Ciudad Perdida

High, high up in the mountains of a country called Colombia, I am hiding under a soft blanket of green leaves. Fluffy white clouds float by and tickle my stone walls. Little monkeys swing from branch to branch in the trees all around me, and bright, colorful birds sing happy songs all day long. For a very, very long time, I was a secret that nobody knew was here. It was like I was playing a big game of hide-and-seek with the world. I am Ciudad Perdida, the Lost City.

A very, very long time ago, around the year 800, some very clever people called the Tairona built me. They were strong and smart. They used their hands to place each stone perfectly, one on top of the other, like you stack your blocks. They carved lots of flat, green circles into the mountain, like giant green steps leading up to the sky. Happy families lived here. Children would run and play on my smooth stone paths, and their laughter would echo through the trees. But after many years, everyone left, and the jungle grew all around me. Big green vines and tall trees covered me up, and I fell fast asleep under a thick, green blanket. I was hidden for a super long time until the year 1972, when some friendly explorers found me again. Peek-a-boo, I see you.

Today, friends from all over the world come to visit me. They are very brave and walk for many days through the big green jungle just to say hello. To reach me, they have to climb up, up, up my 1,200 stone steps. It's a lot of climbing. When they get to the top, they feel like they are walking back in time to see my secrets. I love sharing the story of the amazing Tairona people. I am here to show you that even when something is lost, it can always be found again. I help everyone remember to dream big and build amazing things.