Medellin (second half of day five) updated with pictures that download (hopefully).

When last we spoke, I had just finished the fruit market tour.  I had a couple of hours to get back to the hotel, have a shower because I am constantly a sticky mess in this country.  They are having record breaking heat waves, low rain fall, and out of control wild fires.  Sound familiar?  

My next free walking tour was of historic downtown.  I had considered heading to downtown on my own but I'm glad I didn't.  There are a lot of shady characters, if I can sound even older and more fuddy-duddy than usual.  Probably fuddy-duddy put the mail in the coffin, just in case shady characters didn't.  But I digress. 

We had a great guide.  She gave us the history of the drug wars.  It was a different perspective than the Comuna 13 information which was a bit more personal and very local to that community.  

I don't remember all of the details but she went more into the political side.  She also wouldn't use her who's name shall not be spoken.  He was Voldemort for this tour.  

We started at the city hall?  Where they also have this very cool green building.  Have I mentioned how green this city is? 

Next stop, a forest of pillars.  Medellin had a mayor at some point who decided to clean up the city once the drug wars situation had settled somewhat.  These pillars are in a square that was ground zero for drug use.  There are clearly still lots of addicts in the downtown area but not in this square. Now there are pillars and a library. And two historic buildings that had been occupied by the drug dealers, now a cultural centre. 

Next stop. A mall.  But it used to be the Halls of Justice.  What a beautiful building, bought by the Saudis and the first two floors turned into a mall.  Plus, clean bathroom and s coffee stop.

The next two floors are a free art gallery

Then we got into the shadier bits of town. First, the square with the second oldest church in the city,  and many ladies practicing the oldest profession in the world.

A very quick walk through a market, watch your bags!! 

Then onto Botero square.  You all remember Botero from the Botero museum in Cartagena.  In Medellin, he has giant bronze sculptures scattered around downtown but particularly here.  Now we are close to the shelters and free food programs.  Our guide called the core of it zombie land.  Based on some of the poor souls staggering around, that is an accurate description. 

But Botero.  And a very cool building that was supposed to be the governor's house

Well, guess what, I'm now writing from Montreal, waiting for my flight to Toronto.  Toronto, you ask?  We'll get to that. 

Back to the historical downtown tour.  Let me check the pictures.  This was just yesterday but A LOT has happened since then .  Let's just say I'm glad I used my last 7000 pesos to buy a chocolate bar at the Bogota airport. Never mind, I ate it in the time it took for that sentence to fill with the terrible airport wifi. 

A few more pictures added from this tour once I got home! 

Here is two Botero birds.  The one of the left of this photo was the site of a bomb that killed several people.  That's why it is all mangled.  the Colombian Government generally removed and quickly tried to forget all instances of the 'problem times'.  But in this case, Botero said he owns the bird and they cannot remove it.  He provided the second one as long as they kept the first one in place.  

Next day.  Still not home.  you know what.  My Toronto hotel wifi sucks too.  I'm just going to post this and hope for the best.  I'll finish up from home later today.  Assuming, hopefully, that I ever get home.  

Medellin (day four and half of five)

I'm in the Medellin airport, waiting to go back to Bogota and then home. 

Day four

I woke up to an email from Ray that he was having stomach troubles.  Who could have guessed that tepid soup with hits of mystery meat might cause issues!?  I, however, was fine.  Or at least I hoped so because I was about to get on a bus for two hours

Ray did not come on this adventure.  He had already been and I don't think he would have been up for 'joanne style' travel.  Public bus!  Ya, baby.  

I was heading for Guatepe, a little town with a big rock. People go there to climb the rock.  It has over 700 stairs.  I did the math.  20 stairs per floor, 708 stairs = 35 stories.  I did not climb the rock.  

The bus was uneventful.  I got to ride in the front seat. The co-pilot's seat!  I wished the driver had one of those 'God is my co-pilot' plaques so I could feel even MORE important! 

All of the other tourists got off at the rock.  I went straight into town.  What a sweet little town.  I'm telling you, communities around Colombia have really embraced the tourism boom.  Tourists like bright colours.  Paint EVERYTHING!  Restaurants and gift shops galore.  Umbrellas overhead.  We can do that.  

The whole area is surrounded by various arms of a lake.  A blue-green lake.  Here are a million out of context photos 

They have a thing for sheep here, not sure what  I think I overheard a tour guide say something about a festival And the prettiest sheep?

Very colourful tuktuks

Very pretty, I guess

The rock, from the bus

The rock, from a distance from the bus.

I got home around 6.  Had a shower and met Ray for dinner at Waffles and Crepes.  I really only wanted a mini waffle with ice cream but I was a responsible adult and also had soup.

And for those of you getting all excited (Dottie), that was the last I saw of Ray. 

Day five. 

Two walking tours planned for this day. I don't know what I was thinking.  First one at 9am.  The fruit market.  I took the metro to get to our meeting spot.  

Have I mentioned how awesome the metro is here.  Trains are clean and people are very respectful of the cars and stations.  Zero litter.  

There were only two of us on the tour with our guide Julian.  We basically walked to the giant fruit market that seems to service wholesale buyers and the general public.  And dopey tourists who are just in the way. 

The entrance.  Very inviting

Sugar cane juice.  Yum! 

No little bits of this and that on this tour.  Whole pieces of fruit.  So many pieces of fruit.  If it is from northern South America, we tried it.  Three kinds of passion fruit.  Of course, the best one can only be found in Colombia.  Guavas, bananas, things I don't even know.  Those sour gooseberries that are on desserts as garnish at home - actually sweet and tasty here. 

Dragon fruit - so good here.  As we were eating it, he mentioned that it is super high in fibre and people shouldn't eat it if they are getting on an airplane the next day.  Thanks for the heads up buddy!  

I'm now in the Bogota airport, waiting to board my flight to Montreal.  I cheated and checked my backpack (two kilos of coffee beans did me in).  Anyway, I'm going to post this mid-day four and start a new post for the last but.  So at least I get this out before I leave Colombia.