Boyaca (affectionally known by us as Booyakasha) first stop Paipa

Hi there,
What a busy week this has been. I've finally found time to write as the boys sleep, both have colds, one of them is getting on with things while the other is struggling with the sufferance of it all, I'll leave you to guess who is who!
Since I last wrote we hit the road towards Boyaca county, a road I remember as being extremely perilous but has now fortunately become a dual carriageway for the most part and in my Mum's cousin's people carrier makes for a stress free trip! Leo even had a car seat lent to him which again was a stroke of good fortune for all.

For those that might not know (most of you no doubt), Boyaca is a county about 2 hours drive from Bogota in the mountains. Being so high the climate is mild, not dissimilar to England at present, and being close to the Equator is the same all year round. It is strikingly beautiful, an undulating countryside with hills that intermingle with the clouds. The odd factory here and there does pollute the area and the landscape, but this effect so far is minimal and does little to spoil the area.

Our first stop was a town called Paipa, named after the Indigenous chief who first first claimed the territory. It is famous for it's thermal springs and because of this has developed into a local tourist attraction for its hot pools maintained within spa hotels. Lucky us to spend 3 nights here.
The first morning was spent in the medicinal baths, we we undertook a circuit of thermal waters, jacuzzis and mud scrubs in order to beautify the skin and pamper the soul. SUCH a hardship this travelling malarkey. Mr Leonardo I hear you ask was very happy to watch from afar in this pushchair whilst being tended to by one of the therapists, and what luck to have Abuela Olga Lucia and Tias Elvita and Esperanza to look after him whilst Mummy and Daddy went off to luxuriate in an algae massage. And from here the experience took a turn for the worse..

Now I've had some interesting massages in my time, no nothing sordid I hear you disappointingly sigh- but do include being scrubbed with a horsehair brush on a cold soapy marble slab by a big Turkish man in well, Turkey, and being slapped about by a similarly big Hungarian woman in communal hospital like quarters in Budapest, and this probably ranks up there with these encounters. Not to bore you with too much detail but the words, cold, soggy pants, algae in places where one should definitely not have algae, left out to dry, Leo screaming over the 'relaxing' music, hopefully paint an accurate picture. Funnily enough I was told I was pretty tense around the neck and shoulder region. No s@*t Sherlock. And Ari came away with similar expletives and to top it off a cold that has been plaguing us since.

Not to tarnish the whole experience, the hotel, area and company was extremely lovely and special. When we had the chance we went for a dip in the thermal pool in the hotel, which fricking boiling Mr Bigglesworth and like typical wusses took us half an hour of mental preparation before simpering in. But was worth it in the end, and came out rejuvinated like Adonis and Aphrodite personified. Sadly I have no picture of this moment to back up such claims, so you'll just have to take my word for it.