We totally luck out with our AirB&B host David, not only is his place stupidly cheap but he also happens to be a mountain leader, ultra-marathon runner and all round good egg. Result!
The main reason we came up here was to see the Chicamocha Canyon, one of the longest and deepest in the world - well over a mile deep in places which means you really need to watch your footing at the rim.
David plans a nice 5 hour trek which includes a couple of interesting diversions along the way.
He points out some of the crops that are cultivated at this altitude: pineapples (fields and fields of them), maize and surprisingly, tobacco (above, drying in an open sided shed).
Then we enjoy a welcome pit-stop at his friend Gladys's smallholding. We love her for a couple of reasons:
1. She's called Gladys.
2. She has loads of pets. Her cats and dogs are pretty cool but we particularly like...
Roberto the parrot, here he is enjoying one of Wend's crackers
Rebecca the bigger parrot, she also gets in on the cracker action.
And her two Muscovy ducks, who don't have names. No crackers for them.
But the canyon is the star attraction. Wend says "wow!" a lot on this these trips. Actually, she says "wow!" a lot in general life - she's that kinda gal. But today she's lost for wows.
Some facts: 141 miles long. a total area of 270,000 acres and up to 2000 metres deep.
Wikipedia says it's the second deepest canyon in the world and who are we to argue.
Suddenly that 10 hours on the bus doesn't seem so bad.
Wow!
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