyva and Paipa.
When you have an excellent guide and have done a bit more than the usual reading there are places with histories which can be more than a little interesting. The backstories of of some landmarks can be informative and interesting.
Many visitors find the geography of Boyaca and much of Colombia spectacular. I find much of it beautiful. The Andes are great; great big ranges. You may find some of the altitudes you are traveling are difficult to believe until you try to go for a run. An area of rolling nearly park like country may have the feel of low lands, but may be at 7,000 feet, or more. They may look like the rich hill country of home. They often have deep, fertile earth supporting rich green forest and field and not even show a rock and be at an altitude of 8,000 feet. Not all of Boyaca is among Andean peaks. There low lands and pleasant river valleys. If the weather where you find yourself is not just right for you, travel up or down for a very short time and find ideal warmth or softly cooling breezes.
There have been some interesting happenings and doings in pre-Colombian times in this often lovely area. That reminds me that today on any day one may see an orchid blooming unattended. Back to pre-Colombian times. Much of the country you will see was very well populated then. Gold has been found in the mountains, rivers, and streams. Pre-Colombian mined it and worked it. They also mined emeralds. Those emeralds are mined today. Ask about local museums. you may find small, but interesting one.
Their are trails to hike, mountains to climb, horses to ride, and, as Colombians say, rivers in which to bathe. The trails are often walkable enough, but often not well marked. There are also hammocks and comfortable chairs in which to relax, savor recent experiences, and come to note a softly pleasing breeze. There are comfortable small hostels and hotels; one with great views is not difficult to find. It is possible to find one where your language is spoken and the information is generous. It is not impossible to find one with natural hot water pools and a good cook. It might be peacefully rural with very comfortable beds.
Sotaquira:
There are plenty of interesting towns an villages in Boyaca. One of them is Sotaquira. Sotaquira is also a municipio. A municipio is much like a small county. It borders on the municipalities of Tuta and Paipa. Its Spanish foundation date is December 20th of 1582. The founder was Friar Arturo Cabeza de Vaca. I do not believe that this is the known and loved Cabeza de Vaca of American grade-school text books. The town became a Catholic parish in 1777. "Sotaquira," in the Chibcha language of the Muisca, appears to mean "Place of the Sovereign." The economy of the municipio still consists mainly of pre-hispanic agricultural products. Still a dairyman may be a big man in the area.
It is said that the residents of Sotaquira are mostly 'remnant' Sotaira people of the Muisca confederation, which included the Zipazco of Bacata, Zacazco of of Hunza, the sacred territories of Iraca, Tudama, etc. The Sotaira were direct tributaries of the Zaca of Hunza. Hunza has become Tunja, the present capital of the department. I have a unclear memory that Bacata is the source of the the name Bogota.
At the time of Colombia's war of independence, it is said, that the people of Sotaquira donated one hundred horses to the patriot's cause. Colombia's independence from Spain had important beginnings throughout much of Boyaca.
These first notes on Boyaca stir my interest in the pre-Columbian people of Colombia. Are you interested in them? Should you comment in the "comments" section just below be on the nature of your interests in them, I would try to work up some interesting notes on them and write up and publish a post on them here or on the history blog. Use the "comments" app below for anything related to the contents of this post.
Just now I am remembering the people who were here as Columbus sailed the ocean blue. I have mentioned that they included the Chibcha speaking Muisca. The Chibcha speaking people have been considered as having the highest cultural development of all the many people in the north of South America. They practiced a high level of highly varied horticulture. The seem to have been a bit more democratic than most indigenous people and most of the newcomers. At least the spread their gold around a bit more equitably than most.
Am I taking us to far into pre-Columbian times for a visit to modern Boyaca. Okay then I'll take a step into speculation. There seems to be growing evidence of an indigenous population here by 12,000 BC, that's more than 14,000 years ago! That's near the time of Noah's flood, perhaps before that flood. Some ancestors of native peoples could have survived that floods in mountains much like those of today. Some may lived here in that long Ice Age prior to the flood. Many may have found their way here to start a new life. There were perhaps five major language groups and more than 20 different languages and a couple of languages that seem to fit nowhere. Where did they originate.
Thanks for reading.
Come on down!
There about 25 more posts on Colombia here including vidos and essays. Click on Colombia in above or in the Labels column.