Medellin Travel Blogs

Africa

Antarctica

Asia

Central America Caribbean

Travel Blog » South America » Colombia » Medellin

Medellin Travel Blogs

Background: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Colombia

Map of Colombia

Colombia's Flag

Recommended Books:

Hostels in Colombia
Latest Medellin Blog Entries
Medellin Photos

By Pitxones
June 12th 2008

Colombia

South America » Colombia » Medellin » Guatape

Epa danoi, Colombiatik, Cartagenan lurreratu eta bertan herrialde ikusgarri eta zoragarri hontaz gozatu dugu. Bidaian ikusi ditudan emakumerik ederrenak, jende irekiena eta desfaserik handiena topatu dugu bertan. Gure hostala, kale jendetxu eta bizi batean zegoen, gamelu eta pertsonaiaz beteta. Juerga ederra egin genuen aspaldiko partez... Cartagenatik Medellinera joan ginen autobusean, heldu eta terminal ondoko errekan... gizon bat hilda aurkitu genuelarik!!! eskuak atzekaldean lotuta errekara bota zuten... Lehen impresio gogorra Kolombiako hiri famatu hontakoa, Pablo Escobarren got [View Full Entry]

By Graham Richardson
May 18th 2008

Paragliding...

South America » Colombia » Medellin

Chasing down a fellow paraglider.

So the original plan was for us to have gone paragliding back when we were in San Gil, but we opted to do th full day of white water rafting, and put off paragliding until Medellin. A couple days ago, we were going to tour around the city, and we decided to ask the person about if we had to book in advance paragliding, and just for extra info on it. Her reply was "you can go today, and I would cause the weather is beautiful". A minimal amount of convincing was needed, and we were off to go paragliding. [View Full Entry]

Another of my fellow paragliders in the air with me.

One of the many views I was able to get in the air.

By Graham Richardson
May 15th 2008

Back in the City - Medellin

South America » Colombia » Medellin

Floating in the Mud Volcano

The 30+ degree weather is over, and I can now walk the streets without looking like I just took a shower. We arrived here in Medellin yesterday, and could instantly feel the difference in temperature, and it was more than a welcomed change. The city is different than any of the other places we have been so far. Bogota and Cartagena were cities with narrow streets and bustling traffic. Medellin is a long, stretched out city that is based in a valley, and walking around, the city has a laid back feel which I find odd for the western appearance [View Full Entry]

By Raw E
May 6th 2008

Starting to see Colombia

South America » Colombia » Medellin

I didn’t have anything special that I wanted to see in Cali, so on my second day there I just went along with Yonatan. By the time we both woke up and ate lunch it was about 15:00, and then we went to Loma de la Cruz, where we could see a little of the old part of the city and snack a little. Then we went to one of the universities, where Yonatan’s friend (actually, his boss…) told him that there is some music performance, but when we went there, there wasn’t really anything. So we walked around the campus [View Full Entry]

By divingbelle
May 5th 2008

¿Que mas paisa?

South America » Colombia » Medellin

View of medellin from cable car

So another big city, and to be honest I have started running out of energy for this traveling lark (finally). My theory is that to properly get a feel for a city you either need friends there or at least 3 weeks. I had neither in Medellin so after a cursory look around the sights like the plaza de esculpturas.....actually that was it, there are lots more sights but I couldn't really be bothered....I took a trip up and down the metro instead. The metro in Medellin is elevated so you get a great view of the city without doing any [View Full Entry]

By Anglo Dutch connection goes Latin
April 24th 2008

Zona Cafetera (Villa Martha) and Medellin

South America » Colombia » Medellin

Kitted out for bean picking!

Early morning on the 17th of April we arrived at Pereira bus station. We were picked up by Rafael, Martha´s husband. First impression was that he was not a morning person. Probabaly did´t have enough coffee by the time he picked us up (8AM)..... Upon arrival we immediately likes the place. Tranquil, a very nice room, swimming pool and an impressive colinal house surrounded by hammocks. Martha was a lovely warm person, who served fantastic free coffee. Even Yvonne enjoyed it without milk and sugar. The colombians don´t use sugar anyway. They use panela. A very pure and natural form of [View Full Entry]

By Anglo Dutch connection goes Latin
April 24th 2008

Medellin, didn´t see much of it.....

South America » Colombia » Medellin

MEDELLIN Our 5 hour busride was not very comfortable, due to the blasting airconditioning. This must have pushed Yvonne over the edge towards her illnes (massive flue). She felt terrible upon arrival in Kiwi run hostel ¨The black sheep. We arrived on Friday the 18th of April. What we can tell you about Medellin is that it is a very modern city with a very efficient metro system. It tries to shake off it´s image of drugs trafficking capital of the world (thanks to the late Pablo ¨El Patron¨Escobar, who died in 1993). We paid the centre e very quick visit. [View Full Entry]

By Nicobine
November 13th 2007

Medellin

South America » Colombia » Medellin

Botero, la guitare et Sabine

Alors apres les tres hautes altitudes, nous voila seulement a 1550 m d altitude a Medellin. Content d etre ici car ville assez mythique quand meme. La ville est plutot chouette, je la prefere a Bogota, la vallee ou est la ville est superbe. Il fait 25 C et c est plutot agreable, un peu chaud quand meme qd le soleil tape... Aujourd hui on part pour les caraibes avec 18 heures de bus jusqu a Riohacha !!! [View Full Entry]

By MRJ SthAmericanAdventures
November 4th 2007

HOME TOWN OF PABLO ESCOBAR AND DANCING MIDGETS

South America » Colombia » Medellin » Guatape

MEDELLIN
Random guitar playing in the middle of Medellin

After leaving Salento in the early hours we headed off towards the city of Medellin. Again yet another endless windy road was our path and again we were witness to amazing scenery as we made our way north. It seemed today that the hills were even greener, steeper and more magical then I had seen before in Colombia. By this time my patience for taking long bus rides was waining and with 2 hours to go to Medellin I couldn't sit still in my seat, so when we did arrive on the city outskirts I was pretty damned happy. Medellin is [View Full Entry]

By outdoorman76
October 30th 2007

medellin to the border.

South America » Colombia » Medellin

Hey folks this will have to be quick as i am quite behind. From medellin we headed south to Armenia where we took a 45 min journey up into the mountains to a little place called solento. A great place. A place where a coffee lasted us 3 1/2 hours!!! we were made to fell so welcome. Here we stayed in an old plantation house and it was callled so. We took a 2 1/2 hour horse trek which lasted 4 hours and a tour of the guys home met his family and had coffee. He lasooed a day old calf [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » South America » Colombia » Medellin