After a week-long disconnect in the heart of the Cocuy National Park. we started off again towards Bogota. On our way, we decided to stop in Tunja, a one-day stop which ended up as a three-day stop following our meeting with Marelvy, co-owner of the Santa Viviana Villa de Leyva Hotel. She is also Director of Tourism Management at the Juan de Castellanos University. Sure enough, this meant my going back to school in Tunja at the start of the academic year… but this time, in a new role: on the teacher side!
Tunja, an Invitation from the University
We had planned a very short stop to visit the charming little colonial style village (Villa de Leyva) that everyone told us about since the beginning of our trip. We did have a contact at a local hotel, but since we only intended to stay one day, it seemed to me too short a stop to warrant a « hotel visit » per se. Nevertheless, I contacted the hotel manager at the very last moment (while we were already in Tunja), apologizing for not being able to stay but suggesting that we have an evening meal together just to meet. This is how, a few hours later, Isa and I found ourselves at the home of Marelvy and her husband Pablo, enjoying trout and chicken served with exotic fruit!
The day after our arrivel was the first day of the new academic year. As Director of the Tourism Management Programme at the University, Marelvy suggested that I meet her students so as to share with them some of my experiences. Isa and I talked about it and she gave me the go-ahead, meaning that we would be staying a bit longer. The next day, at 10 am sharp, there I was in front of some twenty students, all of them rather shy since it was the first day of school But all went well: Most of all, I tried to convey the message “when there is a will, there is a way”; I explained how important it was that they master English, and gave them some ideas on how to find ways to travel on a dime while having some wonderful experiences (e.g. couchsurfing, woofing, hopineo).
Marelvy is a woman full of vitality and spontaneity, while being quite proactive (I sometimes think of myself as rather hyperactive but she is much more hyperactive than me)! By the way, she is also Regional President (for Boyaca) of the Hotel and Tourism Association of Colombia COTELCO, Director of the Tourism Programme at the University, Director of the Hotel Association: thinking ahead, she is quite an inspiration!
Villa de Leyva, Invitation to stay at the Santa Viviana Hotel
Then off we went for lunch, again at Marelby and Pablo’s. For the upteenth time, they insisted that we spend at least one night in their hotel at Villa de Leyva and we finally agreed. When we arrived there, their son—around our age—was there with friends, working on a trail-blazing tourism project. They persuaded us to let them take us around town, and so we finally found ourselves at the Santa Viviana Hotel together with Pablo (Jr.), Hugo and Juan Camilo, spending a lovely evening in the streets of Villa de Leyva. We would see each other again briefly in Bogota a few days later.
Here is a first impression of Villa de Leyva: its colonial-style architecture and central plaza do indeed convey lots of charm; however, during our trip we have visited several villages in the same style although somewhat less aimed at the tourist (more genuine). At first glance, it was quaint but we still preferred Barichara or Giron for their more authentic appearance.
Translated by my friend Helene Masson
Here are a few videos:
- Hotel Santa Viviana, Villa de Leyva, Colombia
- A walk around Villa de Leyva (Promenade à Villa de Leyva)