Yesterday we took a 30 minute Avianca flight from Bogota to Medellín. Avianca domestic flights remind you that flying used to be glamorous. Clean, nice, new plane, friendly and beautiful and/or handsome flight attendants, in-flight video system to Virgin America, not crowded, well-dressed passengers...it was another world from a United Airlines or Southwest flight...
Met at the airport by my parents & the requisite gang of cousins/aunts/friends who joined along to greet us. (Remember when you used to get picked up at the airport? How come that never happens anymore?) . My wife and kids tried their best to keep up with the Spanish that everyone was speaking to them ans said "Hola" when stuck for words. My kids are troopers and my wife is a saint for putting up with this with such great spirits. I really appreciate them.
Today we experienced the gritty vibrancy and can-do spirit of Medellín in all its glory. Here's a street in the San Javier neighborhood, where several of my cousins live:
Note the open air shops on the left. Ice cream shop, butcher, shoe store, electronics store, you get the picture. The purpose of our trip was to take a ride on the "MetroCable" -- a gondola-extension to the city's Metro (subway) system that serves the slums on the hillsides.
We walked to the Metro station, which, in the midst of this hot, crowded, tropical city, is as clean as the Singapore subway.
The gondolas themselves are identical to those from a ski resort. The only thing missing are the Quicksilver stickers.
We took the 14 minute ride from the San Javier stop up, over 2 ridges and series of slums.
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| My dad and my cousin Elba |
Many of the houses were basically squatters residences which people have built themselves with brick and sheet metal. See work in progress below.
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| homebuilder at work on the left |
It's as third world as it gets, and the Metro system that serves it is as nice as any public facility I've seen anywhere. It was a really incredible experience.
(Note: it's 11 pm as I write this, and I hear thunder outside...I love the tropics).
We got out at the top to get some ice cream and take a few pictures. Incredible views of the city.
Long trip tomorrow, got to get to bed, signing out.
2 comments:
Oscar
Thank you so much! I am enjoying every word and every picture. Blessings and love to all of you and to your parents and family. Lee
Primo, super bien lo que escribes de Medellin, me encantan las fotos. Un abrazo. Patri
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