On Second Thought...

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...there are a few things I can tell you about Medellin!


After a long but absolutely beautiful bus ride from Salento, Adam, Ariel, and I arrived in Medellin. Our first choice, the Pit Stop, was completely booked so we hopped around the corner to the Black Sheep. Things seem to happen for a reason I guess because my friends from Cartagena, Fiona, D, and Jackson, come walking through the door the next morning. I guess running into friends from other cities is all a part of being on the gringo trail...

Sometimes you get physical proof of why Americans get such a bad rap. An American family was in the process of relocating to Colombia and were staying at our hostel in the process. Picture if you will...a fat red-headed mother who seemed to be always screaming on the hostel phone to some unlucky party...the boyfriend bearing a strong resemblence to Meatloaf´s character in Fight Club (aka extremely obese and always wearing cut off t-shirts)...the 19-year old daughter with a 9 month old baby...and an extremely unlucky 13 year old who claimed he was supposed to start school for the past few mondays. Yeah...they were all NUTS! One night, coming home from the club at around 4:30, I went upstairs to the TV lounge to find the baby sleeping on the couch with the 13 year old watching him! The mother (also his sister) stumbled in from the club at about 5ish. Apparently, the mom of the kids kicked the baby out of her room and made her son watch it!!! The next morning, I awoke to find the hostel staff caring for the child. All she could say was muy triste (very sad).

I had chicken hearts and let me tell you...they were GOOD!!! After Adam departed for the states, Ariel and I ventured over to the Exito (Colombian Wal-Mart) to find something to make for dinner. After changing our decision a few times, we came upon the offal section and Ariel´s eyes just lit up. Not only were chicken hearts one of his favorite meals from home they were damn cheap! So that night, we dined upon israeli salad, garlic rice, a little chicken breast, and chicken hearts...que rico!!


The next night, Ariel, Eng (graphic designer from London) and myself head to the botanical gardens for a free Wailers show! The place was packed but the mood was fantastic. Everyone with smiles dancing to the opener, some popular Medellin group whose name escapes me now. Anyway, halfway into the Wailers set, amidst much dancing, the rains begin to fall. Add dancing to a pretty steamy night and the rains were quite welcome for me. Dancing and singing Bob Marley tunes with the cool Colombian rain washing over me put my seretonan levels into overdrive! The paisas (what the people from Medellin call themselves) were all super friendly. I met a girl named Luz something (weird for a Colombian to have 2 names...I swear all the other girls are named Carolina) who was very sweet. She didn´t speak any english so she asked me to translate the songs for her. The Wailers were playing Stir it up so I said cuchillo (spoon) and made a stirring motion, then lo (it), and finally arriba (up). This translation obviously worked because she asked me to continue. My spanish skills are not quite up to that level yet though...

So those are some pretty good stories right? Don´t say I left ya with nothing about Medellin!!!

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Comments

[P. Tosh]

The Wailers--the new Conquistadores
I saw them -- though not for free, alas -- in Cordoba (Argentina). I felt like one old pendejo: There was no public transportation because practically every single attendee got picked up by their parents. Consequently, a 10 km walk back into town with two nervous Irishmen followed. Latin America...what stories! Besos, Adam