More of Villa de Leyva

This was at a museum, which oops! I forgot which one.  But it wasn't the one I thought it was.  The one I thought it was, wasn't actually open any more, or I don't know, moved or something.  I thought it was a fossil museum, and this did have a handful of fossils but not at all what I was expecting. Anyway, we walked a long way to get there and we were all tired and somewhat grumpy by the time we did get there.  Leo didn't want to have to drive the car and pay for parking multiple times; I didn't want to waste the precious time on walking.  Yep, that about summed up why we were grumpy, besides just being tired and hot. 

The grounds around it were pretty though.  It was an old mill I think?

This was the channel for water coming into the mill, or maybe just for run off.  I don't remember. 

More resting. 

Walking back to the main plaza there was this lovely spot.

And more cool doors.

This was outside the building where the first Colombian congress was held (prior to independence) in 1812.

This was in the courtyard of that building.

And it's garden.  So pretty!!

The kids were really tired out by, but we stopped anyway at the Casa Museo Antonio Nariño, which was the 18th century home of Antonio Nariño, who was very influential in Colombia's fight for independence and the 3rd vice-president of Gran Colombia. 

He was another fascinating person.  He was from a Spanish aristocratic family who were extremely wealthy and he was voted in as mayor in Bogotá (pre-independence) and because of his wealth was able to import his own printing press.  Remember this is when things were shipped up the Magdalena River, taken apart, and then carried on someone's back or by donkey over the Andes to Bogotá.  Often the entire process cost more to get it from the Magdalena River to Bogotá than it did to ship it all the way from Spain and up the river. Crazy. Anyway, from his personal printing press he started clandestinely distributing publications supporting Colombian independence, including the first translated copy of the French Declarations of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in South America (which he translated) for which he was arrested, all his property confiscated, and exiled to Africa, although didn't actually end up serving prison time in Africa, just in Spain.

 In his impressive library there was a portrait of Benjamin Franklin above the mantle, also according to Wikipedia.

When he was released he joined the initial Colombian revolution--when the Napoleanic wars ended Spain had a chance to wrest back control for a bit--and was arrested again, and spent another 6 years in prison in Spain.  He eventually returned to Colombia, and moved to Villa de Leyva due to tuberculosis and died there.

Other random facts from Wikipedia: The presidential palace of the Republic of Colombia, Casa de Nariño or Palacio de Nariño, was constructed at the site of his birthplace and named in his honor.^[13]

The department of Nariño was also named in his honor.^[14]

While playing a minor role in the independence war against Spain, Nariño was widely acknowledged at his time and afterwards as a precursor of separatist ideas. He is mentioned in the last stanza of the Colombian national anthem. 

According to this sign, he spent 21 years out of his 58 in prison, each time for promoting Colombian independence and more equal rights.   

I liked his window seats. 

😍😍😍

Most of the time we were at this museum, the kids were in the vegetable/flower garden watching leaf cutter ants.  

I love the corner turret thing.

We went to this restaurant three nights in a row.  Yummy and extremely inexpensive and clean.  So both Leo and I were happy, yay!

I can't imagine my life without beef.  Yum.

One YouTube travel video I watched recommended this restaurant for the best milhoja in Colombia.  And yeah, I think that was more than fair.  They were incredible!!!  We tried a blueberry one, an arequipe one,  and a chocolate one.  

Seriously, so amazingly good.  Worth the trip just for these.  

See all those happy faces?  Yeah, everyone loved these. 

Isabel insisted I take photos in the bathroom because she liked it.

Not an exaggeration.

Beautiful at night too!

This was at our Airbnb.  It was nice, but I think the hammock was invested with bedbugs.  Jubal had bites all over him, and that's where he slept each night. 

This was the view from the front door. 

And our little casita.

Another favorite thing of mine about Villa de Leyva, is that we had something from this one bakery every morning for breakfast.  But now I can't remember what it was, except I'm pretty sure they had blueberries in them.  I just remembering begging Leo to stop again to get more.  So good.  Blueberry everything was advertised everywhere because so many are grown around there.

The very last night, just as we were leaving Villa de Leyva for the last time, I stopped at one more shop and found the perfect ruana!!!  Angels literally sang and I think I saw the heavens open.  This was the loom they made them on, and my ruana is pink and red and perfect.  ❤️❤️❤️❤️

And the musicians who entertained us one evening.  Leo was annoyed because he knew they expected a tip.  I did give them one.  But small enough he was okay with it. 😂🙄