I decided to ditch the cold for a couple weeks in February 2021 and work remotely from Medellin, the second largest city in Colombia. "The City of Eternal Spring" is located in a deep mountain valley at higher altitude which allows pleasant temperatures year-round despite its proximity to the Equator. It is a big metro area with several areas to explore or live in.
Most gringos stay in El Poblado, which is a nice (and more expensive) area with trendy bars and restaurants. As a Spanish speaker who wanted some local culture, I knew that this neighborhood was not for me. I stayed in Laureles, which had leafy streets and plenty of bars and restaurants of its own. In my first week, I would go jogging before work - the quiet residential streets and nearby riverfront promenade and hilltop parks make for excellent (if strenuous, in the case of the hilly parks) workout. Some neighborhood parks even have free exercise equipment to use!
Leafy streets of Laureles
(Left) A view of downtown from Cerro El Volador Park.
(Right) Parques del Rio with walking/cycling trails on both sides of the river.
In my second week, I used the city's bike share program (more on that later) to go on morning rides and also to get around the city. Despite the pandemic, the city was teeming with life, whether in the parks, in the bars, or even in the crosswalks at red lights as buskers would hurry to put together an amazing talent before taking it down and collecting money - all during the minute or so that the traffic light was red. Then a minute later, they'd do it again!
Impressive busking at a red light!
A small part of the massive and bustling Plaza Minorista market
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I did not go out to bars or try to mingle with locals/other tourists as I might have done without a pandemic, but I still enjoyed my time there. The food was a mixed bag - local Columbian food consists of rice, beans, with assorted fruits and vegetables and meats. Arepas are hit/miss, and empanadas are deep fried. The presence of Mexican restaurants will tell you that Mexican food is generally tastier than Colombian food. And it seemed like every other restaurant specialized in hamburgers! So the star of the Medellin food scene had to be the lunchtime "Menu del dia" - where for a few dollars you can get a 3-course meal with fruit juice. I tried to do this every day at a different location - though I came back to a few places that were particularly good. The other gem of Colombian food was the variety of fruits that grow in its diverse climate - you can eat fruits and drink fruit juices of so many varieties that many of them do not even have
names in English! One fun thing I did occasionally was go to the market and buy fruits I had never seen before, to try them and see what they were like.
I didn't know what these were...
A few meals I had, each cheaper than a Chipotle burrito in the States.
The pleasant Mercado del Rio also deserves a mention - this food court with dining area near the river has a wide selection of food - from Indian to Colombian to American - along with a trendy bar area. Prices, like elsewhere in Medellin, are cheap by American standards but not as cheap as in Mexico. I got a delicious Brazilian picanha plate for $10 - my only complaint was that they gave me plastic utensils for the steak!
There is a Metro system (the only one in Colombia and a source of local pride after the drug-violence of the last few decades) along with even newer gondolas that connect to the Metro and go up the steep hills to serve communities higher in the valley. This has dramatically reduced travel time from the city center to these neighborhoods and enabled its residents to access jobs and services there. I recommend riding these gondolas (included with the price of a Metro ticket, which is less than a dollar) to enjoy the views of the city, the neighborhoods you pass over, and the valleys you pass through.
(Left) Busy day on the Metro...good thing mask compliance was about 100%!
(Right) One of the teriféricos (gondolas) going uphill to previously unserved neighborhoods.
Riding the teliférico (gondola) to the high-up Santo Domingo neighborhood at dusk
I took two walking tours while in Medellin. The first was the Comuna 13 neighborhood,
which just 20 years ago was one of the most violent neighborhoods in the world. It was controlled by gangs who would kill those unfortunate enough to wander into a zone where they did not belong. Shortly thereafter, a violent military operation ejected the gangs and pacified the neighborhood. 10 years ago, the government Barbed wires hint at the violent past
built escalators which, like the gondolas elsewhere
in the city, make it quick and easy to reach the higher areas of the neighborhood. Several tours now take tourists around during the day, where several groups of dance troupes will do a break dancing performance for you. You also learn the history of the area and admire the beautiful murals that are painted in bright colors around the neighborhood and are constantly changing. These brighten the area both literally and emotionally. I took Zippy Tours, which is led by locals who actually live in the neighborhood and you pay a donation whatever you like (recommended minimum: US$8)
Comuna 13 is alive with bright artwork and break-dancing youths
A view from Comuna 13
It is important to note that Pablo Escobar, which is the first thing most foreigners think when they hear the word "Medellin", is a very controversial figure that most locals want nothing to do with. While he built homes for some, he killed and tortured others while keeping the city dangerous. You likely won't find much "Pablo" paraphernalia around, though I did find one piece of artwork in Comuna 13. I took a picture because I was surprised to see it, and the vendor gave me a smile and a double thumbs-up, which I found a bit disturbing because it was as if he was trying to appeal to what he thought tourists wanted to see. Most locals do not approve of Pablo Escobar, and one guide wouldn't even say his name for fear that locals who don't speak English would overhear and think she might be saying something nice about him.
The other tour I took was also a free tour, of the city center. We visited several sights of interest, while learning about the area's history. Our tour guide's uncle was kidnapped by drug gangs in the 90's, and when the family paid the ransom, they killed the uncle and came after her father. So they went into hiding in a different city because they could not afford to leave the country. That is just one example of the terror caused by the drug-fueled violence of recent years. But today things are much better and our guide was proud to show us how the city has changed from the better. From the Plaza of Light (formerly a dingy market with homeless and prostitutes) to the exotic-shaped statues of Plaza Botero and the plaza where the remnants of a terrorist bombing are still there for all to see, it was a fascinating tour.
Exotic figures in Plaza Botero
Botero bird sculpture that was bombed in 1995. An identical replacement stands next to it.
A sculpture of the history of Medellin
the Plaza of Light at night
In the southern part of the city, I visited the beautiful "Castle" museum in El Poblado, which was built as a home in the 1930's and is high up in the valley with a beautiful garden and views. From there I walked a couple miles to the adjacent city of Envigado, which I am told is a great place for foreigners live during their visit (no hotels, only Airbnb's). It has its own central square and restaurants to check out.
Medellin Castle and gardens
Medellin has bike lanes everywhere and a bike share program like other cities. What is unique is that the bike share is completely free, but unfortunately this means jumping through some government bureaucracy to get signed up. You need to get a local Civica card with your name printed on it (which is free, and also provides for a lower Metro rate, but is only available at select Metro stations. I went to San Antonio station. And as I learned at the office, you must have a Colombian cell phone number to receive a local Civica card. My US-phone number wouldn't do. Colombian cell phones are 10-digit numbers that begin with a "3", so just make one up - that's what I did!). Once you have the local Civica card, you can sign up on their website and submit a passport-style photo, a copy of your passport, Civica card, and other data. None of this was made particularly clear, which is probably why I was rejected several times before it finally went through. Honestly, I would have rather paid a few dollars (and not had to invent a Colombia cell phone number) rather than spend several days jumping through hoops, but that's what you get with a free service provided by the government!
All in all, Medellin is a wonderful city to spend some time in and I look forward to returning!
Comments