Medellin is a huge city. We generally try to stay away from big cities because driving Lola in tight cities is always a struggle, but cities are also the place where we can observe how modern culture and conveniences are incorporated by the country. Medellin is just as hip as NYC, busy as Boston, and culturally infused as Portland (my list of American cities is a bit limited, sorry!). We spent a day touring several churches, a huge cemetery, and wandering the streets looking for the best fried empanadas.
During our stay in this mid-sized city we learned that Medellin is also a popular place for medical tourism. Private medical services in Colombia are a fraction of the cost they are in the states (even after your insurance kicks in), think $30 for a doctor’s visit. This made me think hard about whether we needed to get our teeth cleaned ($40-$60), buy glasses ($100), or look for any prescriptions (less than $10). Good medical services, an interesting food scene, access to electronics, low cost of living, and comfortable climate also contribute to a large expat community. Not surprisingly Medellin has a big expat community. We found some great blogs with recommendations and cultural survival tips. You may remember that when we began our travels we first landed in Lago Atitlan, Guatemala. We went there due to their highly rated Spanish schools. While studying Spanish for a month, we also learned their expat community is quite strong. I didn’t get the best impression of the expats there.
These Guatemalan expats seemed to be obsessed with how expensive the States were and with the rising prices in Guatemala, because of the influx of tourists. They just seemed like haters. Fast forward 1.5 years, after traveling outside the States for most of that time, I can see their point of view. Things in the States are a bit warped: 1) low quality and expensive food, 2) expensive medical care, 3) skyrocketing costs of city living, 4) weak public transit systems, 5) the focus on consumerism everywhere you go, 6) the need to have everything on your own terms (ie. your gated community has a communal playground with play structures but you prefer to have your kids in your backyard playing on the slide you purchased).
On the flip side, there are many conveniences the States have to offer. Roads are WONDERFUL, supermarkets have all the basics and MUCH more, and you can always find a clean (paid) campsite to spend the night. After going without these conveniences for so long, I must say that I, now, appreciate them and look forward to visiting a city with a strong expat community. Sometimes you just want to speak to a doctor in English, shop for a high quality pair of socks, get a thick juicy hamburger, or get an IPA. Not always, but just sometimes, you just do. Navigating the crowded streets, stopping to eat at a hip restaurant, and taking in the sights also added to my appreciation of city conveniences and luxuries.
In Medellin I also declared my love for Botero. I secretly wanted to jump on some of his sculptures, but was a bit afraid of the police saying something…(although their attention seemed to be devoted to monitoring the colorful skin-tight clothed ladies on the corners).
We also managed to get a bit of nature in at the botanical gardens and the “Orquideario.” This attraction has to be put in quotes. Check out our video for why.
After a full day of walking around the city we hopped onto the Metro Cable. This was the highlight of the day! Since our campsite was at the top of the hillsides that surrounded the city, it was convenient to take the cable car lines back. We took the line that goes up to Parque Arvi. After climbing aboard the modern ski-type gondolas, we were suddenly whisked up the hillsides. Peeking into people’s balconies and roofs, as we climbed. Eventually being pulling away from the busy city and into the park.
I was transported backto La Paz, Bolivia and the awesome Telerifico rides we had there. The big difference in Medellin, is knowing that only 10-20 years ago these comunas, or neighborhoods, were some of the most dangerous and impoverished places to live. Places where even the police didn’t go. Today there are murals reminding us of the horrific violence that took place here.
On one of these rooftops, in 1993, Pablo Escobar was shot down by a police sniper, from a helicopter. It’s somewhat ironic as Medellin was the city he grew up in and it’s where he developed the Medellin Cartel. You would think that the people who were under his control, the same people who elected him into the Colombian House of Representatives (Chamber of Representatives) in 1982, would find a way to keep him safe in his city. It wouldn’t be surprising if he were killed on a dirt road while perhaps traveling to another cartel bunker. Escobar rose to power here and exerted so much control and fear over this city (by “sharing” his wealth from the cocaine trafficking to support continued cartel power) that it is a fitting place for his end.
Lots of rainy days in Medellin afforded us some down time in the van for re-organizing, blog posts, and getting to know some other Overlanders.
Geographically speaking, Colombia is an interesting country. It smacks you with surprises. After our sprint north and our awesome visit to Cartagena and the northern coast with Todd’s parents, I thought I had the geography figured out. Lots of hot dry lowlands and coastline and mountainous terrain running through the middle. Well, it turns out that mountainous terrain isn’t so straight forward. Since we’re so close to the equator, as soon as we drop in elevation the temperatures soar. To keep sane and cool, we tried to stop for the night in places that are above 1,500 meters. This lead us to our next blog post, coffee country. Stay Tuned!
We explored Medellin and camped on the hills above the city from March 17th thru March 26th, 2018.
I really wanted to visit Medellin while we were there, but your post lets me see at least a bit of it. The building with nooks for ashes in the cemetery is called a columbarium, after the dovecotes. The genus name, and Latin name for doves and pigeons is Columba. (Yes, the European who stumbled upon the western hemisphere was named after a pigeon!) The Rose City Cemetery, just up the street from Ian and Esther’s has a columbarium. Todd’s Grandma and Grandpa Mellinger’s ashes are in a columbarium. They are common in the states.
Yes, there are so many places to see.
It’s so interesting to learn how cultures deal with death and how they bring their ancestors to the next life.