Botero's Medellín

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Geo: 6.23593, -75.5751

Walking through Botero plaza makes a person of almost any size feel skinny. Fernando Botero, born in Medellín, has donated hundreds of his statues to museums in Colombia, including Medellín and Bogotá.

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Photos

Slipping through traffic
Absolutely every cyclist wears a helmet here. Everyone.

Comments

[Paul]

Medellin is famous in the US, of course, for the infamous drug cartel that I believe was crushed a few years ago. Do people talk about this there, or is there remaining evidence of the impact of the old cartel? I've heard that it has become
a very safe place these days.

[bobnkaren]

Mario, whom we met in Bogot?, gave us a very passionate and touching mini history of the suffering and terror caused by Escobar and the cartel. Drug violence has gone down-- moved to Mexico in fact-- but there are bands of guerrillas in the
south who are behind the drug trade left in Colombia now. They have caused 6 million people to be displaced from their villages as they have been trying to overcome the government of Colombia for years, in addition to their drug trafficking, or perhaps funded by their drug trafficking. Mario said we have had so much violence in Colombia we can't take anymore. It appears from what we see that people want to erase Escobar from their history-- unless of course they can make a buck or two off him. We will go on a Pablo Escobar tour soon and let you know what else we learn.

[Paul]

Looks like he's guarding the Banos Gratis (free restroom), but she wants (or needs) to get in.

[bobnkaren]

I'm thinking more like they're married and he was out all night with a fluzzy.

[Paul]

Uh...sorry, those are mangoes.

[bobnkaren]

Uhhh, sorry. No really, on the other side are the papayas. But it's futile to call them a cart of papayas when you can't see them. I mean really...

[agnes]

thats one little tight red dress

[agnes]

Those MANGOES look wonderful to me, I Love them!!!!!

[Allen & Judie]

Sounds like you and Bob are having a great time. Also learning a lot about the country. We love reading your Blog! And seeing your pic's they are so good.Stay well and be careful!

[chr]

wish I could be with you. sounds so interesting. may be next time?what happened to driving miss daisy? did the picture not work out?in 2 weeks I am off to Guatemala! can hardly wait, it is raining here!take care and stay healthy chris
tel