Discovering Colombia

I debated splitting this recounting of our week long vacation up over a couple posts but decided I would inflict the pain only once, albeit with a long post with way too many pictures. I wasn’t as excited about the trip to Medelin as my Favorite Panamanian was but since we were celebrating our anniversary, I went along as it was something she really wanted. It turned out to be a surprisingly fun trip. When I first heard of our destination, I thought she was kidding. Medellin featured prominently in some of the war plans I saw back in the day because it was home to the most notorious cocaine cartel led by Pablo Escobar. The last time I checked in, it was listed as the most dangerous city in the world. Things have definitely changed. Medellin is now a certifiable tourist destination and the city captured me upon arrival.

Medellin Airport Arrival

We drove to David the night before our flight and planned on taking my wife’s family out for dinner.  Our chosen destination, Terra’s, was closed upon arriving so we diverted to a new place in the same commercial center where we signed the papers for the condo so many years ago. It was a new place but provided a totally enjoyable evening with the usual amount of shared laughter whenever my wife and her siblings get together. We caught our flight to Panama City they next morning and I was little shocked when I learned the flight to Medellin would be less than an hour. I didn’t realize it was that close. Because of the Panamanian province of Darien cutting off all land connections with Colombia, I always thought it was further. I’m being a dunce because Panama used to be a province of Colombia until the US wanted to build a canal.

Bon Voyage Dinner with Wife's Fam

Day 1

Medellin’s airport isn’t huge but it was modern and provided a really long waiting line to get through immigration. Our travel agency set us up with a driver since the city is about 45 minutes from the airport. I asked my Favorite Panamanian how we were supposed to link up with him and she had no idea. We walked out of immigration and were almost tackled by five or six taxi drivers offering to drive us into town. We wandered around a bit until a guy walked up and asked us if we were who he was waiting for. We were! A sign would have helped. The drive into Medellin was interesting. Medellin sits in a deep valley, one of the reasons the airport is so far away. To cut down the distance they created the second longest tunnel in Latin America, 12 kilometers long.

First Views of Medellin

We emerged from the tunnel and got our first glimpses of Medellin. A large central city with huge neighborhoods spreading up the surrounding mountains. We reached our hotel, the Vivre, which sat in the middle of a very active social area. Our neighbors had warned us about this area and had stayed away from hotels there because of the nightlong noise. Luckily, we couldn’t hear any of that in our room. As I usually do in a new place, I immediately set out on an area reconnaissance. Fortunately, there was a large church nearby with mass just cranking up so my Favorite Panamanian had somewhere to hang out while I reconned. The streets around our area were lined with trees and were picturesque. I was struck with how busy everybody seemed to be.

Street Near our Hotel

The Church

Happy Wife Emerging from Mass

One of our missions while in Colombia was to purchase some medications for my mother in law. Colombia has a very large drug manufacturing industry. I’m not kidding and it’s legitimate medicine versus what you were thinking. The prices for the medicine were drastically lower than even in Panama. There were pharmacies on nearly every corner in our tourist district. After scoring the medicine, we wandered up the very busy central street with numerous street front restaurants and seemingly a disco blaring music on every block. I liked the vibe and everyone was friendly, if a bit acquisitive.

Dedicated Bike Lanes Throughout City

I kept telling my Favorite Panamanian that we should check out one more block. She was a good sport about the effort and we finally settled into one of the restaurants to eat. She said she only wanted to eat at one with a lot of people because that meant the food would be good. I was getting hungrier by the minute as we passed by dozens of empty eateries. She finally acquiesced and we sat down for our first meal in Colombia. It wasn’t that memorable, except for the beer. I wanted to try a local brew and the waiter recommended El Aguilla Lite, which I became an instant fan of. Even my wife, after a taste, thought it was good.

That First Beer

1st Night Dinner

Party Buses Circled up and Down Street

A quick note here on Colombian currency. In Panama we use US dollars although they’re called balboas. I changed $100 over and had nearly 400,000 Columbian pesos! It was an interesting learning experience, getting over the shock of something costing 100,000 pesos but then realizing that meant only about $20. Everything in Colombia was cheaper than Panama which was welcome, especially when it came to my wife’s love of Colombian shoes (more on that for day 3).

Day 2

My wife decided the double bed in our hotel room was too small after our first night. She habla-ed the Espanol with the front desk and used me as an excuse. She claimed I didn’t fit on the bed (I did). Anyways, when we got back in the evening we’d been upgraded to a king-sized bed in a room with a much better view at no charge. We became good friends with the evening crew at the hotel who were really good sports. Day 2 started with a driving tour of the city with a local guide. He took us into the central city where the government offices and museums were. Medellin has a lot of public parks with beautiful trees. There was a monument of multi-colored stones stacked up. This was the work of Ugo Rondinone, who apparently has done this type of thing in a number of places around the world.

Central City Area

Stacked Rocks

One of Tree Lined Parks

Central Shopping Area, Museum on Left, Overhead Metro Rails

Our next stop was a central shopping district where we parked at the top of a parking garage and wandered the streets below. This was also the central hub of pubic transit. I was totally impressed with the public transit system in Medellin. Our guide told us that this revolution in transit helped transform the city, allowing the poor residents in the outlying districts (some on top of mountains) to easily reach jobs in the center of the city. There was an extensive above ground metro rail system, buses, and aerial tramways to some of those high districts.

Botero Statues

Wife and I

Other Side of Museum

Wife in Park with Statues

We ran into another plaza sporting a series of bronze statues by Fernando Botero, a Medellin sculptor. The figures were purposely bloated in abstract style but were strangely compelling. My Favorite Panamanian was on her best behavior in this shopping district, having been warned by Tia Loca, from her earlier visits, that were better opportunities elsewhere. We got back in the car to drive to the other side of the city and, as usual, had to didge the seemingly endless parade of motorcycles and scooters that wove in and out of traffic constantly. We got used to it after a couple days but this was even more pronounced than in Rome. One of our drivers compared it to thousands of cockroaches that scatter when the light comes on. Whenever we stopped at a light, invariably, dozens of scooters, many driven by gals, would weave their way through the lines of cars.

She Always Finds a Church

Those Scooters

Our next destination was Communa 13, a district within the city with a checked past. It was also one that has risen out of the ashes to become a true tourist hot spot. Our first stop was at the aerial tramway I wrote about earlier. It was co-located with the end of a metro train line and offered service up into the dizzying heights surrounding Medellin. Our guide took us up the tramway which was easy to access and we passed through several stops on our way to the top. The tram was used just like a bus by the residents. I was seriously impressed. We rode all the way to the top and then back. It was obvious what difference this system had made as some of the neighborhoods serviced by the tram were perched on the side of the mountain with no road outside of pedestrian walkways and stairs.

Driving Through the City

The Aerial Tram Way

On Our Way Up

We drove to a different part of Communa 13 where we parked and walked up into the neighborhood. I mean literally up, as this part of the neighborhood climbed onto the mountainside. We stopped to view a group of break dancers before continuing on to the heart of 13. Our guide related that the district had a reputation of lawlessness from its earliest origins. We stopped at a high school outdoor basketball court where he said the neighborhood would publicly execute criminals.

Hillside Neighborhoods

Walking into Communa 13

Break Dancers

As we continued up I was impressed as any open wall was painted with some beautiful art. We hopped on a comprehensive set of escalators the government had installed to assist access to the neighborhood. We reached the top which sported a small road circling the neighborhood sporting endless shops. It was a very vibrant area with spectacular views of the surrounding city and was teeming with tourists.

Execution Gym

Inside Communa 13

Our guide escorted us behind one of the shops to a restaurant where we ate lunch overlooking the neighborhood. We also stopped in a museum which commemorated the violent history of the neighborhood which served as a battleground between narco gangs, guerillas, and the government. It was in stark contrast to the vibrant neighborhood we toured. It’s amazing what a difference had been made by connecting the district to the rest of the city through the transit system and the access offered by the escalators.

With our Guide on Escalators

Wife on Shopping Street

Lunch Time

Area in Distance Under Construction, 
They're Finding a Lot of Bodies From Violent Past

Back Down the Escalators

Day 3

We started early this day as we were driving to an area a couple hours away into the mountains. We got off to a very slow start. The tunnel I mentioned earlier was closed that morning which caused the roads out of the city to descend into gridlock. We were part of a larger group for this day and our bus slowly climbed out of the city at walking pace. I noticed at the bottom a bicyclist, about our age, who was making the considerable climb. He beat us to the top. It took nearly three hours to reach our first destination.

Llamas Ready to Attack

Rest Stop/Animal Park

That destination was a much needed rest stop, Parque San Jose, which was a combination restaurant, gift shop, and animal park. After a semi-run to the rest rooms, I wandered over to the animal park while, in a surprise to no one reading this, my Favorite Panamanian made a bee line for the gift shop. I stopped at the entrance where I was offered a chance to buy a cup of animal feed and a bottle to feed the baby animals. I thought about it until I looked over the fence and saw a hungry-looking herd of llamas and burros waiting for their next victim. I declined the offer and took up residence in a nearby snack bar to watch the carnage.

Entrance to Animal Park

Wife Shopping, Of Course

Overlooking Animal Pens

So Photogenic

One of the other members of our group bought the feed. He was with his wife and small daughter. As soon as he walked in, the llamas descended on him and the wife was hastily holding their panic-stricken daughter over their heads. I wandered through the area without issue as I had no food. It was interesting as it was obviously also a working farm/ranch. The whole landscape as we drove that day was devoted to agriculture of some kind. My wife eventually left the shop, and we walked to the top of the area, overlooking the zoo.

El Penol

Minatare Recreation

Our first stop after animal farm was the displaced town of El Peñol. Displaced by the building of a huge hydroelectric dam in the 1970s which created a lake which swallowed the original town. A monument was created to commemorate the original town with a miniature version of the central church and surrounding houses. A large cross was placed in the lake to mark the spot the original town stood. We drove through the new town, which was gearing up for their annual Tomato Festival, which apparently is a big deal.

This Guy Never Moved

Where Original Town Was

We next stopped at the El Peñón de Guatapé. This is the fourth largest freestanding rock formation in the world and it was huge. It is surrounded by the aforementioned lake and sports a long series of stairs if you want to climb to the top. Neither my wife nor I were inclined to make the climb. I was thinking of my bad knee and how much it would hurt walking down the stairs. We made do with the lively collection of shops and attractions at the bottom. Interestingly, one of those was a glass-encased racing car belonging to Pablo Escobar. He owned a large lake house nearby.

At The Rock

Escobar's Race Car

From Movie Up

The pictures do not do justice to how imposing this rock feature was. It was immense. Our decision not to climb the rock was validated when we were hit by vigorous rain storm that would have caught us on top. Our friends at the hotel had equipped us with an umbrella which saved the day (and my wife’s hair). We had lunch at the bottom of the rock’s hill on the shores of the lake. After lunch, we boarded a small boat for a tour of the lake. That included a pass by Escobar’s old house. His soldiers and their arms were housed in a small house at the top of the hill behind the house.

Lunch

Walking Down to Boat

On the Boat

Escobar's House

I was reminded how high into the mountains we were when we got off the boat for the short climb back to the bus. I found myself out of breath after what shouldn’t have been a big effort. Our guide smiled and told us we were higher than the city of Denver and the thin oxygen was responsible for the challenge. Once again, the decision to not climb the rock was validated. Our next stop was the beautiful town of Guatapé, located ten minutes away, right on the lake.

Into Guatape

Guatape Central Square

Guatapé is famous for its multi-colored zócalos. This is the bottom part of the houses which were painted in vibrant colors and accompanying figures. The entire town seemed like something out of a Disneyworld attraction. The cobblestoned streets wove through the beautiful town which a local guide escorted us through. There was a very funny event in the central square as we were walking back to the bus. A local stray dog jumped into the central fountain. Another dog, wearing a police vest, took serious issue with that. He jumped around the side of the fountain trying to effect an arrest.

Police Dog Trying to Make Arrest

We ran into more traffic on our way back to Medellin but this time it only took 2.5 hours to get back. That was due to the seriously deranged bus driver we had. As we made our way through the agricultural area with small, two-lane roads, he was bombing along at a frantic pace and passing trucks and cars with abandon despite the curves. I might have joined my wife in prayer during this trip. We were exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel and walked over to a nearby pizza place for dinner. That was entertaining in itself as we watched the mix of tourists and street people pass by.

Cool Trees While in Traffic

Dinner

Day 4

This was listed as a free day in Medellin for us. I made the joke on social media that any day my wife gets to shop all day could not be described as free. Our day 2 guide had shown us where one of the local shopping malls was and we taxied there after a leisurely breakfast. My Favorite Panamanian descended on the shoe stores while I found a comfortable place to read and people watch. I should mention here that Columbian women are gorgeous (hoping the wife doesn’t read this far). We eventually linked up for lunch at an Italian restaurant within the mall. I told her I had located a movie theater in the mall and was going to see Captain America that afternoon.

In a major surprise, she said she would accompany me to the movie. She later admitted she didn’t trust herself with additional time in the shoe stores where so many bargains were present. Our credit cards took a collective sigh of relief at this decision. After the movie we made our way back to hotel where we geared up for an evening on the town with friends. The Canadian down the beach shares his house with his brother. That brother lives and work in Medelin most of the time. He and his Panamanian wife invited us out to dinner in a place near their home. That dinner was so much fun. While we’d only met them a couple times before, we ended the evening as friends. They were gracious hosts and filled us in on what it was like to live in Medellin. The two Panamanian women were conspiring together to get us to return next year to insure my Favorite Panamanian had performed an effective survey of the shoe stores. A great way to end our trip, new friends.

Very Fun Final Night Dinner

Our return trip went off without a hitch and we were back in David just in time for dinner. We took my wife’s family out for the delayed dinner at Terra’s (always a good time). After spending the night at my mother in law’s home, we did the requisite grocery shopping before returning to Las Lajas in time to enjoy a truly spectacular sunset. It was definitely a feeling of returning home. I must admit, Medellin surprised me with its beauty and lively atmosphere; good to be home though.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete – my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course