Medellin

 

Our first stop in Colombia was to the city of Medellin. This immediately reminded us of a greener, more gentle-sloping La Paz, though a lack of sun made it difficult for us to really appreciate the mountains surrounding this valley city. The requisite city tour gave us insight into the city’s history, including both the Escobar era and more ancient history. The guide also encouraged us to look towards the future and the positive nature of the country’s people, as they are more than just one bad epoch.

Additional highlights were taking the cable car up the hill for a view of the city and attending a football (soccer) game in the stadium. The two biggest club teams-Medellin and Bogota- were playing so the turn-out was enormous and full of songs and energy. This was Sunny’s first time at such a sporting event so a true South American experience.

Our las stop was a day trip to Guatape, a small town that became a tourist destination after a hydroelectric dam created a reservoir giving this place its distinctive environment. A popular weekend trip for people in Medellin, it has a lot of water sports and tourist restaurants to enjoy. We checked out the giant granite rock on the edge of town, then strolled through the brightly painted streets, full of motifs and pictures. Even the tuk tuks were painted! It was a beautiful place to while away a few hours before heading back to the big city.