They do Ron Ron...

---

Day 105

After a smooth flight we arrive in Medellin and take a taxi 40kms to the Zona Rosa area of town. Hostel is great and for the first time in 2 months we have hot showers plus the beds are super comfy. We wander round our area, grab some crepes for tea and spend the evening chatting to other travellers in the hostel. However as it is Saturday night and we are in the party area it feels like we are sleeping in the night club next door. Eventually we drift off whilst our whole room shakes to the level 11 bass, interspersed with the whoops of the local revellers.

Day 106

Wake up and take the over ground metro to the centre of town with our plan for the day. First stop is the barefoot park, which is an urban park where (yes you guessed it) you walk without shoes. As it is Sunday there are lots and families and kids everywhere and the atmosphere is great. Em gets told off for forgetting to remove her shoes whilst I prance about on the pillars designed for small children to play on. Next stop is the Museo Antioquia, and after negotiating our way through some of the seedier streets of Medellin to get there we are pretty disappointed to find it closed. So after a disappointing lunch (we have been spoiled by Taganga) we head to the botanical gardens. We wander through the butterfly enclosure and cactus garden and are surpised to hear what sounds like the Beatles blaring out. Turns out to be a little festival and the band is a columbian Beatle tribute band - they sound pretty good and I even think I can detect a fake scouse accent! Next we stumble upon a display of traditional Colombian dancing and music from all the different regions of the country, and spend about an hour watching. A helpful woman (who keeps shouting 'esto' after each dance) translates the given explanation of each one - a lot of the dances revolve around some kind of courtship with a pinch of humour.

On the way home we buy some snacks for dinnner and watch a film at the hostel.

Day 107

The morning is spent walking to the bus station which involves almost choking on car fumes as we try to walk along the main road which has no sensible crossing points. We both agree to get a taxi when we have to take our bags the next day. Once sorted we head to the modern art gallery which is supposed to be good and it does look good from the outside but being a Monday it is closed. Trying not to be too frustrated we catch the tram to the Museo Antioquia which is now open.

The best thing about this museum is the Botero collection. Botero is a local artist who is still alive and has donated a large collection of paintings and statues, all in the same distinct voluptuous style, which make us smile a lot. I then have the bright idea of going back to the Botanical garden for lunch... and guess what, it is closed (can you spot the recurring theme yet)!

In the evening we meet up with Peta (Aussie from Santa Marta) and Laurence from the UK (from the hostel). First stop is a thai restaurant where we are shocked to receive double our drinks order. After pinching ourselves to make sure we’re not seeing double the waiter informs us it is happy hour (which lasts most of the day) and everything is bogof. This wouldn’t normally be a problem but as the individual drinks are expensive, we have ordered a small bottle of Ron, meaning we now have two bottles to drink. Making the best of a bad situation, we soon find ourselves chatting the night away and before we know it we are sat in hooters (don’t ask) drinking a beer Giraffe. As we wander the streets looking for another drinking establishment (it is rather quiet being a Monday) Em starts a rant on how she hates the Vallenato music (Colombian music from the North coast, played using an accordion). Just as she is flapping her arms playing an air accordion, a local Vallenato band appear from nowhere and begin to play just for Em. It's as if they appeared by magic, and we all start howling with laughter and Lawrence firmly says, 'no gracias' in a very English way, which sets us off again and we run into the next bar. The band follow us, find some people who like their music and spend the next 30 minutes bugging Em...

---