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Published: September 8th 2009
Although I haven't written about it yet, now is probably a good time to mention how our mornings start in Medellin. To do that I have to first talk about class.
Before this trip I could tell you a lot of things about Colombians, about how they lived, what they ate, what they like to do. What I couldn't tell you, because I didn't know, was that there is a fairly obvious class system in this country. My naivety is surely the result of having known mostly family from Colombia, and therefore, mostly one type of class. Monte and I started to notice this right away since class differences are obvious from the time you wake up in the morning.
A typical morning for us in Medellin would include walking into the kitchen to tell the maid what we would like for breakfast. How do we like our eggs? Cream and sugar in the coffee? Everyone in the house comes in at different times so that Anita becomes a sort of short order cook. We sit at a table in the kitchen or on the balcony and are served the breakfast as it is ready. Afterwards, we are instructed
View from the kitchen balcony
Our lovely morning breakfast spotby my grandmother to bring Anita any clothes we want washed or boots we want scrubbed. During the rest of the day, while we are out, Anita prepares a couple of dishes for a light dinner which she leaves in the fridge and cleans our bedrooms and bathrooms. One day (no joke) Javier asked in the car, "When are we going back to the hotel?"
The kid's not that far off; this certainly is a different type of living. This is just a way of life for a portion of Colombians. A career in the service industry, including maids, nannys, cooks, property caretakers, is also just a way of life for another portion of the population.
The class differences are not so apparent in public however, where Colombians are known for how well they dress. Several times I felt under dressed for an occasion or just while walking around Medellin. The fashion here is a little ahead of Virginia to say the least, and girls especially wear to the grocery store what I would consider wearing to a cocktail party. They all look so uncomfortable in their high heels and extremely tight-fitting clothing, but they do succeed in
Our typical breakfast
eggs, coffee, arepa with cheese making me feel like a frump.
Claraibeth says people here could hardly have enough money to buy food, but would still buy designer jeans and keep up with the latest trends. I believe it after visiting the malls today. It was like being in Paris or on 5th Ave in NYC. Every other store was a designer showcase, not a Gap in sight. I'll have to go bargain hunting just to able to take home some cute shoes.
We also ate our most expensive meal yet today at the mall. A national fast food chain called El Corral serves burger and fry combo meals for $10 a piece. Monte and I almost never eat fast food in the states, but we had to try it here, and even we know a combo meal is about $5-6 in VA. When we have been eating amazing fresh food in huge portions for ridiculously low prices, paying double for fast food seemed crazy. I still don't understand this disparity, but I can say we don't care to eat any more El Corral for the rest of the trip.
Clothes shopping was a little disheartening, especially since everything else in Colombia
Mountains over Medellin
We never get tired of this view. has been so reasonable or even dirt cheap, but we had fun in the Zona Rosa tonight to make up for it. This area holds all the trendiest bars and restaurants in Medellin. Being a Tuesday, we avoided the masses that come out on the weekend nights. Because the weather here is perfect everyday, all day, most establishments in this zone have open air patios or no real walls so that the whole place feels outdoors. Rafa met Monte, me, dad, and Claraibeth for drinks at a place he recommended. I tried a cerveza michelada which is a beer with a salt rim and a shot of sweetened lime juice on the side. Since all Colombian beers taste like water, some extra flavor was a good idea.
Rafa had come to stay in the U.S., partly at my dad's house, for a year when I was 13. It was so much fun catching up with him and making him practice his mostly lost English. He was such a great host for the country; I hope he comes back to VA soon so Monte and I can return the favor.
Tomorrow is our last day in Medellin. I'm excited
Drug sniffing dogs
Tight security in the mall parking garage to see more of the country and explore another area, but it will be hard to beat how amazing it is in this city.
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