The Colorful Pueblo of Guatapé

We had been "city dwellers" for three weeks when we met up with new friends, Margaret and Dan, who were vacationing in Colombia. While Medellín has many beautiful sights, I was feeling the need to exchange the busyness of the city for some calmness of the Colombian countryside. A day trip to the colorful pueblo (small town) of Guatapé was just what I needed. And for those of you who are enduring another winter storm, I hope that this "shot of color" will help you remember all the beauty that lies underneath yet another foot of snow.

Guatapé is a popular tourist destination located two hours from Medellín. It sits beside a vast, man-made reservoir that provides access to many outdoor activities. In order to get there, one has to drive up and over the mountains that surround Medellín on a very scenic but narrow and twisty road. Best to leave the driving to the expert Paisas, so we took one of the many tour buses for a full day of Colombian countryside beauty. Our tour through Tours Guatapé, proved to be quite a bargain. The $25 usd cost included transportation in a comfortable bus, a "tipico" Colombian breakfast and lunch, and interesting stories by our guide, Jesus. With a name like that, we were assured of a ¨heavenly" day!

Quaint roadside cafés line the road to Guatapé, and we enjoyed spectacular views as well as tasty food during our first stop for desayuno (breakfast). It was no surprise that arepas con queso and hot chocolate were on the menu. Colombians LOVE their arepas! And Doug and I have to agree that these were some of the best that we have tasted during our time here. Continuing on, we enjoyed views of lush green landscape as our driver expertly maneuvered the bus on the narrow, twisty road alongside trucks, cars, motorcycles, and bicycle racers in training that shared the road. Our next stop was the cute pueblo of Marinilla. 

Photo credit: Margaret Elvekrog

Our guide, Jesus lead us around the town and told of how the citizens of Marinilla were instrumental in aiding Simón Bolívar in Colombia's fight for independence. As we walked around, we enjoyed a town square alive with activity. Want a large cup of freshly squeezed juice? It will cost you 1000 pesos (about 33 cents)!

Continuing on our journey, we began to see bodies of water that are a result of the large hydroelectric dam that was erected in the area in the 1970s. As we passed through the city of El Peñol, Jesus filled us in on the history of this pueblo. In 1978, the construction of the dam and resulting reservoir flooded the low lying lands of El Peñol and forced the people to relocate their homes, businesses, and community. Today, the statue of the Phoenix in the city square of El Peñol reminds all of how this new town has "risen from the water" and rebuilt itself in even greater splendor.

As our journey continued, we turned the corner to see the magnificence of La Piedra del Peñol. This granite rock is the third largest in the world and the largest one that (almost) anyone can climb up. How, you ask??

Why, take the stairs, of course!

For a $6 usd admission fee, we ascended up the 700+ stairs to enjoy amazing views ... and a refreshing Michelob beer "Colombian style"... with mango, lime and salt when we reached at the top.

  
We were quite hungry after that Herculean feat, so Jesus called out, "Vámonos ... let's go!¨ We were treated to almuerzo tipico (typical lunch) complete with traditional Colombian music at a cute outdoor café just down the road in Guatapé.

After our lunch of chicken or fish, rice, beans, avocado and platano, Jesus lead us on a walking tour of this cute pueblo. Guatapé has prospered through the years due to the jobs generated by the nearby hydroelectric dam. But with its close proximity to the waters of the giant reservoir, Guatapé has also developed into a popular tourist destination.

With encouragement from the government, the citizens of Guatapé have preserved the beautiful architecture of the past. At the same time they have promoted tourism with the development of numerous shops, hotels, restaurants, and just plain ¨cuteness¨ that line their streets.

Photo credit: Margaret Elvekrog

Colorful works of art known as zócalos (or facades) decorate the lower walls of the houses and businesses in town. A zócalo may tell the history of the building or town or display the interests of the home or business owner. To us, it was a colorful treat for our senses!

After an hour long walk around the town, I realized that there was so much more beauty to take in then we could possibly do in one afternoon. It is easy to see why Guatapé has developed into such a popular tourist destination! For me, it was the perfect place to slow down for a day and enjoy the colorful yet serene beauty that is typical of the pueblos of Colombia.

Until next time ... Color Your World With Beauty ... and enjoy the adventures in your life!

Walking Tour of Medellin

I've heard it time and again ... take a guided walking tour as soon as you arrive in a new city in order to get a better idea of the history, culture, and sights that await you. I guess we are slow learners, as it took us four weeks to figure out that this is true for Medellin also. Now, admittedly, we have been busy with Spanish lessons and just getting settled into the routine of life in a new country. But we are glad that a visit with our new friends, Margaret and Dan, prompted us to expand our knowledge of Medellin as we took the Real City Walking Tour with them. We gained a new respect for all the struggles the people of Medellin (the Paises) have gone through and admire how they are rebuilding Medellin to be a city of happiness and hope!

Real City Walking Tours is a free tour, however, we needed to register online a day in advance in order to keep the group at a manageable size. We took Medellin's beloved Metro train north during the morning rush hour to the Alpujarra Station where our English speaking guide, Juan met us. With no charge for the tour, Juan's "salary" is dependent on the tips that he receives. These tips were pretty much guaranteed by his enthusiastic personality and stories that engaged us right from the start. Juan is proud of his Paisa heritage and his hometown of Medellin. For the next three and a half hours, he would hold us spell-bound with his stories as he safely guided our group through the crowds of a busy "El Centro" Medellin.

To understand how the city got to where it is today, Juan filled us in on the struggles and conflicts that the people had to face and overcome over the years. Medellin's beginnings are tied closely to the indigenous people who made the Aburra Valley their home for thousands of years. In the early 1600s, the conquistadors arrived looking for gold. Because they did not find any, the Aburra Valley remained a tiny village for 300 years. In the early 1900s, the village started to grow as the railroad made its way into town and began to transport the coffee and other agricultural products that grew abundantly on the hillsides as a result of the nearly perfect climate of Medellin.

Starting in the 1950s  and continuing through the 1970s, an increased demand for tobacco, alcohol, and the "white powder" that was also grown in the area brought new problems to Medellin. People around the world have heard of the tragedy of 1983-1993 when the "infamous criminal who shall remain unnamed" held Medellin hostage as he operated one of the largest drug cartels in the world. Anyone in Medellin who is 30 years or older remembers the shootings, kidnappings, and violence that made Medellin the most dangerous city in the world. But as Juan pointed out, and as we have seen during our first month in Medellin ...

Following the death of the "one who shall remain unnamed" in 1993, Medellin slowly but steadily emerged from the conflicts as Paises worked together to transform their city into a safe and successful metropolitan area that now welcomes over six million visitors a year. Some of the images of the transformation that we enjoyed during our tour included:

... peaceful fountains in front
of democratic government buildings

... bustling shopping centers
in the midst of beautifully
preserved historical buildings

... Parque de la Luces welcoming
visitors to a brighter, cleaner El Centro

... and the ultimate transformation,
Plaza Botero featuring 23 "larger than life"
sculptures donated by the beloved
Colombian artist, Fernando Botero.

Medellin's downtown "El Centro" area is bursting with color and activity. I do have to admit that I was a bit nervous to walk among the masses of people, especially when Juan advised us to stay close together and hang on tight to our belongings. Had it been just a few of us, we would have blended right in. But our large group of about 25 "gringo tourists"  made us stand out even in this crowd. And as Juan informed us, many of the local people have rarely seen foreigners, so we were a curious sight to see.

As is typical throughout the city, small food stands line the sidewalks offering everything from fruit to empanadas to "authentic" Colombian clothing ... I think Doug needs a sombrero like the one that gentleman is selling! There are also a fair share of people asking for money in return for a piece of candy. It is hard for me to see so many of these beggars. I wish I could give something to each of them, especially to the ones with small children. But today a "Dios te bendiga" (God bless you) greeting was all I could offer them, as I kept my eyes on our group leader.

Our tour ended in Parque San Antonio, a large and fairly empty area that at one time hosted many concerts and gatherings. In one area of this park, there are a few more of Botero's sculptures. As Juan pointed out, a closer look at the sculptures tells the story of Medellin's violent past and its hope for a brighter future.

In 1995, a bomb was placed in this Botero bird sculpture during a crowded concert in the square. The subsequent explosion that killed 23 and wounded hundreds was linked to one of the drug cartels active at the time. When the city tried to remove the damaged sculpture, Fernando Botero himself insisted that it remain as homage to the lives lost and as a reminder of the hard times that Medellin had been through. He created an identical sculpture that sits beside the damaged one as a sign of hope for a brighter future for Medellin and its proud Paisa population.

Proud Paisas are continuing to work to improve their city and their lives. Like this real life "Juan Valdez" who served up a wonderful cup of Colombian coffee along with a smile after our tour, the Paises of Medellin are working to bring happiness and hope back to their city.

Until next time ... walk on the happy side of life ... and enjoy the adventures in your life!

We enjoyed a reminder of our beloved
(and slightly overweight also)
Koko the cat that is displayed in Plaza Botero!

Becoming Tourists in Medellin: Riding the Metro

A friend of a friend is visiting Medellin this week. We not only had the pleasure of meeting Margaret and Dan, but we also were able to become "tourists" with them for a few days as we showed them some of the Medellin sights.

We met up at a cute outdoor cafe, and over a cup of cappuccino we discussed what they wanted to see and do during their three days in Medellin. From what they had researched and with a few suggestions from us, we formed a plan to make the most of their time in Medellin. Because of our Spanish class schedule, we really haven't done much touring outside of our neighborhood since our arrival in Medellin four weeks ago. I was happy that we were able to expand our horizons and become tourists along with them for a few days!

First order of business was to introduce them to Medellin's crown jewel, the Metro. Built by the city of Medellin in 1995, the Metro serves to connect the city from north to south along the Medellin River with extensions into the eastern and western hillsides of the Aburra Valley. Because of the positive economic, social and cultural impact of the Metro, the local citizens or "paisas" are very proud of their Metro system. It is an inexpensive, quick, and safe way to travel around the city any time of day or night. But we also found out that the tickets lines can be long and somewhat confusing to first time riders, so we helped our new friends buy their first pass. A four ride pass costs about 10,000 Colombian pesos ($3.30 usd), so each ride is a bargain at about 80 cents. But four rides is the maximum that you can get on a card at a time, so for frequent riders, obtaining a rechargeable Civica Card is a better option.

When we got to Medellin, we knew that we would be using the Metro quite often. The rechargeable Civica Metro card allows us to put more money on our card, and each trip is only about 65 cents (usd) versus 80 cents. We were surprised, however, by how big of a process it was to initially obtain the card. We had to find one of the only four Civica offices that distribute the cards along the Metro route. When we got to the Itigui station office, there was line of about 25 people waiting ... and that line inched forward sloooowly. When we finally made it into the office an hour later, we found out the reason for the wait. They needed our IDs (drivers license or passport), entered a lot of information into their computer data base, presented us with a long list of rules and regulations (in Spanish ... we just agreed), obtained a finger-print of each of us, and finally gave us our Civica card which we had to take to another line in order to get some money put on it.

But this past Sunday, we all quickly had tickets in hand, so we decided to cross one "must see" off Margaret and Dan's list ... Arvi Parque. Located on top of the mountains overlooking eastern Medellin, this city park is accessible by riding the Metro train to Acevedo station and transferring to the Metrocable car (think "gondola") that transports us about 1000 feet up the mountainside.

Riding in the cable cars brought back fond memories of taking gondolas up snow-covered mountains during our skiing days of past. Only this time, we are floating over small houses in need of repair ... but at the same time, we are floating over neighborhoods that are bursting with new hope. This new hope is a result of the much revered "Metrocable". The three Metro stations along the mountainside give the people living high on the hills above downtown Medellin new access to education, jobs ... and a brighter future.

At the San Domingo Station, we paid an additional fair of about $2 usd to transfer onto the final cable cars that took us over lush forests to the popular recreational area on the top of the mountains known as Arvi Parque. This nature preserve is popular for hiking, biking, and water sports. And judging from the large groups of picnickers, it is also a beloved place to escape the chaos of the big city and enjoy "family time".

Near the Metrocable exit is an outdoor food and craft market and some exhibits explaining the archaeological and natural history of the area. There are free buses taking the visitors to other parts of the park, but of course, we found that out after we paid a driver who had the talent of spotting confused groups of "gringos" like us. He drove us to what we thought was the beautiful lake preserve. Nope ... wrong direction ... need better Spanish skills! Thanks to the magic of "google maps" we were able to find a beautifully shaded trail and make our way back to our starting point through a lush forest of bamboos, pines, and flowering trees.

Back at where we began, we managed to hop on one of the free buses that took us to Piedras Blancas Hotel y Restaurante where we enjoyed lunch on their deck overlooking the park. (Here is the link to more information on Piedras Blancas from one of our new favorite bloggers, The Medellin Guru.) Margaret and Dan got to try the typical food dish of the area, the Bandeja Paisa. This large plate consists of beef, sausage, pork rinds, rice, beans, egg, plantains, arepa, and some avocado just to make you feel like you are eating "healthy". 

(Google photo)

The hard-working "Paisas" (what the people of this region call themselves) no doubt needed that amount of food and calories to get them through the day, but we knew that we would need to do a little more hiking in order to work it off. So, we ventured down to the lake reservoir.

Here is some of the beauty that we saw ... for those of you who need a "taste" of Spring.

As we rode the Metrocable back down at the end of the day, we shared a cable car with a young family who had enjoyed as we did, the chance to get away from the city and relax in the beauty of Medellin's countryside. Because the Metro serves as such an important link connecting so many parts of this large city, it is is no wonder that the Metro system is the "shining star" of Medellin.

The Metro serves as the beacon of hope that connects people in all parts of the city with the chance to work, learn, and live the "paisa" life to the fullest.

Until next time ... savor all the beautiful views along the way ... and enjoy the adventures in your life!

Coming up ... more "tourist" adventures with our new friends as we explore downtown Medellin and the colorful countryside town of Guatape.