In search of Pablo (No, not Russels infamous Macaw)

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It’s 3.30am on Sept 23, as we board the shuttle from the Airport Marriot in LA to begin our journey to Colombia. The final destination for the day is Medellin. I’m accompanied by my friend Richard (Dick) Avery who has made a couple of trips with me in the past. Normally, it’s my English friend, Malcolm from Fiji but he’s decided to retire from travelling. The journey is long, LA to Atlanta, Atlanta To Bogota and Bogota to Medellin (city of eternal spring) arriving in Medellin at 23.33 local time (2 hours in front of LA time) Then a taxi from the airport to La Campania hotel in El Poblado; a touristic district of town. Rather than try and work out Colombian Pesos at 12.30am we pay the grand total of US $30 for our 30 minute our taxi ride.,

Check in at the hotel is easy and each of us pay up front for our 7 night stay. My room is spacious and comfortable although I have to drag my suitcase up 4 flights of stairs. I presume that Dick’s is similar .



Sunday, 24-Sept

After an early breakfast we decide to walk downhill to Park Lleras, but even with a map we manage to miss it completely until an old Colombian lady leads us back triumphantly mentioning along the way that the Gringos really have no idea how to stay safe in Medellin. Actually, she was very helpful and pointed out we shouldn’t be carrying our expensive cameras slung over our arms, but in a backpack. On reaching park Lleras we board the “hop on hop off bus” for a tour of the city and are treated to an overview of the history of Medellin along with various stops to enjoy some of what the city has to offer. On completing our tour, it’s lunch followed by a quick taxi ride back to the hotel for a well earned nap.

Taxis in the city of Medellin are yellow and are metered with a starting fare of close to 4000 pesos ( approx 1$ USD) and is a cheap way to travel around. Uber is slightly cheaper.

Evening takes us to Mamasita Medallo Restaurant for dinner of Colombian dishes with seating close to an open kitchen where busy chefs prepare food. The clientele is younger and dinner is accompanied with loud DJ music from what Colombian and South American artists. Great service, an extensive menu in English, good food, very reasonably priced, well worth a visit.

Monday, 25 Sept

We have a plan. A museum, and walk down Calle 53 to Plaza Botero, then the cable car over the mountains. It’s Monday, and of course the first museum is closed, still we have a nice walk downhill to Plaza Botero. Botero is a Colombian artist known for his paintings and statues of rather rotund figures. The plaza is next to the park is a museum with a whole floor dedicated to his work. It turned out that Botero had passed away and they were going to bring his body to the museum the following day with lots of dignitaries to honour him) soldiers and police everywhere practicing for the grand event. Our next stop is the cable cars that run to the top of the hill above Communa 13, our goal to take another cable car to the National park. Wrong. It’s Monday and the park MetroCable is closed for maintenance.

Dinner at a Colombian Restaurant, Mi Arepa decor a little bit stark and cafeteria like, but decent food and the prices were good.

Tuesday, 26 Sept

The itinerary is pretty much what we wanted to do yesterday with an extra stop at the central market before heading to the Museo Casa de Memorial. The central market sold everything from food to clothes. We spent a good hour wandering around talking to people (you can do that when you’re old) and taking photos.
The Museum focused on the injustices, homicides and disappeared people in Medellin by the Govt right wing para military groups and revolutionary groups such as FARC from the 40s to the 90s and the drug wars between rival gangs of the late 80s and early 90s. Most of this happened in poorer working class neighbourhoods and mainly in Communa 13. An excellent display with narrations from mothers of disappeared and survivors of mass shootings.

After the museum a walk down Calle 52 to the metro and a train ride to the cable car at Acevedo station. This time we not only get to the top of Communa 13, but also take the cable car to the National park. Unfortunately, we are unable to attempt a nature walk through the forest as it would seem there a robbers in them there woods. Instead, we take a stroll down the roadway and along the way are joined by a young Colombian girl who wants to practice her English.

Our evening meal finds in Peruvian fusion restaurant La Causa. For me this is our best choice yet.

Wednesday 27, Sept

Day trip to Guatape, the main attraction being a Big Rock. However, we get to mix with a bunch of young people from all over the globe. Myself and Dick did not attempt to take the 800 stairs to the top for various reasons and it was all a bit too commercialise. However, the views over the reservoir were very picturesque. The trip includes a boat trip on the reservoir where we get to see one of Escobar many houses, today the land is owned by the Govt and the house is a shell of what it once was.. As a day trip, I’m glad we made it and I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with all of the the young people.

Dinner is back to Mamasita Medallo, possibly the best Colombian restaurant in town!



Thursday 28, Sept

Trip to a museum in the morning. El Castia Museum and Gardens. Built in the 1930s, it’s a neo gothic castle belonging to a private trust. The building is based on Chateaus in the Loire Valley and is the home of many paintings, furniture, porcelain and crystal from all over the world. My personal view is the person who initially built the castle was a Randolph Hearst wannabe.

The highlight of our trip to Medellin is a tour of Communa 13, a neighbourhood in Medellin that has been plagued by violence across the years first as a base for the FARC guerrilla antI government movement, infiltration by right wing paramilitary and later as the scene of major violence in the drug wars between various of the 80s and 90s. It has reinvented itself as an environment to display the talents of artists, dancers, singers and a space that is safe for tourists. Great people, cooking, and color, definitely my number 1 pick for Medellin.



Unfortunately, I had developed a bad cold and immediately went to bed after we returned from Communa 13. No dinner tonight!



Friday 29, Sept

A lazy day spent walking around El Poblado, getting laundry done and drinking coffee In one of the restaurants in a park. As we start to make our way back to pickup a taxi I spy a barbers shop and partake of a haircut while listening to the sounds of Depeche Mode and other 80s bands.

The evening brings a private food tour. And we are picked up by a lovely lady who speaks excellent English and transported to Sabaneta an independent city on the outskirts of Medellin. Along the way. we are educated on the past violence in Medellin and its transfor from one of the most dangerous cities in South America to one of the safest. The place is vibrant and Dick and I get to sample various foods and liqueur from food stalls and restaurants. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.



Sat 30, Sept.

Have breakfast, pack.

Lunch at an Indian restaurant, I’m missing my monthly chicken tika massala fix that I have with friends in Russell.

Catch flight to Cartagena at 7.50pm



My thoughts on Medellin. The city of eternal spring sits at 1600 meters, has a population of around 2.5 million people and wanders the hills and valleys in a small portion of the province of Antioquia. The temperature is a very comfortable 27c during the day and around 17-18c in the evening. The topography as mentioned is very up and down with the poorer barrios stretching up the hillside on the western edge of the city serviced by a cable car and escalators. The city is definitely picturesque and we found the people friendly and more than willing to assist the two old Gringos. Hawkers were not pushy and a simple “No, Gracias” would move them on and beggars were few. Prices for eating out are very affordable and the restaurants are excellent quality. Yes, I for one would visit again.



As for my search for Pablo! Medellin City is trying to forget his reign of terror and even blew up his old city house in El Poblado district. Since 2003 it has continuously been reinventing itself as a city that is welcoming and safe for tourists. And has become a retirement haven for a lot of US retirees because of its climate and cost of living. Continuing with Escobar, in Communa 13 I did see some vendors with Pablo t-shirts and there was even a Pablo Escobar look alike you could pay to have your photo taken with. There are still Pablo tour operators that will take you to various sites including his grave, but on the whole he is someone while part of Medellin‘s violent past is better forgotten…..

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Comments

[Ed]

Adventurous
Hi Kev, Columbia sounds fascinating, and the food must be delicious. I hope you're right and the bad old days are over for these poor guys. They sure had a really terrifying few years! Happy travels, Ed

[Jay Brara]

Medellin!
Very interesting write-up! Gives me a real feel of the place. My son Sabir had gone there last year and enjoyed it very much, including paragliding.

[Dave]

Busy, busy busy. So how would you describe the difference between Medellin and Rio? Which do you prefer?

[NZ4ME]

Medellin vs Rio
Both Hilly, but Medellin doesn’t have the Christ or beaches. The town is also in valley, but spreads up both sides of the hills.