11 – 14th May 2022
The sun shone, on my first day in Medellin, which automatically predisposed me to liking the city. Unlike a significant proportion of tourists to Medellin (in my totally unscientific estimate, based on chats with other tourists), I hadn’t watched ‘Narcos’, and I wasn’t in the city because of Pablo Escobar and his exploits. Medellin was on my radar because it is on what is affectionately called, ‘the gringo route’ in Colombia. Essentially, most foreign tourists tend to do some combination of Bogota – Medellin – ‘Coffee Region’ (Salento) – Cali and Cartagena. I had read about, and seen pictures, of a beautiful little town a couple of hours away from Medellin – Guatape, and that was the reason for including Medellin in my itinerary.
Getting to Medellin
I had arrived in Medellin later than expected the previous evening. Prior to the Salento to Medellin journey, I had only taken overnight buses. They are a good way of cutting costs while travelling, as they save you paying for a hotel room for that night (believe me, this adds up). Also for me, personally, I am less likely to get migraines or motion sickness on them – by avoiding the heat/sunshine in the day, and sleeping through the journey. However it is not a particularly restful sleep. Often I would arrive at a new city in the early hours of the morning, feeling tired and a bit grotty, but needing to pass time until check in (typically 2 or 3pm).
I’d looked on the source of all knowledge, the Internet, which had confidently informed me that the best way to get to Medellin from Salento was by going to Armenia and getting a 6-hr bus. A night bus would’ve gotten me to Medellin at 3am and I didn’t think that was sensible. The receptionist at my hotel informed me there was a direct bus from Salento to Medellin, run by Flota Occidental (I’m still shocked that the internet did not seem to know this). It was a very comfortable coach, with air-conditioning and personal TV screens, and a great selection of movies and TV shows. I was quite impressed. Especially as it cost the same as the bus from Armenia. With the 6-hour journey time in my head, I booked the 9.30am bus, thinking I’d get to Medellin in the afternoon and have plenty of time to do some exploring that evening.
I had failed to take into account day-time traffic…and road works. It took us 10 hours to get to Medellin, at which point I was ready to tear my hair out. It seemed as if everyone had decided to travel on the same day, the traffic was that horrendous. However I was thankful that my anti sickness medications and travel bands worked, and I didn’t feel ill on the bus. And on the plus side, travelling during the day meant I was able to enjoy some of the lovely views along the way.
Where NOT to stay in Medellin
I had booked a hostel in the La Candelaria (El Centro/Downtown) area of Medellin. I probably shouldn’t say this, as my mum is likely to become concerned about some of my decision making on this trip, but it was a sketchy neighbourhood. The kind that locals don’t really want to go to at night, and if they do, they take a taxi there and back. I opted for this because I had searched too late to find a decently priced one in the recommended neighbourhoods – Laureles or El Poblado. (Unfortunately, one of the consequences of last minute booking, because of my flexible itinerary). I decided I would much rather stay in a nice, clean, new hostel in a slightly sketchy neighbourhood, than the terrible options being offered in the nicer neighbourhoods (Please make the opposite decision if you are intending to stay longer than a few days. I knew I’d be fine for 3 days). And to reassure my mum, the hostel was in a nice part of the sketchy neighbourhood!
Free Walking Tour – always the best way to get to know a City
My plan for Day 1 was to go on a Free Walking Tour. I chose to go with ‘Beyond Colombia’ because I had been impressed with their tours in Bogota, and they did not disappoint. Daniel, our tour guide, was fantastic. We met at Plaza Botero, and spent a few minutes enjoying some of the 23 Botero sculptures located at the plaza. The sculptures are a small part of the 113 pieces of art Fernando Botero donated to the Museum de Antioquia, which is also located at this plaza. I enjoyed the sculptures so much, I went back after the tour and spent time wandering among them. I love the exaggerated proportions of his pieces, and remain impressed that he bucked the trend of eurocentric art at the time he started painting and sculpting, and has continued that trend since.
You really get a feel for the gritty, chaotic city in Plaza Botero. Hordes of commuters walking to or from Parque Berrio station, hawkers selling their wares – keyrings, fridge magnets, mini- Botero statues, and sadly some vagrants begging on the streets. Most surprising to me were the very scantily-clad prostitutes hanging around the plaza. In. Broad. Daylight. Often posing next to the Botero statues, as if in direct competition with the voluminous figures. I stood too long next to one of the statues later that afternoon, and got propositioned by some guy in his 50’s. I did have to take a quick look at myself, and check I hadn’t somehow changed attire into a skimpy outfit!
We wandered around La Candelaria, and heard the interesting tale of its rise and fall. It had been the economic centre of the city. The wealthy lived there for the most part of the last century, and the first skyscrapers and malls in the city were built there. However during Escobar’s heyday, the well-to-do fled the violence in El Centro, to nearby Poblado. And in the decades since, with reduced investment into the area and ongoing crime rates, it has been left to the ‘forgotten’, the less fortunate and often immigrant populace.
However there are still some gems in La Candelaria, like Parque Bolivar with its tree-lined corridors, sculptures and fountains. Parque Bolivar also boasts the Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellin on its north side, apparently one of the largest red brick (clay baked) structures in the world.
Botero also book-ended our tour, the last stop was San Antonio Plaza. In 1995, it was the site of a bombing by FARC, a leftist guerrila group, in which 30 people were killed and over 200 injured. They bombed a sculpture of a bird that had been donated by Botero. They claimed it was a message to Botero’s son, who was the then Defence Minister, for failing to engage in peace negotiations with them. Botero donated an identical second sculpture in 2000 and asked that the sculpture that was destroyed remain in situ. They sit side by side, in memoriam. It was a sombre reminder of the reality of the violence that marred this city for decades.
How Medellin Triumphed over Drugs, Violence and Cartels
Medellin does not shy from its violent past, but also doesn’t seek to glorify it. Instead, the Paisas are proud of how their city has been transformed from the most violent city to a thriving, tourist destination. In 1991, the murder rate was 381 murders per 100,000 people, close to 40 times greater than the UN’s definition of endemic violence, at 10 per 100,000 people. 1 This was directly related to Escobar and his cartel. Having now watched Narcos and read a bit more about Escobar, I’m surprised there are any people that feel positively about him and his reign of terror on the city and country; although I acknowledge that for a period of time, he had helped the poor by building amenities such as houses, hospitals etc.
The key to Medellin’s transformation lies in social urbanism and active civic engagement, which continues to this day. Each communa (zone) has a direct say in how funds are spent in their community. They, and the city, have focused on education, improving standards of housing, and access to transportation, creating beautiful public spaces, libraries, to name a few. Daniel painted a picture for us, of how certain parts of La Candelaria were no-go areas in those days. He spoke of corners where youth, pre-teens even, would be hanging around buying or selling or using drugs which have now been transformed to public parks, which are safe, and are widely used by residents and visitors alike. It really is an inspiring story.
The tour lasted 3 hours, and I explored the city for a further couple of hours but returned to the hostel when it began raining. I hung out a little with Andrew, a lovely American I met who is living a little of that dream life – travelling and working, with no fixed abode. However he was honest about some of the challenges of this life, particularly for those who are freelance. There is a level of financial uncertainty that I’m not sure I could cope with, but I was also seriously envious of the number of cities and countries he had actually lived, and worked, in.
I had an early night, as the next day I was going to Guatape. (I think Guatape deserves its own blog post, so look out for it next week).
A Trip to Comuna Trece
On my last day in Medellin, I took a trip to Comuna 13. I’d intended to book a tour but it was an afternoon tour, which would have put me at risk of missing my flight, so I decided to go at it alone. I was a little concerned about how I would navigate the public transport system, with my basic Spanish, but it was actually fairly easy. It started with a 15-minute walk from my hostel to San Antonio Station. The station is huge, and it took a while to find a ticket office but there is a direct metro to San Javier Station. The metro and stations were clean, and there were some beautiful views on the way. Just outside San Javier station are tour guides offering comuna 13 tours but they all seemed to be only in Spanish.
For those who don’t know (I didn’t before this trip), comuna 13 is infamous because it was one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in Medellin. And as Medellin was the most dangerous city in the world, comuna ’trece’ was de facto the most dangerous neighbourhood in the world. At various points, it has been controlled by the cartels, guerrillas and other paramilitary groups because of its strategic location for entry and exit into the city, which led to it having the highest murder rates. The government’s attempt to defeat the groups in 2002 led to a 4-day siege in which many civilians were hurt, killed or disappeared. The siege ended after the community banded together, raising white flags, and calling for peace.
The government has actively worked to regenerate the area, through many social and infrastructure projects. Improving the living conditions for the residents by, for example, rebuilding some of the housing stock. Or improving their quality of life by building a set of outdoor escalators, escaleras electricas, up the steep hill. Thus the formerly arduous 25-30 minute uphill climb (equivalent to climbing 28 storeys) that residents had had to navigate numerous times a day, is now completed in a matter of minutes. But more importantly, the community worked together, transforming the streets with music, art, graffiti that depicts some of the past violence that the barrio has experienced, but also serves as a canvas for political and creative expression and most importantly, hope.
I felt safe on the 25-minute walk from San Javier station to the epicentre of the neighbourhood, the outdoor escalators. Around the escalators are a number of small cafes, bars, restaurants and shops, sandwiched between colourful brick and cement homes with corrugated roofs.
There was a street party vibe to the place, on that bright and sunny Saturday morning. There were competing sounds as music blared from stereos – reggaeton, salsa, afro beats; groups of dancers, picked their spots and entertained passersby to shows, and vendors sold an array of mouth-watering foods and drinks. I had the most delicious and refreshing cherry michelada at Lemon Tree bar, stopping for half an hour to escape the heat, while people watching. The panoramic views atop the hill were also spectacular. However, time constraints drove me back to my hostel sooner than I would have liked; I had a plane to catch.
I am not sure that I did Medellin justice. Two days isn’t enough time to fully explore any city, much less this complex city. I would have loved to visit other places such as Parque Arvi, a 40-acre ecological nature reserve in northeast Medellin or explore other comunas like El Poblado or Laureles…then again, that’s a reason to go back.
Bandeja Paisa – you must eat this dish in Medellin!
I have to mention my favourite meal in Medellin, Bandeja Paisa, which I ate every. single. day. This most humongous dish consists of two types of Colombian sausage, ground beef, rice, red beans, chicharrón (fried pork rind), plantain, half an avocado, an arepa and a fried egg. I wondered at the etiquette of how to start the meal, but enjoyed trying to get as many of the items into one forkful. Bandeja Paisa originates from peasant farmers in the Antiquoa region who would eat the platter for breakfast, and it would keep them sated for a whole day of work on the farm. It really is a one meal a day kind of dish, and one I would highly recommend!
Interesting fact about Medellin…Did you know?
Medellin was named ‘World’s Most Innovative City’ in 2013, by the Wall Street Journal. In addition to the projects mentioned above, it was also the first city in the world to use cable cars as part of a public transport system. This was part of the city’s infrastructure and social investment in the early 2000s. A study examined the effects of cable cars construction on neighbourhood violence showed that the decline in the murder rate was 66% greater in neighbours with access to cable cars than in similar neighbourhoods.2
The cable cars are also a useful transport option for tourists, or as Lonely Planet put it, ’possibly the least expensive, but most comprehensive and photogenic city tour in the world’.
Sources
- Rapid Transition Alliance: The Story of Change – The Medellin Miracle. https://www.rapidtransition.org/stories/the-medellin-miracle/
- Cable Cars as Urban Public Transport in Medellin. https://goodanthropocenes.net/cable-cars-as-urban-public-transport-in-medellin/