RTW on a thumper...KTM - LC4 Round the World ADVenturization

[rtwpaul]

just got an email from Paypal letting me know a few readers/ riders donated to my gas/ beer/ rtw fund

may thanks to the following for there very generous donations

D Grossman - aka smithee
C Houston -
G Jones -

[rtwpaul]

sometimes its not about the ride, some things are so close by you have to take time out and go see what others are talking about, it was time to play tourist for a day...a short ride out of Villa de Leyva, just over 1 km heading south, look to the right...we looked here as directed



we couldn't see it so doubled back and with new 'better' direction found the road, a small dirt road off to the right but the house wasn't visible until a few hundred meters from the turn then there it was



the following is how it is described by the owner:

Whoever passes by Terracotta House inevitably attracted and intrigued by the unconventional form, colors and textures, as well as its volume and its built-up areas. With the work front, questions begin to arise in the head: what is this place? What does it do? Who does it belong? How will it feel to be inside or even live there?

Apart from being the world's largest ceramic, Terracotta House is a place located in Villa de Leyva (Boyacá, Colombia) where it combines architecture and design, as well as other arts and crafts, and that since its origin and concept, Colombian architect Octavio Mendoza Morales seeks to promote an alternative lifestyle and harmonious for both the individual and the community, and to the surrounding environment.

the pictures can do the talking on this one as any comments by me will be superfluous

[rtwpaul]

a short ride to Zipaquira and more tourist time...now its lots of walking around the Salt Cathedral



it is difficult to describe the size and scope of this place, all i will say is it a must see if you come to Colombia... so here's what Wiki say about it

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá (Spanish: Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá) is an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 meters underground in a Halite mountain near the town of Zipaquirá, in Cundinamarca, Colombia. It is a very popular tourist destination and place of pilgrimage in the country. The name "Salt Cathedral" is mostly to attract tourists - while a functioning church that receives as many as 3,000 visitors on Sundays, it has no bishop and therefore no official status as a cathedral in Catholicism.
The temple at the bottom has three sections, representing the birth, life, and death of Jesus. The icons, ornaments and architectural details are hand carved in the halite rock. Some marble sculptures are included.
The Salt Cathedral is considered one of the most notable achievements of Colombian architecture. Also it has been denominated as "Jewel of Modern Architecture". The cathedral represents for the Colombian people a valuable cultural, environmental and religious patrimony.









these tunnels are about 100 meters deep

[dave6253]

Looks like you are getting to see some unique places and you are photographing them well.

[bubbletron]

I am envying your time right now... (oh, and your picture taking skills )

[davesupreme]

excellent pics.... some really wild art in colombia.....

[LethPhaos]

The house, is it sun-baked clay? Or how was it done?

[nivag]

That Salt Cathedral is amazing, I remember when I went there about 10 years ago. I was impressed by the size of it and as you say it's difficult to describe it to people!
I miss Colombia :(

Loving your RR and photos, thanks

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by bubbletron

I am envying your time right now... (oh, and your picture taking skills )

check your email...

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by davesupreme

excellent pics.... some really wild art in colombia.....

definitely agree with that

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by LethPhaos

The house, is it sun-baked clay? Or how was it done?

its all terracotta, click this link for more info...casaterracota.com

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by nivag

That Salt Cathedral is amazing, I remember when I went there about 10 years ago. I was impressed by the size of it and as you say it's difficult to describe it to people!
I miss Colombia :(

Loving your RR and photos, thanks

we walked around that place for hours, caven after caven, it seemed like a maze initially, there were no real arrows saying turn here turn there, but somehow you just knew where to go and saw it all

this is a map of the place, once you get back outside it makes sense, (on the far right) all those lines are approx. 100 meters long if that helps with a sense of scale, probably not, but its the best i can do

its 24,000 COP's to get in now, about $14

[rtwpaul]

we stayed an extra day in Zipaquira, Ryans ankle was still bugging him so just a day to chill out around the main square

right by this cathedral...



and up close...



sitting drinking a beer and a willy's WW2 jeep rolls by



the ride out the following morning was again spectacular, starting to run out of superlatives for this country, everyday seems better than the one before for riding







we rode though Honda and over the big bridge in the middle of town



normally there would be guys in wooden canoes fishing but as it was a holiday the locals were disturbing the fish



for the rest of the day it was mountain roads, we had some suggestions from Mike at motolumbia.com in Cali and he picked us out some great roads...from here on its just roads you wish you were riding with a perfect 85 degree temperature with views like these

[rtwpaul]

yesterday we ended up in santa rosa de cabel, the ride out in the morning took us thru more mountains





riding thru Pereira you cross an amazing bridge that seems out of place




Filandia was the next destination, it has a look out tower that boasts THE best view in Colombia, problem was when we were there it was early morning and the dew creates a mist that kind of looked like smog but all the same it is a great view looking towards the town and also towards the snow capped Los Nevados




this is a close up of the same church as we rode out of town later









a short ride from here back to the route 29 and south a km's is the town of Salento where we planned to stay...

[rtwpaul]

we got there and found a small hotel in Salento, from here the place EVERYONE heads to valle de cocora, it boast some of the tallest palm trees in the whole world...now at this point in my head i had kind of built this place up and put it on a pedestal, did you ever do that and when you get there, it just wasn't kind of what you were expecting...so i did a very quick video for dramatic effect