Holiday Inn Exp Stes Medellin

... it is still good time.

On another day, I went out and walked around on my own just to see what was around. I cannot tell you how much I like this city. The people are so warm and friendly. Now, maybe it s the coke but they are great. The women are also incredible and they even talk to you!!!! Enjoy the random photos.

Coming soon……. My English friends roll into town and we go to HOOTERS, a World Cup Qualifier game, and a theme park.

... off the train and onto a cable car that goes up into one of the poorer neighbourhoods. You only have to pay if you get off, as the train ticket covers the cable car also. So we got off the train, into the cable car, rode it up, stayed in it, came back down and got on the train for the one ticket. Tight ***** i know.
The cable car went over one of the normal barrios of Medellin. Nice to see these neighbourhoods as the hostel is in the rich area surrounded by bars ...

... in the hostel for the night instead. Which, to be fair, was quite a lot of fun.

The price wasn't the only factor in that decision, though. The previous night we had headed out and were reminded of home by more than just the cost of everything - we got turned away from three or four places (something I thought impossible for a gringo) because there weren't enough girls with us!

So going out wasn't up to much, and there isn't really a whole bunch of stuff to do ...

... from Fernando Botero, take a cable car up a mountain peak, and visited Pablo Escobar´s grave where our friend left him a floral present. The city had really amazing views and was surrounded by some impressive scenery, because it is located in the middle of a valley created by steep mountain slopes on either side. I'm slowly realizing how friendly and helpful the Colombian people really are. Everywhere we have been so far ...

... we do have the correct stamp and at long last they are gone. It is now back on the metro, have a quick bite and then set off to drive further south. The route through the town is not too bad since it is almost a straight road; you just have to cope with the traffic. Once we have left the town we are back on one of the main roads, again a mix of good and bad surface. Once more though we have to climb back up to about 9000ft and once again get some very nice views ...

... face is over 200 feet high and visible throughout the surrounding countryside. To get to the top you must hike up a whopping 649 steps. No easy feat in any condition, let alone high temperatures! The views made the trip worthwhile. Even better still- once I was down from El Peñol, I saw this huge, vibrantly colored structure that could be only be described as a bunch of trampolines stacked upon one ...

... likes to paint everything in very chubby form) was a real highlight. The nightlife is also known to be some of Colombia's finest and though I had a good time, the one club where everyone was chasing each other around whilst dressed up in crab and geese costumes was a bit much for me. The next day I ventured outside the city to a lake retreat on which still sits ...

... que estas en Latinoamérica, cuando el conductor da un frenazo a las 7 de la mañana despertando a cualquiera que todavía fuese durmiendo y pone la marcha atrás para compra un estupendo ejemplar de pez gato que un pescador vende en la carretera, y no os perdáis detalle de la forma de transportarlo (véase foto). Acerca de Medellin no hay mucho que contar, ciudad bonita entre las montañas ...

... walking into Dona Oliva's house, wanting to know about things that they cannot really talk about on the streets. They both looked very strong - like they had experienced a lot. I couldn't really tell their age at all - anywhere between 40-60. We spent the next hour asking questions and listening to their stories. They were original from a mining town called Segovia, which had long been a centre of conflict between FARC, ELN and paramilitaries. They ...