RVentures with Doug and Chris: We are Returning to Colombia ... And Why You Should Join Us

The freezing temps a few weeks ago had us thinking about Spring ... that is, about the ''City of Eternal Spring'', Medellín. This coming January, we will put Baby Beest into storage and once again, board a plane to Colombia, South America. Our plan at this time is to spend two months in Colombia's second largest city and use the rest of the time exploring a couple of smaller pueblos in the Zona Cafetera (Colombia's coffee country). We were blessed to get to know some amazing ''paisas'' when we visited last year, and we are excited to see them again!

We have rented a two-bedroom apartment in our favorite part of town, El Poblado. I had originally wanted to find something a little further away from the ''touristy'' part of town, but we decided that we liked being close to the shops, restaurants, and people that we got to know last year. The description of our apartment mentions ''penthouse'', so we are hoping for great views of the city.

Since we will be renting an apartment with two bedrooms, there will be room for guests ... and we are hoping that some of our adventurous family and friends will join us.

Imagine starting your vacation morning
with a cup of Colombia's best coffee!
I will have to work on perfecting the ''heart'' design ...
or just take you to a cute café down the street.

Is Medellín on your travel bucket-list? Let us tell you why it should be!

The Perfect Climate

With a year-round average high temp of 82 degrees and average low temp of 62 degrees, every day is a beautiful day in Medellín. Flowers are in constant bloom amidst the greenery of the bushes and trees. Being close to the equator, there is twelve hours of daylight all year long ... maybe not so great during our summer, but it sure beats the nine hours that North America gets during the winter. Because it is considered a tropical rain-forest climate, there can be brief showers that pop up (usually in the afternoon), so it's a good idea to always have an umbrella.

Be Smart and You Should Be Safe

Colombia was once considered one of the most dangerous countries to travel to. In recent years, it has undergone a positive transformation. That being said, Colombia receives a mixed rating as far as safety goes. There are areas that are still considered high risk, but be smart, and you should be safe. It is a good idea to ''blend in'' with the natives, thus we try to dress like the locals. So leave your flip-flops and shorts at home. Despite the warm temps, everyone wears long pants and tennis shoes everyday. They also all carry back packs in order to keep their belongings secure. There is a local saying ''no dar papaya¨ which means: don't put yourself in a situation in which you can become vulnerable to being taken advantage of.

Relatively Inexpensive

At $30/night, our Airbnb apartment (being in one of the nicest parts of town) is considered expensive for Medellín, but it is comparable to what we would be paying per night for a campsite in the US. We found out quickly that while imported goods can be expensive, the local food prepared in the restaurants and cafes is very reasonably priced. Our Friday ''date night'' dessert of carrot cake, cheese cake and two of Colombia's best cups of coffee set Doug back a whopping $6.18 including tax and tip. If you are flexible with your dates and not too fussy about the airline, you can find a round-trip flight for $300 to $400. Spirit Airlines has worked well for us in the past.

Easy to Get Around

To get almost anywhere in Medellín, hop on the convenient and inexpensive Metro train or Metrocable cars. On every visitor's ''must do'' list ... A Metrocable excursion up the mountainside to Arvi Parque for magnificent views of the city below. Buses, cabs, and Uber are also inexpensive and safe travel alternatives. But let's face it ... with Medellín's perfect weather, it is a pleasure to just walk to nearby shopping, restaurants, and attractions. And speaking of attractions ...

There is Lots to See and Do

Start with the free city tour and learn the story of Medellín's troubled past and hopeful future.

Do some souvenir shopping at any of the many malls, farmer's markets, or sidewalk merchants that line every street.

Tour a castle, enjoy some beautiful gardens and views, and test out your Spanish skills ... I challenge you to try to follow along with the fast-speaking guides.

Board a bus for Guatapé to tour the colorful pueblo and climb Piedra del Peñol for magnificent views of the surrounding reservoir. Day trips like this will set you back about $25 for the bus ride, two meals, and a knowledgeable guide ... who may or may not speak a lot of English. Time to polish up that rusty high school Spanish!

Take a guided Comuna 13 tour. The positive transformation of this neighborhood is shown in the graffiti art on the walls and in the smiles of the guides who are so proud to show off their community.

Once again, you may need to know a little Spanish, so how about just admitting that you have forgotten all of your high school Spanish and take Spanish classes? We attended Toucan Spanish School and were very impressed with their week-long classes as well as their amazing coffee.

If you aren't ready to spend a week of your vacation at ''school'', practice your Spanish at one of the many language exchanges that occur most evenings in cafes around the city. We met so many wonderful young people wanting to practice their English skills. They are always happy to hear a Minnesota accent (you betcha), so I sometimes got through the whole evening without having to admit how poor my conversational Spanish is.

Learn to shop for and cook a traditional Colombian meal. While the popular deep-fried patacones and empanadas were not our favorite, we did enjoy learning to make arepas (the typical Colombian corn bread) to go along with the Sancocho (chicken stew) at a local cooking class. Just be prepared, Colombian food is quite bland, so BYOS (bring your own spices).

On Sunday morning you can join the hundreds of walkers, joggers, and cyclists as they take over the streets for a morning of exercise and family/friend time. Ciclovia is one of many government initiatives to promote health and community.