During the last week of September, Ed and I explored the Southern part of Colombia. We saw very few tourists–and no Americans–as we explored two areas with lost civilizations–one that thrived from 500 – 900 AD, and another which started in 3300 BC.

Statues of San Agustín

San Agustín, a UNESCO World Heritage site, hosts an eye-popping collection of carved stone statues –dating from 3300 BC (!) to 900 AD. Archeologists have associated the figures with historical periods, based on their style and intricacy.

These statues tell the story of a civilization with celibate warriors (who have strings tied around their private parts to indicate “out of order.”)

Legends include the role of the shamans who drink hallucinogenic potions and turn into various animals. The people worshiped gods, like the Sun God, who protected them in the afterlife.

Nestled within the folds of the southern Andes in Colombia, the San Augustin area is strikingly beautiful and rich with lush vegetation. Coffee plants abound along the hillsides, and the flowers are breathtaking.

Underground Funeral Chambers at Tierradentro

A lost civilization- from 500 – 900 AD created elaborate burial procedures and painted intricate funeral chambers high in the foothills of the Andes at Tierradentro. Only discovered in the 1930’s, these chambers give us a peek into a world previously unknown–and to this date, unnamed. Upon our arrival, the local guards opened the overhead doors to each chamber, and we warily climbed down, flashlight at the ready.

Each chamber was dug deep into the earth. The stairways varied–some spiral, some were just a “zig-zag” of boulders.

 

Below were intricate paintings in black, white, and sometimes red. It was inspiring to stand in the presence of images that were almost 2,000 years old.

Some of the paintings were quite modern in design.

During our visit, we were glad not to need the “bodyboard” stationed outside of each funeral cave. (I’m not sure how one could extract someone from a tomb using this board, as the access was very narrow.)

The Library in Inza

In this area we also visited a remote village, Inza, which had an exquisite community library! With funding from the government of Japan, and an architect from Germany, the building reminded us of Ronchamp Chapel by Le Corbusier in France.

Inside, kids of all ages were thriving in an active-learning after-school program.

Colombia’s Tatacoa Desert

We enjoyed the scenic vistas of this dry tropical forest, which reminded us of Southern Utah. The formations were smaller than Bryce or Zion, but still quite beautiful.

Of course, we had to “assume the position” to memorialize our presence.

One of the stranger “tourist attractions” in this desert was this swimming pool — built right into the rocks. Loud music blasted from the surround sound speakers. We could have taken a dip, but it was just too weird.

Reflections from off the Beaten Track in Colombia

There are a few advantages to this type of travel. Often, when we hovered near a restaurant, contemplating lunch or dinner, the waiter and chef would jump up from a local park and run into the restaurant to warmly welcome us. Since we were often the only customer, we received personalized service! Also, the innkeepers and hosts were exceedingly gracious and appreciative of our business.

However, there are also disadvantages. One of the reasons there are so few tourists here, is that the roads are terrible. Luckily we had hired an excellent driver, Renel, who could navigate the enormous potholes in the roads and effectively drive around barriers and detours. We were very thankful that we had been advised not to pursue a drive-it-yourself trip, which would have been a nightmare. An 80 km trip can take up to four hours.

Infrastructure Needs Work

All of the bridges were under construction (without a construction worker in sight), so we frequently had to drive into the river bed. We were also glad not to travel on the local bus — which was filled well beyond capacity with school kids!

The local indigenous people complain that the Colombian government doesn’t care about this region. So there has been little investment in infrastructure.

Since Renel usually drove a truck, he knew the best truck stops which provided tasty and cheap lunches that would not make us sick. He knew which plaza offered 30-cent ice cream cones. Also, Renel used to be a professional soccer player, so he was very lively and charming. He could climb up boulders while we watched. In the car, Jan practiced her Spanish, while Ed used his Portuguese to understand the commentary.

Another wrinkle was that immediately before flying to Southern Colombia, a friend sent us a link to the US State Department advisory that listed the “Cauca Valley” as a “no-go region.” Once we read this, we frantically tried to assess the situation but were assured by many people that the areas we were visiting were completely safe and that tourists were not the target of any FARC-related gang violence. Luckily, this proved to be the case.

Compared the bustle of Bogotá, the high rises of Medellín, and the tropical color of Cartagena, this area of Colombia is very rural. The trip gave us an increased appreciation of these long-lost civilizations, and a peek into the life of many people who depend on sustainable agriculture as a way of life. Increased government spending on infrastructure could help get this area on the radar, but it’s unclear if that will be happening anytime soon.  Next stop for us: Panama.