Medellín, once known as a dangerous, crime-ridden, cartel-controlled city, has transformed itself into a vibrant metropolitan with open arms to tourism, nightlife, restaurants, and beauty.
My husband and I joined a Gate 1 travel group for our 8-day whirlwind tour of Colombia. Carlos Valencia served as our excellent tour manager for the trip and managed to corral us all onto planes and buses at appropriate times. Our hotel, Hotel Poblada Plaza, had wonderful rooms and a beautiful open-air restaurant with excellent food. It was not located near the old town, but it was within easy walking distance to many things including restaurants and nightlife.
Medellín, the second largest city in Colombia, is an industrial city with a history of gold mining followed by textiles. Flower production is also important now with Colombia being the number one source of flowers for the U.S. This variety of industries gives Medellín a stable economy.
A few notes about Colombia:
· Tourism is relatively new in the last 10-15 years, but it is very important to the economy. Only about 5% of the population speak English, so it is a great chance to practice up on your Spanish.
· Houses are classified from 1-6 by their socioeconomics with 1 being the poorest. Level 1 housing may not be real buildings and may have no utilities, etc. If you ask someone their neighborhood, it tells those who know the area how much people make. Where they live also affects taxes and schools.
· Almost everyone 20 years old and up has been affected by the violence of the drug cartels, the guerillas, and the paramilitary. The truth of these events came alive to us when our guide, Carlos, shared the heart-rending story of his family and their encounter with these groups.
Our first stop on our tour of downtown was the Parque de los Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Park). The park was constructed in an area where people had been afraid to go for fear of bombs exploding or being shot. Originally built as a place for utility company workers to go during breaks, it is now used by everyone. The park is “barefoot” because there is no longer the need to run. Cartel-driven terrorism is now over. The park keeps the memories of what has happened in the past to ensure history does not repeat itself, but it also promises a safe escape for the city.
Our next stop was Botero Square, named for Fernando Botero, one of Latin America’s most famous sculptors. His 23 whimsical statues, the largest collection in the world, catch the eye and imagination of visitors. Botero donated these statues to his hometown, and these works, made using the lost wax technique, are now part of the very successful urban renewal programs in the old town (La Candelaria). (You may see shiny bronze areas on many of his works. The Botero legend promises good fortune to all who rub his creations.) There is a convenient metro stop at the square if you want to take public transportation. In fact, Medellín is the only city in Colombia with a metro. Do be careful in the area. Since it is a touristy area, pickpockets abound.
While in the area, we walked admiringly by the Iglesia de la Veracruz and the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture. (No, it is not a typo. There are really two Uribes in the name.) A visit to the Museo de Antioquia was next so we could see more of Botero’s works, including a large collection of his paintings on the third floor.
The morning passed quickly, and we were off through the western Andes to Santa Elena to experience a way of life unique to the group of people who have lived in the area for many, many years. Our destination was the home/farm of Jose and Carmen who explained the history of the Silleteros. Originally, Silleteros carried wealthy colonials in chairs (sillas) over the top of the Andes in areas that were too difficult for carriages. The Silleteros later came to use the chair-like carrying system to transport their flowers to markets in Medellín. Jose and Carmen grow flowers to keep the tradition alive. The annual Feria de Las Flores held in August honors their ancestors and the beautiful flowers that the families continue to grow. The men carry heavy flowers—some of the arrangements weigh over 150 pounds—through the area for the three-mile parade. The Silleteros carry “love, history, and family along with the flowers” as they vie for the four awards. This area and the Silleteros were named to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
After making the long, twisty drive back to our hotel, several of us walked to La Provenza, a four-block pedestrian area of bars and restaurants, for a fun evening of salsa dancing and people watching.
The area was busy and so much fun on a Saturday night!
But, even staying up late didn’t deter us from going to Guatapé the next morning and climbing the steps up the granite monolith of El Peñón de Guatapé. The 708 steps are numbered to help you keep track of your progress.
I’m not certain what makes it more difficult, the number of stairs or the altitude, 7000 ft. above sea level. The views from the top make the climb worth every step and huff and puff.
An ongoing drought cancelled our scheduled boat ride, so instead we boarded motorized tuk-tuks in Guatapé for a scenic view of the city and marvelous artwork on every house and business.
These colorful bas-relief designs, zócalos, may show fun scenes, historic scenes, and whimsical scenes while others reflect the type of business. (In Mexico, a zócalo is the main square--very different than in Guatapé.) Each one may take 2-3 weeks for an artist to create. Guatapé is a great place to wander around, drink coffee, sample Colombian coffee, shop, and simply enjoy a peaceful afternoon. Because we visited on a Sunday, we experienced church bells vigorously ringing, parents carrying their newly baptized babies from the church, and everyone out enjoying the beautiful weather.
And, all too soon, back to Medellín to get ready to fly to Cartagena the next morning.
We definitely needed more time—at least one more day--in this intriguing city. We didn’t get to see the creative graffiti of Comuna 13 or the botanical gardens—just to name two. As always…maybe next time?!?
Our voyage on the Delfin 1 on the Amazon River is just a click away!
Our day in Lima, Peru is here.
For info about Quito and our short trip there, click here.
To read about our stay in Bogota, click here.
In the meantime, please click here for info on Cartagena.
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