Blogs from Medellin, Colombia, South America - page 28

(August 13, 2007 through August 22, 2007) Though when leaving Cancun I was sad, an indescribable feeling came over me. I was now on my way to Medellin, a city that I had not stepped on since I was eight, when my family migrated to the United States. A mixture of happiness, nostalgia, anxiousness, excitement, and concern came over me; something that I had not felt before, and I certainly did not know how to comport myself. Using my Colombian passport for the first time since I left the country, I was extremely nervous when handing it over to the migration official. Thankfully, with they way Colombians play with the Spanish language, he soon made me at ease. When he asked for a phone number, I told him that I did not know any, but would ... read more

From the Caribbean Coast we ride thru the night to Medellin on a reasonably comfortable bus. The truck has not yet reached Venezuela. Because there is a toilet on board…smaller than an airplane cubicle, the bus does not stop …. often. When the bus stops for gas I run to the other side of the road, unmindful of any unseen danger and crouch with the white expanse facing the woods. I do have to use the stinky hole on the bus … and an hour later the man stops for breakfast! From terminal Norte we go by taxi to the hostel, The Black Sheep. The rooms have been given to others … even though one Kiwi made reservations with another Kiwi. An alternative is chosen by the Black Sheep owner. Hostel Tamarindo, a newly opened place ... read more

I have been in the country of my birth for 3 weeks now, seventeen years after I left and had not returned. I have travelled all throughout Medellin, city where I made my home for the first eight years of my life, and to Bogota to visit my special someone, Janneth. I have heard stories from all possible family members, some of which I did not know existed. I have cried and laughed, and had nostalgic memories that I did not know exist flood my mind. I have drank aguardiente like water with individuals throughout the cities that I have been to, washed down with beer. I drove through the same mountains where my father died in a bus accident; the same curve. My travels through Mexico and my country will soon follow, along with those ... read more

Montezuma’s revenge is anything but pleasant. Well how it happened was, on Thursday I stayed up until almost 3 am talking. On Friday had to wake up earlyto go to the beach, around 9. In the morning I was horribly fatigued my head ached, my stomached roared, the goose bumps ran up and down my arms, and I felt nauseous. When we go to the beach I found a cabana and I laid down all day. After the beach, was when the toilet became my friend, because if it wasn’t from one end it was from the other. I got a fever, my stomach swirled and it continued all night. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fully enjoy my last day in san Andres. Saturday we left San Andres, my pain all over continued…it was a nice looong flight. ... read more

August 11 was a day filled with lots of events. We woke up early and went to a botanical garden. There was many people there, we had to wait outside for someone to leave so that we could park. Walking into the botanical garden, there was a parallel row of tents. Each tent had its own advertisement, and sample of product. Once we walked passed the advertisement, and received all the flyers, we walked pass vendors selling fresh fruit and an assortment of juices. Pass the juice was finally a house, were we were directed to walk through. In the house was an expo of oil paintings of all the flowers that were in the garden. After the expo, was finally the garden. The garden was set up as a circle, with various islands of flowers ... read more