Atlantida

Atlantida

When I was researching eco-communities before coming to Colombia, one kept popping up in my searches: Atlántida. So I contacted them early in my journey here. There proved to be some difficulties in organising a visit as the access road was not passable for some time, and for reasons that I didn’t really understand (phone Spanish still not being altogether understandable for me). Landslides happen […]

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Kindicocha

Kindicocha

In late October as I was heading south towards the Ecuadorian border to renew my Colombian visa I decided I take a detour and see some of Putumayo. This one of the larger provinces in Colombia bordering Ecuador and Peru in the south. I decided to go to Mocoa and to stop in Valle De Sibundoy (the Sibundoy Valley) on the way. The valley is […]

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Mocoa-Otavalo-Las Lajas

Mocoa-Otavalo-Las Lajas

November 2017: There is lots to write about but a picture paints a thousand words. Here are some images of a few weeks of travel through gorgeous Putumayo, from my little retreat in Otavalo, Ecuador and back to las Lajas in Colombia.  ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″] 

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Nashira

Nashira

While in Popayán in October I was researching other local communities and projects, and was trying to arrange a visit to a local Eco Aldea: Atlantida. But after many calls and contorted communication, on my part due to poor phone Spanish and the tendency to forget all vocabulary when under stress, they finally told me that I could not visit them as their access road […]

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Guambiano

Guambiano

In mid October after five weeks at Fundación Viracocha, the time felt right to leave and explore other parts of Colombia. I had really enjoyed my time there and left with a huge amount of gratitude for the people and the place, with great respect for this wonderful project and with a sense of excitement to see more of the country. It was difficult to […]

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Confianza

Confianza

At the beginning of September, after four weeks, I left my first eco-community stop in Colombia: Aldea Feliz (Happy village). I had not been feeling very feliz, to be honest and decided to explore other Colombian options. I spent some time in Bogatá and at a friends place outside of Villa De Layva in Boyacá (north of Bogatá). It was a much-needed change of atmosphere, enjoying […]

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Que te rinda

Que te rinda

This has been another difficult piece to write. I feel that recent experiences and ensuing writing, although challenging, are teaching me a new way to accept, to respond and to be in my life. They feel essential right now as a means of creative expression. I don’t currently have my studio for painting but I have this canvas of experiences and this writing as a […]

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..messages of love and support

..messages of love and support

So this instalment marks the middle of the 12th month of this journey of exploring eco-communities. A year ago this journey felt like a huge leap into the unknown, I had no idea how it could happen. Somehow, with a community of support and the help and inspiration of so many people and places along the way I leapt and have kept stepping into this […]

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Listen to your silences

Listen to your silences

This has not been an easy blog to write; I have turned my thoughts and feelings round and round in my head and I keep coming back to the same place: that I really disliked my time in Ängsbacka, Sweden. I have not wanted to write about how much I disliked it for fear of insulting anyone associated with the place, or for fear of […]

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Ricitos de Oro

Ricitos de Oro

For 6 days each year the people of Seville celebrate all things Andalucian, women wear the traditional flamenco dresses (faralaes), and the men wear traditional short bolero jackets and hats (cordobés). I landed into Seville in the beginning of May and into the middle of Feria: what a treat! As I hauled my backpack around the city, sweltering in 34degree heat I wondered how the […]

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