Colombia

Bogata, Colombia. You get the best views of Bogata from the overlook at Monserrate peak. The altitude here is over 10,000 ft so it's nice and cool even though the city's only about 300 miles from the equator.

Cartegena, Colombia. Cartegena is really two cities in one. There's the historic Old Town (pictured) and the modern city (in the background). The Old Town (Ciudad Vieja) is the one you want. It's very reminiscent of parts of Spain and for for good reason. It's safe and user-friendly too, something that can be hit-or-miss out in the 'real' city. Colombians make good use of historical structures; this lively bar/restaurant is on the top of the outer fort walls around the old city.

Cartegena, Colombia. Located so close to the equator and at sea level, it's HOT during the day. But as soon as the sun goes down the whole world comes out of hiding. This is the Torre de Reloj (Clock Tower) Plaza, with the nightly party just getting started.

Cartegena, Colombia. One of many colorful and historic churches here.

Ciudad Perdida Trail. A local guide on the 3-day hike up to the Ciudad Perdida - The Lost City, located deep in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The locals - distant relatives of the Incas - have a certain stoic look that made for some great photos. They are totally at home back here in the rainforest, where they've lived for hundreds (thousands?) of years. Most of the indigenous people are very short - barely 5 feet tall but still so fast on the trail! I could never figure out how they kept their traditional white clothes so clean - we were a muddy mess the whole time.

Ciudad Perdida Trail. Don't let their cute looks fool you - these little kids are the masters of bargaining. This little girl was running her mom's shop and proved to be an expert at wringing every last dollar from members of our hiking group. And how many of us could speak 3 languages at this age? While living out in the middle of the jungle no less!

Minca, Colombia. This is the way I always thought of Colombia - lots of barbed wire, deep jungle, dangerous drug-dealing cartels and revolutionaries all over the place. Luckily, it has settled down in recent years; let's hope it stays that way. Unfortunately, many of those problems have moved next door to Venezuela.

Ciudad Perdida, Colombia. After 3 days and 2 nights of hiking up into the mountains through dense jungle, we arrive at Ciudad Perdida - The Lost City. Built about 1200 years ago, the remnants of this large city are mainly stone platforms that held all types of wooden structures that have long since rotted away. Most of the city is still buried in the jungle and will likely stay that way because this is sacred ground to the local indigenous population, and the Colombian government has respected their wishes to leave the ruins undisturbed.

Ciudad Perdida, Colombia. Hiking through some of the unexcavated areas makes you feel like some kind of Indiana Jones. Grown-over platforms, stairs and structures appear out of nowhere.

Cartegena, Colombia. A golden mask, one of many-many pieces of Inca treasure you can drool over at the Gold Museum in Cartagena. There's probably tons of this stuff still buried up at Ciudad Perdida...