The old colonial town of Santá Fe de Antioquia, is similarly preserved as Villa de Leyva. This is the place where the act of Independence was signed by Simon Bolivar. It acted as capital briefly before Bogotá took over that task. I enjoyed the impressive Dia de Los Diablos, with its stunning corral.

The ancient cultures of Colombia are as interesting as the colonial Spanish remains. This statue is situated in the south of the country, in the province of Huila. The San Augustin statues, as they are known, are on a hillside in the mountains. Hardly anything is left of this culture other than these statues. These people pre- date the Inca, and they left no visible signs of habitation other than these Shamanic
statues.

The natural wonders of Colombia are also impressive. These palm trees, in the north, close to Medellin, may grow up to 90 metres in height, and are the tallest in the world. They grow only in one valley in the world, and are part of a national park.