Category: Medellin

It’s Sunday and everybody is out in the park! The weather is gorgeous, It rained all last night as we slept and this morning it is fresh and green. This morning Rudy and I went off to a different cafe for a cappuccino and a hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant. The hot chocolate here is bitter and good. Not at all like the insipid sweet stuff at home (which I love as well).

After some painting at home I packed up my sketch pad and pencil and headed off to Parques del Rio. Wow, Sunday is the day to be there. It was hopping! I parked myself at a number of locations to do a bunch of drawing, and did actually get some drawings done, but mostly I people watched. It was delightful. Families were out in full force. Kids on push bikes and pedal bikes, scooters, and roller blades  and they rode up and down the walkways. At the “beach and bridge area” kids built sand castles and planted “trees” and climbed on the rope bridge.  Vendors with carts of limeade and ice cream offered their wares. People were friendly, greeting each other and stopping to chat. On the grassy areas there were people set up to celebrate occasions. A young man with heart balloons and some sort of present waited in the grass. At another place a momma set out blankets in a circle around a table that had a birthday cake and other items for a kid’s birthday celebration. There were sparkly gold and purple balloons set up for a baby shower. And my favourite experience was coming upon a couple of people dancing. It was a tango type dance and it appeared not to be an event but rather something that they just did in the park on a Sunday afternoon. Once the first couple was done, the man turned to another woman and they took off. She was wearing a crop top and a skirt with a slit for dancing and when I took in the scene further I realized that she was a brand new mom. She still had her post birth momma figure and her friend took care of the fresh baby and the toddler while the momma had a great time dancing. I was so thrilled to see this kind of community activity. It was a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I arrived home late afternoon and Rudy was hungry. We packed up and headed for some delicious pasta and freshly squeezed lemonada cereza (lime juice with sour cherries). After a lovely relaxing time in the open air we headed home to plan our last week and a half of activities.

This morning Rudy said we had to go to the little cafe that he had been to yesterday to have his cappechino and French toast. So off we went. I can’t say enough how glorious the neighbourhood is that we live in. The trees, shrubs and flowers are so stunning but also so peaceful to walk through. The streets are quiet, when we have to walk on them. but mostly we follow the paths. We arrived as the place was opening and were recognized and ushered in. The people we have met in Medellin are so friendly and welcoming and we communicate in our limited Spanish and hand gestures. The food was fabulous. I really should have taken a picture of it to put in the blog. The French toast slices were thick with cinnamon and cream as well as loaded with fruits (mangos, a type of sour cherries, blueberries, strawberries,  and kiwi. We sat in the outdoor area amongst the plants and flowers and felt like royalty.

After this leisurely breakfast we sauntered back to our place, relaxed some more, and then headed out to downtown. The walk is about 30 minutes. We had a couple of things we wanted to see and do. The market streets were hopping. Wow, there are so many stands of knock off shoes, socks, hats,  underwear, every different kind of pants, t-shirts, and sweatshirts, not to mention the trinkets and food vendors. We wanted to go back to the Old Palace of Justice mall and wander the top 2 floors. Our guide had mentioned that they were filled with art and I had a hankering to purchase something if there was anything that caught my eye and suited  my pocketbook. In short, there wasn’t. It was interesting and some of it appealed to me but most of it was shlocky.  Lots of stuff (like horses and fruit) that looked like it should be on a velvet painting. But the building itself is beautiful and it wasn’t a wasted experience.

After that we headed to the Botero Art Museum. It is a massive place that used to be a government building. Most of is Botero’s private collection: his own works and works of prominent artists from  mostly Europe and the Americas. Luckily there was lots of English and I was able to read lots about how the political and social settings affected what and how art was made. I was really out of my depth but it was so informative to get a bit of understanding. I learned about Colombia’s reputation in the art world and some of the expositions that are internationally known that are put on here in this country. Rudy was not so much interested in that but totally loves Botero and walked around chuckling much of the time.

The top floor was all works by Botero but we were not allowed to take pictures of any of it. So my photos are of a variety of works from the 1st and 2nd floors.

By the time we were through the gallery we were ready for the long hot walk home. Once home we snacked on guacamole and chips and cold water. I had a nap and Rudy did…. I actually don’t know because I was sleeping. But for supper we headed to our favourite hole in the wall for a hamburguesa and salchi papas.

I woke up this morning to the sounds of the park cleaning people raking leaves outside our window. The trees and bushes grow almost right outside our windows and it feels so lush and fresh all the time.  Rudy went out this morning to walk the neighbourhood to look for a cup of coffee. I opted for a cup of tea here and a short video hello with Robin and Miriam. Rudy arrived home wildly enthusiastic. He had found a little coffee and breakfast spot just over a few blocks and enjoyed a delicious french toast and coffee and a visit with the woman who runs the place. I had arranged a video call with my friends, Donna and Leona, at eleven so I stayed in for the morning and had a great chat.

After that Rudy insisted that he take me for a walk and show me the place where he had had breakfast. By this time it was time for almuerza. Most places have a set menu for breakfast and lunch and this place is no different. Lunch was a delicious coleslaw type salad, juice, rice, chicken curry and banana chips. Ooo. It was top notch. After dropping Rudy off at the apartment I went out to the park to sketch. And I also found a whole bunch of new areas in the Parques del Rio.

It was a top notch afternoon.  And supper, not so much! The way I might describe it was “educational”. And, by that, I mean terrible. Rudy had researched a fish restaurant near us that had fabulous reviews. And so we took the advice. Ooph. It was not great. It started with a watery soup with an EXTREMELY FISHY taste. I can usually choke things down but I could not take more than a few bites. Rudy did much better than me. Then came the sea bass for me and the tuna for Rudy. He actually didn’t mind his although I was not impressed. My fish had so much salt and was a terrible gelatinous texture that I could hardly bear it. The coleslaw was made a few weeks ago. At least it tasted that way. The patacones were hard and tasteless. The only redeeming thing was the coconut rice. Well sometimes you win and other times…. But, we got home and watched the Jets win 4 to 1 so all was not lost.

Today we went on a walking tour of some of downtown Medellin. Wow! I cannot say enough about how good our tour guide was and how much fun we had. It was so incredibly informative and we learned so much about the people of this area, their history (both traumatic and regenerative) and in the process gained so much appreciation for the country of Colombia. I hardly know where to start.

Our tour guide Juliana was so incredible. She started with an explanation of the people of the area (Medellin and the surrounding state of Antioquia). These people refer to themselves as Paisas. She described them (and herself) as having incredible pride in being from this area (in the Andes) and of  the resilience they have shown during the dark times in their history. Initially she did a brief recounting of the years of the drug cartel (although this is only one horrible episode in the history of the country) and after naming Pablo Escobar once she said she would not refer to him by his name again as he did not need to be glorified (as he has been in tv documentaries etc.) She was passionate about her country and especially Medellin and the surrounding area. In the course of the 3 and a half hour tour she spoke of how the people of Medellin clawed back from the terrible 70s, 80s and 90s to build a safe, secure and beautiful city. There were so many stories and I often had tears in my eyes when listening.

Besides all the incredible stories here are some of the places we visited.

The central plaza that housed the government buildings (one for the state of Antioquia and the other for the city of Medellin) as well as the Palace of Justice. There was an incredible statue in the square called the Monumento a la Raza. It is 125 feet high and over 900 metric tons. It is made of concrete and bronze and is a representation of the beginning of time through Colombian history until death. The representation of God actually has the face of the artist. Another monument in the square is dedicated the memory of  a former governor and a former peace commissioner of Antioquia who were kidnaped by FARC (a revolutionary armed force of Colombia) during a peace march and murdered. This was during the reign of Pablo Escobar. Also in this square is a massive green wall (300 feet high)  against the city government building and is the second biggest one in the world. Medellin is known for the incredible greenery in the city and this is in keeping with that reputation.

After this we walked to the Plaza of Botero where there are 23 massive bronze Botero statues. Botero donated them to Medellin (the city where he was born) but said they needed to be displayed in a public place so everyone could have access to the art.

In this plaza there is the Palace of Culture. It is a building that looks like a church at first glance. It is made with black and white stone and is quite striking. Juli, our tour guide said that the architect was Belgian and that there was so much controversy and complaining about the design while it was being built that the architect up and left without finishing it. Unfortunately the Colombians who finished it just didn’t get it right and you can see the very ugly grey wall and boring windows that don’t follow the original design at all. They said that they could just paint the wall black and white to match the rest of the building but never got around to it.

We also toured the incredible former Palace of Justice that is now a mall. It became vacant when all city government buildings were moved to a common location. After standing vacant for 10 years it was slated to be demolished. A foreign investor saw the building, fell in love with it and restored it. The place was magnificent with dozens of massive crystal chandeliers and stain glass windows.

Our last stop was San Antonio square. It had been a bustling and busy place where cultural events (music, theatre, etc.) took place but now it was basically empty and our guide said that this what because of a bombing at a concert there is the 90s. Someone had set a backpack with a bomb under the body of a Botero bird scupture and it exploded killing 30 and injuring over 100 others. The mayor at the time issued some sort of statement that the incident was regrettable and that the statue remains would be cleaned up right away. Within the hour of this announcement the mayor received a call from Botero saying that that should not happen. The people need to remember. He would create another one to sit beside the statue that had been blasted apart and that it would serve as a memory to the people. Our tour guide said that this was so important as many Colombians seek to forget the terrible years and that there is no curriculum in schools about this traumatic time in history. Young people are growing up either indifferent to what has happened or hero worshiping Pablo Escobar and his power.

After the tour we were hot and thirsty so we headed to one of the oldest bars in Medellin and were joined by 5 other people from our tour group. We had some great conversation and then took the long walk back to our place. Today was definitely one of the highlights of our time in Colombia.

Today I chose a wardrobe item that has been in the bottom of my suitcase for a long time: a pair of pants. This morning it was cloudy and misty and after breakfast I went out for a walk. The daily high in Medellin is usually 24 to 26 degrees celsius and it cools down considerably in the evening.

In actual fact, it was not as cool as I imagined and I had to take off my sweatshirt once I got going. I sat for a while on a wet bench and did some sketching. This area of Medellin (called Laureles) is absolutely glorious with walking paths and trees and flowers everywhere. I hadn’t been out long when Rudy texted me that he wanted to go out for a walk. I packed up my stuff and hurried back to pick him up. We headed out to Parques del Rio. It was amazing. It is a long narrow park along both sides of the Medellin River, with bridges crisscrossing the water and plants and trees, many of which are labeled. There are super cool and modern play areas where kids can climb on wooden structures or play on climbing-net. There are lovely walkways and art pieces along the way. I will definitely go there again another day.

I came back to read and also get into more art. I had purchased some new watercolours in Santa Marta because I had run out of yellow. However the set I found was very cheap and turned out to be pretty terrible. But I played around with the paints and figured out some ways to move the paint around and in the end I actually produced something interesting.

After that I went to the store to get some grocery supplies and did some more walking. The fact that we are not sweating to death all the time really makes it easier to enjoy the day. Everyone seems to be out and about on the pathways. Many of them are out walking dogs or just enjoying the shady paths. Because of all the vegetation there are many birds to be seen. I shall have to look them up to identify them.

In the evening Rudy and I walked to a nearby restaurant (really just a hole in the wall vendor) for pizza. It was great. All in all, Medellin is a big hit with us.

Today is a travel day. We are taking a short flight to Medellin. It is inland and at a higher elevation so we are looking forward to some cooler temperatures. Our flight is delayed and Rudy has warned me that it is commonplace with some of these small airlines. We are flying with Jet Smart. Once it is time to board we scan our boarding passes and head out onto the tarmac to our plane. It is a long, long walk to get to our jet and then a long wait in the hot, hot sun. I can’t believe how blistering it is and how long it takes. But finally we are in our plane and we take off.

When we touch down in Medellin the skies are cloudy, the air full of mist and the temperature deliciously cool. We catch a very comfortable bus into town. The drive is amazing. The mountains are lush and green and the valleys dotted with houses. We travel through a miles long tunnel and get dropped off at a mall close to our accommodations.  We take a short taxi drive through an area of the city filled with loads of parks and green spaces. David, our Airbnb host greets us and shows us around the apartment. It is great. So spacious and comfy. It is on the main floor and, when we open our blinds, all four of our windows open up to a park. I think this place is going to be really nice.

After unpacking we head out to find a grocery store and to find some food as we have not eaten since breakfast and it is 5 pm. We eat the most delicious hamburgers at a street stand and then head to the grocery store to pick up some stuff. It sprinkles rain intermittently and the streets are wet. I feel super refreshed. It is great to be in  cooler weather.