An exciting city, Medellin

I got excited in Medellin. This city, 1500 meter high, lies peacefully on mountains and hosts more than 2,5 million inhabitants. Skyscrapers, universities, business districts, lot's of traffic: you feel the ambition of the Colombians here and you can even smell it in its thumping reggae-salsa bars and discothecas. The place had been announced to us by many Colombians and travelers as thé place to see beautiful Colombian guapas. I have to agree - if the makers of Tomb Raider need an actress again, they better look for Lara Croft here.

A big river in the valley parallels a highway, which both divide the city physically.  However, it is here, next and above the river, that hundreds of huge Christmas decorations brightly invite you to taste local food and drink some Club Colombia cervezas.

Christmas in Medellin

As a traffic engineer, I was excited to see Medellins popular metro system including several 'metrocable' lines which give the slums on the hills the chance to improve life quality and which provide the people all over the city connections to the business in the city. And when you need individual public transport, you can call one of the 40.000 taxis.

Metrocable over Medellin

As you can see on the photo stream, the architecture of the public spaces is jaw-dropping. Two hours by bus more far away stunning nature will fill your lungs with fresh air on the Piedra del Peñol.

Piedra del Peñol, un monolito de 220 metros de altura

Piedra del Peñol: view down

What excited me the most this week, was my visit to the center of the city and a supermercado, called... éxito. You think that shopping is fun in your country? Come to Medellin and think again. If you need sneakers, you'll find shopping centers with hundreds of shoe stores. Shops have dj's, some including selling mc's. Salsa music pumps through the streets (not very exceptionally in central and south America though - while I am writing this in the bus, a guy makes life salsa music) and hundreds of salesman all over the place are selling small things, ranging from cookies, bananas, telephone chargers to glow sticks and lottery tickets.
Supermarkets are vivid 'try and buy' experiences, where you can let yourself assist virtually everywhere. In almost every row there are promo girls and boys who let you try/taste some product. When we didn't know where to begin with the huge variety of fruits, a friendly guy gave us plenty of advise and he even let us taste several frutas.
At the end of the trip you have your own packing slave. And after a coffee or desert outside, an assistant will be happy to stop a cab for you.

Nisperos fruit: delicous! € 1,4/kg

I could continue for hours, but you got the point. Medellin has been an exciting  part of the traveling do far. Quiero mas lo mismo!

dM3