We decided to fly from Cartagena to Medellin to avoid the 14 hour bus ride and take a 1 hour flight instead. Viva Columbia is a budget airline, and the price was almost equivalent. Until you begin to add in the cost for baggage, etc. It was still pretty close, and a whole lot more comfortable.
As we approached Medellin, there were quite a few farms and homes. It looks more prosperous than most other areas we’ve been, so they’re doing something right.
There was an hour long taxi ride to the AirBnB, and our host was waiting for us. It was a bit overcast, and definitely cooler than the coast. The city is surrounded by mountains.
View from the apartment. Poor people moving to town keep going up the sides of the mountains.
Our hosts suggested that previous guests had really liked the “free walking tour.” It takes four hours, but we signed up anyhow. The next day we took the metro, a huge point of pride in Medellin – they don’t litter or paint graffiti on it, down to meet up with the tour group. We ended up with about 15 in our group. We were the only people from the U.S. Others were from France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland, Chile, Slovakia, and England. Our guide, Milo, was great, explaining political and cultural background to Medellin and Columbia.
We did have to adjust the itinerary as the right-wing groups were holding a nationwide protest against the government negotiations with FARC, lack of jobs, and general other unrest.
Police on horses
The crowd in the Plaza del Luces
The march
Speakers and really loud music
Medellin is quite pleased with itself. 20 years ago, Pablo Escobar and his buddies made this place the murder capital of the world. 10 years ago, there were about 5,000 annual tourists to Colombia. Last year there were 3 million. They decided to build the metro and they did. It is a real story of inspiration.
One of the highlights of the tour was the Botero Plaza. Ferdinand Botero is probably the greatest living artist of South America. He is known as the artist who does “fat people,” although he prefers to call it disproportion. You’ll see that some things are fat and others are not. We found the sculptures witty and sometimes sardonic. People just hang out in the area. Where people touch the works, the sculptures get shinier, so there is a visual record of what is being touched.
At the end of the tour, we went to another plaza, this one a bit sketchier. Several years ago, someone set off a bomb here during a concert. Over 20 people were killed, including a small child. The mayor wanted to get rid of the Botero sculpture that had been maimed. Botero called him and said “no.” He made a new one that is placed next to the one that had been blown up. It is a great reminder.
We found many Colombians who think Medellin is the greatest city in the country. We weren’t as impressed, but we are tourists. The people who live here remember what it was like. And they are deservedly proud of the progress that has been made.
The change that has been brought about is amazing. Thanks for the info & photos.