Medellin: Visiting the City of Eternal Spring

The second largest city in Colombia...
The location of Colombia's only metro...
The headquarters of the infamous Pablo Escobar...
And, my selection for a weekend adventure:

Welcome to Medellin!

It all started at about 9:00 PM on a rainy Bogota night and ended upon a sunny 6:00 AM arrival in Medellin. We headed out on the overnight bus and winded through the Colombia mountains to the department of Antioquia, also known as Paisa country. (A rather enjoyable bus ride except for the intense air conditioning and man arguing about not getting off the bus when we filled up with gas).

A few highlights of the trip included:

1. Delicious Delicacies: As food is always a highlight for me, Medellin did not disappoint. We enjoyed Choclos (sweet corn arepas) and Bandeja Paisa (pictured). Who doesn't enjoy a plate full of beans, rice, and three types of meat?!




2. The Art: Yes, the home of Botero didn't disappoint with replicas of his statues dispersed throughout the city. This particular bird actually suffered an attack in 1995.



3. Trainspotting: The only metro system in Colombia is a smooth operating machine...albeit rather packed. It made me feel as if I was right back in Washington, DC.



4. Barefoot and Loving it! Yes, an entire city park (Parque de los Pies Descalzos) created so people could dip their little piggies in the refreshing water. It was a lovely way to pass the afternoon.











5. The Garden of Eden: Well, not quite, but the Jardin Botanico was fabuloso. Not only did they have great flowers, butterflies, and walking paths...we got in on a meditation session and a cheerleading practice. There is something for everyone!



And, of course, I can't forget about the people! From the servers wanting to be as tall as me (though they changed their minds when I explained how hard it would be to find a Colombian boyfriend tall enough...) to the many curious watchers in the city square, people were always interested in meeting someone new.

All and all, it was a great mini-vacation and a welcomed change in climate.

Bogota Day Trippin' #3: Aguas Termales (Choachi)

It is the final day before Christmas break ends so that means - one last day trip!

The location of choice today is Aguas Termales Santa Monica near Choachi. And, we all know what this means - half the fun is getting there!

Here we go:

1. Take the Trans: Yes, we hopped on our favorite mass transit to head downtown to find the bus station.

2. When in Doubt, Just Ask: While downtown is familiar, the bus station address was not. We asked new fewer than 3 groups of police and all very generously assisted (I cannot deny that being a 6 feet tall gringa who speaks Spanish has its benefits.)



3. So Close, Yet So Far: After 30 minutes of wandering, we realized that we should have taken the Trans to the Tercer Milenio stop which is only 2 blocks from the bus station (past the police station)!

4. People on the Bus Go Round Round Round: Perfect timing, we immediately boarded a little white van...along with about 15 other people and started our mountain climb to Choachi.

5. Bolsita - a Distress Cry: Yes, the twists and turns are not for everyone and specifically not for the 10 year old boy who lost his cookies 20 minutes into the trip. The driver-supplied plastic bag didn't arrive in time so our ride was filled with the essence of human mouth excretion (as was the floor.) Oh well, only 30 more minutes to go.


6. Choachi - a true gem: This sleepy little mountain town was in the midst of its annual festival and it was great to see all the people in the street. We quickly hopped on to another bus to take us the final leg of our journey.

7. We Arrived - Shower Caps, Anyone? The promise land finally greeted us with a warm welcome (by a friendly Colombian woman who boldly inquired if I had found my Colombian yet...she probably has a son lurking in the shadows:)...and blue shower caps. That's right, anyone with any hair does not get in these pools without covering the head. We are a sanitary, and rather stylish crew!



8. Hot Water, Hot Tubs, and a Lot of People: Yes, a holiday probably isn't the best day to visit the Aguas...though I think it gave us the full experience. Us and about 500 Colombians enjoyed the approximately 10 pools...ah, what an oddly relaxing day.

Ah, so as I look forward to the office tomorrow, it is with a smile that I remember the many memories of the last few days. For a few dollars and a few bus transfers, it is amazing the unique sights, sounds, and people you can see in and around Bogota!

Bogota Day Trippin' #2: Parque Chicaque

Have public transport, will travel!

At least, I have adopted this statement as my new motto. The combination of Bogota's taxis, Transmileno, Busetas, and Colectivos maybe be perfect but it sure works for me. So, continuing on my extended Christmas vacation, I took the opportunity to find Parque Chicaque. Ironically, I don't think this website was posted prior to my departure...it would have been extremely helpful!

Early on a Saturday morning, I ventured to the south of Bogota to find the town of Soachi, which I understood was the gateway to this amazing cloud forest. As half the fun is getting there, I think you might enjoy my adventures:

1. Take the Transmilenio: I took the Trans to Portal del Sur. From there, I hoped on an Alimentador- ensuring to ask the bus driver to advise when we reached Soachi.

2. Arrival in Soachi: About 5 minutes later, we arrived in Soachi (which has now become engulfed in Bogota and seems another bump on the freeway). Hmmm, the path seemed unclear to me, so I took the next logical course of action....

3. Time for Coffee Talk: I went to the friendliest looking locale, ordered a cafe con leche, and asked directions. 20 minutes, 10 puzzled Colombians, and a handwritten note, I at least knew the direction I wanted to go. I wanted to go toward Meseta.

4. Just Keep on Asking: I generously thanked my new friends and headed out to the freeway to try my luck with the buses. After flagging down about 5, one finally understood where I wanted to go and told me to get on.

5. Time to Transfer: About 15 minutes down the autopista, they dropped me at El Puente which is the intersection right after the gas station Guayasa. I hopped on the little van which seemed to just be awaiting my arrival.

6. Entering the Entrance: Another 15 minutes passed and they let me out in front of an ominous looking gate that said Parque Chicaque. I had arrived! (Of course, I still had about a 3 kilometer hike to the actual park.


7. Nothing Like Hitching a Ride: A continued my journey with a renewed sense of direction as I was engulfed in the freshness of the space. . . and maybe feeling a little overwhelmed by the solitariness of it all. A car finally passed to ask me if they were headed the correct direction...because I am sure that I look local! The kind couple took pity on my and invited me to join them in the car for the journey.

8. We Arrived! Another 15 minutes later and we entered the official gates and were immediately taken over with the fog of the cloud forest...from that point it just kept getting better!


I hiked about 3 hours climbing hills, going down slopes, and finding the waterfall. It was an amazing day surrounded by natural beauty and also engulfed with true Colombian hospitality. People were so friendly and very curious when they discovered I was out and about on an independent adventure. In fact, I meet a great couple on the way out who were not only great walking buddies (yes, we had to walk the entire way out) but also helped find my way back to the Transmilenio. Another excellent day trip around Bogota!

Bogota Day Trippin': Lago Guatavita

The new year means times for new adventures! The first stop: Lago Guatavita .

After some brief cross-referencing of my travel book and the internet the previous night, I felt ready to make my journey to the outskirts of Bogota for this exciting adventure. And, since we all know that half the fun is getting there, here is how the adventure unfolded:
1. Transmilenio: Hoped on this innovative form of transport to Portal Norte.

2. Transfer to City Connector: After a few brief conversations with the transport staff, I navigated to the city bus and continued on my path north...I graciously gave up my seat to a visually impaired man which was rewarded by numerous uncomfortable looks by other passengers who hadn't been so generous. Curious, very curious?


3. Arrival in Guatavita> I arrived in town...an interesting locale that had actually been rebuilt after it was decided to flood the area to create a reservoir. The new town (slightly moved to the side) is a quaint version of what had been.

4. Hitching a Ride:So, the entrance to the mountain hike is about 10 km from town...yeah, we'll need some transport for this trip. I made some instant friends with a family visiting from Florida and Venezuela and we caught a collectivo to the park entrance.

5. Climb Every Mountain Our group started the trek up the mountain to view the lake...enjoying our guide sharing the indigenous history of the area (and the reenactments by the little boy in the group.)

Of course, once we reached the top, the trek back was much easier...because our vehicles were waiting:) We made our way back into town and after a quick trip to the lake, it was back to Bogota. All in all, a great way to kick off my resolution of more day trips in 2009!