Photos: Villa de Leyva

mixedmediabook — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:34:00 GMT

Villa de Leyva is a colonial village, trapped in time, with a material palette restricted to white walls, inlaid wooden structure and red clay tiles.

My Scholarship entry - A local encounter that changed my life

mixedmediabook — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:24:00 GMT

A foolish question in the middle of the night disturbed my reading in one of the biggest plazas in South America. I suddenly heard: Miss, do you know when Villa de Leyva was founded? I had arrived in town that morning from Bogota and would spend only one night since I was to start my journey back to Medellin.

Villa de Leyva is a colonial village, trapped in time, with a material palette restricted to white walls, inlaid wooden structure and red clay tiles. I had spent all afternoon documenting the contrast between the white and colorful elements scattered in its context. Despite the nostalgia that the town evoked, I hadn’t stopped to find out the place’s exact age so couldn’t give a correct answer to this curious craftsman. I decided then to clarify I was a foreigner and apologize. Carlos had indigenous features, simple garments and agile hands. He began to narrate the complex history of Spanish colonization, while strenuously working at a thread bracelet. I listened carefully; his quoting of exact dates and big characters implied veracity. That night I received the most detailed tour of my life, for free, with no need of all the arrangements usually depended on. I learned that the cobble stone streets of Villa de Leyva had been designed to walk slowly and carefully.

As we strolled, a citywide blackout happened. Carlos seemed harmless, but my fear of being in complete darkness with a total stranger became obvious. He just pointed to the sky, leaving me speechless with such a magical image, it was a special gift. My fear dissipated.

Carlos invited me to explore the villa’s surroundings the next day. He was guiding three more backpackers he had randomly encountered earlier. I hesitantly accepted. I had established my departure for the next day at noon so I made him swear we would return in time to catch my bus. The next morning, I met the backpackers, three genuine individuals that welcomed me into their gang. After spending the morning surrounded by hills and streams, I decided to postpone my departure to go camping with my new friends in the neighboring mountains. That night, immersed in nature, we forced ourselves to be resourceful and went back to basics. Laughing, gathered around the fire, I witnessed the intrinsic nobility of men who decide to travel to unknown places in search of themselves and their true purpose.

The True Purpose

Photos: Villa de Leyva

My Scholarship entry - A local encounter that changed my life