These pictures have been taken during the past 6 years in mi trips to Colombia. Even though I have lived most of my life there, right now, every time I travel back to my Country, I can see the landscape, the architecture and the flora in a different way. These pictures have been taken not only with my eyes, but also with my heart.

Based on more than 3,000 pictures from my trips, I have worked in my personal interpretation of this new life, where I can see and feel my Country from the distance. Mixing  my nostalgia with the tropical colors, the richness of the Spanish architecture, and the ever green landscape, have taken me to create my new series of “Imaginary Spaces"

                  

Estas fotografías fueron tomadas

Antioquia  is located in the central part of Colombia, in the Andean Mountains. Its towns still have the Spanish colonial architecture. You can find all kind of climates from the very hot at sea level to the really cold in the mountains.

"Cloud forest" El Retiro, © 2007	"hacienda" El Retiro, © 2007
"waterfall" El Retiro, © 2007	"Santa fe de Antioquia" church El Retiro, © 2007

 

BOYACA-CUNDINAMARCA
COLOMBIA

"Wheat field"
Boyacá, © 2007

The Tableland of Boyacá shared with Cundinamarca is called Cundiboyacense tableland and is located in the Andean region in central Colombia. In the pre-Columbian America, the largest and most important indigenous groups lived in this area.
 
The Spanish explorers settled their government in Bogotá, called “Bacatá” by the Muiscas, when it was the center of their civilization. This beautiful region is very fertile and is surrounded by many Spanish colonial towns.

Villa de Leyva" Boyacá, © 2007	Villa de Leyva" Boyacá, © 2007
"Sisga dam" Boyacá, © 2007	"Bogotá Savannah" Boyacá, © 2007

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THE LLANOS
LOS LLANOS
COLOMBIA

"The Llanos savannah"
Villavicencio, © 2007

The Llanos, located in the Orinoco River Basin that runs between Colombia and Venezuela, are some of the world’s richest tropical grasslands. This rugged “cowboy country” is teeming with wildlife, harboring more than 100 species of mammals and over 700 species of birds, approximately the same number of birds found in the entire United States. The mighty Orinoco River, which boasts the third largest river flow on Earth, cuts through the heart of the Llanos landscape. The Orinoco flows through a diverse landscape of dry forests, grasslands, and seasonally flooded plains before it disperses into a river delta of swamp forests and coastal mangroves as it approaches the Atlantic.

Location
The Llanos stretch between Colombia and Venezuela in northern South America. They extend in a northeast direction, from the foothills of the Colombian Andean Mountains and extending along the course of the Orinoco River nearly to its delta in the Atlantic Ocean. The Llanos are limited by the Andes in the west, the Venezuelan Coastal Range in the north and the Amazon in the south.

"The Llanos wetlands"
Villavicencio, © 2007

Animals
The Llanos harbors one of the most critically endangered reptiles on Earth, the endemic Orinoco crocodile  that reaches 23 feet length. Some scientists estimate that this species has only about 1,800 individuals remaining in the wild. Other endangered species in Llanos include the Orinoco turtle, giant armadillo, giant otter, black-and-chestnut eagle and several species of catfish.

In the wet and flooded savannas lives the largest rodent in the world, the capybara. Also present is the anaconda, the largest existing boa on the world, which is over 23 feet long.

"Crocodile" Villavicencio, © 2007

"Eagle" Villavicencio, © 200

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The wetlands found in this region are among the most important areas for neotropical migratory birds and in particular, shorebirds like yellowlegs and several species of sandpipers. In fact, at least 62 of the bird species reported for Orinoco region are Neotropical migrants—representing almost 40% of the migratory species present in Colombia and Venezuela.

The grasslands are visited by species such as the dickcissel which is considered an endangered species. Other wintering visitors to Llanos include the swallow-tailed kite and the broad-winged hawk.

Taken from the Nature Conservancy

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CAPURGANÁ COLOMBIA

(Indigenous word meaning Hot Land)

 Capurganá is located in the northern part of Colombia, close to the Panama border, © 2005

 For the past two months I was fortunate to travel around my beautiful country, Colombia, and visit Capurganá, one of the most amazing places I have ever seen. This small and isolated town is located in the northern part of the Country, very close to the border with Panama. To get there we took a small plane and flew over the Andean Mountains for more than an hour. Sometimes the plane flies so low you feel as though you can touch the trees below. 

The village is located in the Caribbean where the mountains, the rainforest, and the palm trees meet to form a dark and humid forest. There is not a single car or motorcycle in the town, so as soon as you land a very special type of taxi is waiting. I didn’t take one. I preferred to walk and photograph this incredible place where time seems to run in a different direction. 

  Taxi in Capurganá, © 2005

One of our first places to visit was La Miel, on the other side of the border. To get there we walked through the hot and humid jungle up to the top of the mountain. It was a hard walk, but every step we took was rewarding: the wonderful view of the translucent Caribbean Sea, the sweet fragrance from the colorful flowers, and the great diversity of exotic animals. While we rested in the white sand, we had the opportunity to taste the native food: thin fried plantains (patacones) with avocado and sea snail, and a freshly made piña colada in a coconut shell.

Walking from the little town of Sapzurro to La Miel, © 2005

 Two days later we went to “El Cielo” (The Heaven). It started out as an easy path, and we were able to ride horseback or walk following the course of the clear creek. But as soon as we started going uphill, the vegetation grew thicker. Light hardly touched the ground as thin sunbeams filtered through the leaves adding a magical appearance to the scenery. As we kept going, we swam through a rock canyon, walked into several waterfalls, and, finally, to reach to our destination, we climbed a stone wall. At the end of the trail we found a transparent, cool pond in the middle of the tropical forest.

Clambing to "el Cielo", © 2005

 Capurganá and its surroundings are blessed with an unbelievable natural richness, but it was the people that made our visit unforgettable: their warm companionship during our explorations; the happiness they shared through their culture and dances; and the pride and good care they take every day to preserve their unique environment.

Little girl and natural garden in Capurganá, © 2005

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PROVIDENCIA (OLD PROVIDENCE)
COLOMBIA

Providencia is a small island located in the Caribbean, it has beautiful beaches, mountains, waterfalls, coral reefs, and the most friendly and happy people you can imagine.

Landscapes in Providencia, © 2002

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COLOMBIAN FLOWERS

FLORES DE COLOMBIA