I just arrived in Monteria after staying five great days in Medellin.I'm stayng the night at Hotel Monterrey and tomorrow morning will go to Cartagena.
I loved Medellin.Other than the flat valley Medellin in mostly steep hills up the mountain slopes that run north and south on both sides of the Antioquia valley.It is a very modern city with a great skytrain like Vancouver's.
Other than spending one day on a day trip to the old colonial capital Santa Fe Antioqia I mainly just roamed around the city.They have some great squares(complete with statues and modern scultures) and pedestrian ways .Parque Berrio was my favorite.It was always full of people with groups of men (and a few women) singing and playing guitars.bongos and on an assortment of rattles and srapping things..I thought Anna and perry would be at home here.One group of singers was particulary interesting.It consisted of two guys singing to the crowd about the people in the crowd and trying to outwit each other.They went on and on with a consistent melody pointing someone out and singing about them( couldn't fully understand but they had the crowd laughing)...they even pointed out me...they even referred to me as Canadiense although god knows how they figured it out.I don,t know what they said completely I but it garnered a few snicker and laughs.The square and surrounding walkway was abuzz with action...venders selling cellular minutos..women selling paper cups of coffee..Bono Ice Yogoso venders(like Dixie Dee but minus the cart.just a cooler strapped to them....deformed beggars, Chiclets sellers,shoe shine men and the like...
There are millions of motorcycles here and mini yellow taxis storming about.The women all wear the tightest jeans and highest heels imaginable whether it suites them or not( I'll reserve further comment)....Its funny..they have free portble banos some of them are large and can accommodate six men peeng.When one exits the remaining are left visible through the open door.
Walking down the main streets you are continually passing cellular phone outlets or venders with phones and parts spread out on the sidewalk.Other than the ever present Zapata stores are venders selling vegetables and pie of banana mandarine orange an yes gayanabas( I can never says this).Guys walk down the streets with huge boards full of Sun glasses or watches.All type o pastries...empanadas..pasel de pollo......I could go on and on.Interestingly there were no American fast food chains in Medellin...no Macdonads ,A&W,Pizza Hut,KFC..etc etc.My hotel room t the Hotel Odeon down town (I moved from the Hostel.couln't stand all the young back packers) cost me $10 a night...that's about what I'm paying tonight...filling meals are about $5....
I took a side trip to the small colonial town of Santa Fe de Antioqia. It has a large central suare with cobble stone streets radiating out on a typical Spanish colonia pattern. In the square is the huge white stoned Santa Barbara Eglisa..The houses (strung along the street connected together in one constant band of wall) are all either one or two floors and are painted in an assortment of brilliant colours with ornate wooden doors and windows painted accordingly.Not much vehicular traffic..lots of horses and motor cycles.
Monteria must be in the mid 30,s....I'.ve noticed that there are not many stray dogs in Colombia.
The trip out of Medellin was very visually stunning...the road climbs up into the mountains( I guess this is the beginning of the Andes)...through a tunnel that must be several KMs long and then curves along the steep slopes over numerous steep ravines and far..far...far above the valley floor.The mountains are easily as high a the ones in BC but are softer less rugged with green vegetation all over.Unlike say Guatemala much of the land is used for grazing cattle and surprisingly one sees few houses or settlements....a lot of empty high green space..
OK...I,ll write in a few days once I settle in to Cartegena.
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