Ipiales

For some reason I had thought the border crossing into Colombia was going to be one of the most difficult. Nothing could have been further from the truth as it was definitely the easiest in South America. I didn't even have to fill out an immigration form which I have needed to do in every other country we have visited. So within about 5 minutes of hitting the Ecuardorian side of the border we were in a taxi entering the town of Ipiales.

Santuario de Las Lajas Columbia 1

The town of Ipiales sits right on the border of Ecuardor and Colombia on the Colombian side and is in all aspects just another border town. Its dirty, small and doesn't really have much for the traveller. Our only reason for using it as our first port of call in Colombia was the Santurio de Las Lajas (neo-Gothic Church) which sits across a river 7kms out of town. As the story goes villagers believed they saw the Virgin Mary in the 45 meter rock face on one side of the river. The church was then built over the sacred rock with the portion of rock with the Virgin Mary becoming the alter inside the church.

Santuario de Las Lajas Columbia 2

Now Im not really one for old churches (well not that old it was built between 1926 -1944) but the architecture of the church was pretty amazing for its time. So Im pretty glad we stopped off for a quick look.

After the church there wasn't anything else keeping us in Ipiales so we got on the bus headed for Cali.

Santuario de Las Lajas Columbia 3

Santuario de Las Lajas Columbia 4

Santuario de Las Lajas Columbia 5

Santuario de Las Lajas Columbia 6

Santuario de Las Lajas Columbia 7