Arepa con queso (photo: David Lee)

One of the great joys of travelling is being able to try the traditional food of a country. Some countries are famed for their food and nowadays people are able to enjoy varieties of Chinese, Italian, French and Indian dishes in some form in their home countries.

Much less well known is Colombian cuisine and most people would find it difficult to name a typical dish from Colombia. That doesn’t mean however that Colombian food isn’t worth trying; in fact the opposite is true as many of the dishes in Colombia are packed full of flavour.

Colombian cuisine is a blend of European and indigenous ingredients and many dishes include pork, potatoes, chicken, beans, corn and rice.

The main meal of the day is traditionally eaten between two and four, particularly in the countryside.

Lunch is usually three courses, with soup, a main course and dessert.

Dinner tends to be more of a snack, though if it is served as a main meal, it will be eaten around eight o’clock.

Below, Travel Supermarket takes a closer look at 10 traditional dishes to try when visiting Colombia:

1. Arepa

Arepas are perhaps the most commonly served food in Colombia. It is the most standard of accompaniments and is also eaten on its own.

Arepa is basically a kind of bread made from cornmeal which is often served with butter or corn. Anyone who books a holiday to Colombia will quickly become very familiar with arepa when they arrive as it is widely served all over the country.

Ajiaco (photo: David Lee)

2. Ajiaco

Another popular dish in Colombia is ajiaco. This is a soup containing chicken, two or three different types of potato, corn, capers, avocado and sour cream.

An essential ingredient in ajiaco is guasca, a herb grown throughout South America. Ajiaco has a very distinct taste and is ubiquitous throughout Colombia, so you’ll be able to try it in almost any kind of eatery.

Bandeja Paisa (photo: David Lee)

3. Bandeja Paisa

Colombia’s national dish is considered to be bandeja paisa. This is a real feast and not for the faint hearted. It is a platter filled with steak, pork crackling and chorizo sausages served on a bed of rice and red beans. To top it off, there is usually a fried egg and it is often served with slices of avocado and sweet banana chips.

The designation of bandeja paisa as a national dish has been subject to much dispute and there are many disagreements about what should be included. You can find a version of it everywhere in the country.

Lechona (photo: David Lee)

4. Lechona

Lechona is another wonderful dish. This is typical of the Tolima area, which is to the west of Bogota. However, it is served in speciality restaurants throughout Colombia.

Certainly if you are in the Tolima area, you’ll see lechona at any kind of special occasion. Lechona consists of a whole roast pig, stuffed with rice, peas, onions and a fragrant combination of spices and then cooked in a clay oven for up to ten hours.

Sancocho (photo: David Lee)

5. Sancocho

Another hearty dish is sancocho. This is based on the Spanish dish cocido and is popular almost everywhere in South America, with some regional variations.

In Colombia, the ingredients vary depending on what is available in the different regions of the country. It can be made with any kind of meat, or fish in the coastal regions, but almost always includes plantains, potatoes and yucca (cassava).

It tends to be served with plain white rice, which can be a side dish or added to the sancocho itself. Sancocho can be found all over Colombia and is often served in simple pavement restaurants as a dish of the day.

Fritanga Bogotana (photo: Wikipedia Commons)

6. Fritanga

Yet another hearty meat-filled dish is fritanga. Served with arepas, manioc or plantain, this is a plate full of grilled meat such as chicken or beef as well as fried cow intestines. It is covered in aji sauce and can be found all over the country in some form.

You could be forgiven for thinking that everything in Colombia is meaty and huge but there are other less daunting dishes available too. For those looking for lighter food, there is a dizzying choice of fruit easily and cheaply available. Any visit to the market will introduce you to many fruits you have never seen before, in addition to many different varieties of more familiar fruits such as bananas or mangos.

Empanadas in Cali (photo: David Lee)

7. Empanadas

Colombian food is also great for snacking and there are plenty of stalls selling particular favourites. One such delicacy is empanadas. This can be found all over South America, but each country has made it its own version of the dish. The origin of this dish lies back in Spain and Portugal. Empanada comes from the Spanish word empanar, which means to wrap or coat in bread.

Basically, the empanada is like a small pasty which is baked or fried. In Colombia they are usually fried. These treats contain many different fillings that vary according to the region. For example, in the city of Medellin chorizo-filled empanadas are extremely popular, while in poorer areas they can be filled with cheese and spinach. The variations are endless and all can be sampled on any street corner.

8. Churros

Colombian breakfast, as you can imagine, sets you up for the day. Churros, long pieces of fried dough, are popular.

More substantial is the calentado, which is particularly common in the Andean region of the country and consists of reheated beans and rice from the previous night’s dinner. It is served with arepa, egg, sausage or beef and hot chocolate.

9. Changua

Another Andean breakfast that is also easy to find in Bogota is changua. This is a rich soup made from milk, water and eggs which are cracked into the soup without breaking the yolk. It is also served with spring onions, stale bread and coriander.

Hormiga Culona (photo: Wikipedia Commons)

10. Hormigas Culonas

Finally, for those who are particularly brave there are hormigas culonas, which are a kind of ant. They are collected during the wet season, soaked in salted water and then roasted. In the north east of the country the ants are thought to have aphrodisiacal properties and are given as a wedding gift.

Been to Colombia? What’s your favorite dish?

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A few of my friends, Troy (Foggodyssey) and Marcello (Wandering Trader) are on a 10-day photography road trip with Mikey (Lightenupandshoot).

They posted this video in the midst of their adventures.  I’ll be sharing more with you as it becomes available.

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Cannelloni at Il Forno

In Medellin, one of the first restaurants someone recommended to me was Il Forno.

It’s an Italian place, and Steve, the person who recommended it, is half Sicilian, a native New Yorker who also has Italian citizenship.

Steve makes delicious tomato sauce from scratch, something he let me try a couple of times and later taught me how to make, so if he says Il Forno is good, I’m going to take his word for it. And I decided to find out for myself too.

There are 13 locations, according to the website, and two that I have been to: one in the Zona Rosa at Parque Lleras, the other at the Los Molinos mall in Belén.

The first time I ate there, it was at the one in Parque Lleras. My friend Valentina invited me to have a beer in Parque Lleras at Dash, the bar where she works, and since I was already going to be in the area — I teach English in the nearby Castropol community — I took her up on her offer. Her friend Maria was there too, and eventually, we got hungry. They decided to get a to-go order from Il Forno.

“Mi amigo me dijo sobre este restaurante,” I told them, my excitement quite obvious.

I wasn’t very hungry, because I had eaten a late lunch, so I got something small: chicken cannelloni with a tiny Cesar salad on the side.

Cannelloni has always been one of my favorite Italian foods and since one of the options was for just one with a salad — more than enough to fill me up on that night — it was an easy decision. I think I paid only 11,000 pesos, or just under $6, and it was delicious.

Maria and Valentina split a pizza. I think it was a typical basil and tomato pizza, and they liked it a lot. Unfortunately, at the time I didn’t have a camera so I couldn’t take any pictures. But I knew I’d be back.

I returned to Il Forno this month, this time to the one at Los Molinos, and I was really hungry and camera-ready. I wanted a big lunch. I ordered Cannelloni again, but this time I got the regular order, the one that comes with three of them and bread as well.

My friend Jeison got the same thing and Lucas ordered spaghetti alfredo. Once again, everyone enjoyed their food. The service was really good too, the staff very friendly.

Spaghetti Alfredo

My cannelloni was stuffed with chicken, ham and mushrooms and covered with mozzarella cheese. Even though I was hungry, I couldn’t finish it. Jeison and Lucas couldn’t finish their food either. That means leftovers. Jeison also told me to take his leftovers, so I had enough for dinner.

We were smiling even more when we got the check: only 33,000 pesos, or a little over $16. There is no way you can find that much good food for that price in the United States. No way.

There’s also no way I’ll stay away from Il Forno for long.

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Flaco and friendly Colombian girls

Walk down Carrera 30 in El Carmen del Viboral, toward Parque Principal, and look to your right after you pass Calle 32. Look for a tiny bar, about the size of a walk-in closet. If it’s open, you’ll get the chance to meet one of the town’s friendliest residents.

They call him Flaco. The skinny guy. He seems to know everything and everyone when it comes to his hometown. I almost got whiplash turning to watch who was waving to him every few minutes as we sat there and talked about the town.

The tiny city of less than 50,000 about an hour east of Medellín is known for its ceramics. There are stores throughout the town that sell them and let you watch how they are made. Take a look at the buildings and other structures there too. You’ll probably see plates in the walls, or tiles around the base of a lamppost.

It seems like anyone there would be happy to tell you about it. Most of the people are like Flaco, very friendly, happy to help you, to give you advice, share stories about their culture.

You’ll notice something else too: the majority of them have green or hazel eyes. I thought Medellín had its fair share of people with light eyes, until I went to Carmen, where — I am not exaggerating — I would guess that at least two-thirds of the people have ojos verdes.

Ceramics around the lamppost, ceramics in the walls

Carmen was my first stop when I returned to Colombia after a recent visit to Florida. As soon as my plane landed in Rio Negro, home to Medellín’s international airport, I called my friend Lucas to ask him to come pick me up. Fortunately, he was in Carmen, just 20 minutes south of the airport.

“Do you have to get back to Medellín immediately,” he said after greeting me curbside.

I told him no.

“Good,” he said. “We’re going to Carmen.”

I arrived at the perfect time. Lucas, his friend Larry, and Flaco had just made some ceviche and it was on ice, waiting for us when we got into Carmen, some of the best ceviche I’ve ever had. Later we stopped at a little hole-in-the-wall place across the street from Flaco’s hole-in-the-wall bar and we bought some empanaditas. I love these tiny businesses.

As we sat at Flaco’s bar, some of the passersby decided to stop by, to have a few drinks with us. As usual, I answered questions about Hawaii (the place I grew up), what I am doing in Colombia (teaching English and trying to develop Medellin Living into the best travel blog it can be), and how long I plan to stay (not sure, but probably mucho tiempo, a long time). I never get tired of answering those questions. I love that the paisas are as curious about my culture and me as I am about theirs and them.

We lost track of time as the daylight eventually faded into darkness, and now I’m counting the days until I can return to that beautiful town.

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One of my favorite pieces of art at the Museo de Antioquia (photo: David Lee)

The same questions come up, over and over again.

The women are beautiful and it’s easy to pick one up if you’re an American, right?

Isn’t it dangerous there?

Aren’t there a lot of drugs?

I’ve heard they like to party there, but is there anything else to do?

Oh, boy.

Let me first say that I am not a paísa, so I know I cannot speak to the culture of Medellín as well as the native people can. But during the three months I have lived in La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera, I have spent a lot of time with the paísas.

I don’t know if I’ve spent more time with them or made more paísa friends than the average foreigner. But I know this: compared to all but one of my roommates, I definitely have.

So as I sit here in South Florida, thinking about the good times I have had there and the good times that lie ahead when I get back, I’m going to set the record straight on what I’ve learned from my paísa friends, who have been very open and honest with me, and have come to treat me like family.

1. Yes, the women are beautiful

That’s cliché at this point. But those stories you hear about them looking for a gringo, either because he’s a means to money or a Visa, is only partially true.

You need to realize that Medellín is a big city, so, yes, there are women here who want gringos for their money or for a path to citizenship overseas, and there are even “dating agencies” that make this happen.

But the majority of the women here are everyday folks just trying to live a comfortable life. They are very happy here and cannot imagine living elsewhere.

The lesson: don’t objectify all of the women here, and don’t expect them to fall all over you because you are a gringo.

Something else to remember: there are women who want men for their money wherever it is you live too, but that doesn’t mean that’s all of them.

2. It’s only dangerous if you’re an idiot

Use common sense, and you are probably going to be fine.

• Avoid wearing flashy clothes, watches and jewelry.
• Keep your iPhone and your Blackberry in your pocket.
• Go places in a group if you don’t have the common paísa features (average height, dark hair, light skin).
• Call a cab if you have to go far.
• Stay in neighborhoods where a lot of businesses are open and a lot of people are around.

It’s not difficult. I have not had one person bother me, and I walk around by myself all the time, even at night. But I have paísa features.

Like my friend Juanes says, “If you don’t talk, they won’t know.”

3. Of course there are drugs here

Marijuana and cocaine are produced here. But you have to ask yourself: why are they produced?

Anyone who has taken an economics class knows about supply and demand. Without demand, there’s no supply. And the demand comes from the gringos.

The point I’m trying to make is, don’t look for drugs and you won’t even notice they’re produced in this country.

Paisa girls

4. Paísas are nice, but don’t take it for granted

They really are some of the warmest people you will ever meet. I’m from Hawaii so I know about those things.

But whatever you do, always show appreciation for their hospitality and wait until you get to know them before you inundate them with your own culture, especially if you’re an American.

When a paísa first meets you and takes the time to get to know you, answer their questions thoughtfully. Don’t be a smart ass, don’t even be facetious. It’s disrespectful.

As you become better friends with the paísas, the banter will follow. Trust me. I’m on the receiving end of it a lot of the time. But it’s all in fun. Lots of laughs.

5. Paísas like to party too, but don’t stereotype them only as party animals

There’s a lot more to them. They are hard workers and they are some of the most entrepreneurial people in the world. They’re very intelligent, or “teso” as they would say.

Some of the most innovative laser eye surgery is the product of paísas. And when you see all the small businesses, a lot of them with their own niche, you’ll understand what I’m saying.

And there is a lot to see other than bars and clubs. Go to a museum. The Museo de Antioquia, home to some of Fernando Botero’s famous artwork, is a good place to start.

You can also get out of the city too, to see beautiful countryside locals such as Guatapé or Parque Arví. They’re only a bus ride or Metro Cable lift away.

6. Be patient with the pace of life

It’s unique. I can’t say it’s slow because I’ve been in the hustle and bustle of downtown Medellín.

But I can’t say it’s fast because things can take longer than usual and it’s not unusual for plans or meetings to fall through.

I guess the best way to describe it is, it’s like driving a stick shift for the first time: sometimes you dart ahead, other times you stall.

Just always remember that most of the paísas mean well and if you get pushy, you won’t get anywhere. The word to remember is “tranquilo.” Relax.

Now excuse me while I get back to my longing over Medellín…

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Christmas lights along Rio Medellin

Some things just go together.

Hawaii and hula.

Football and Sunday.

Politicans and broken promises.

In Medellín, December brings a popular pair:

Lights and holidays. Lots of lights.

Christmas lights highlighting the Poblado neighborhood

There are 16 millions of them, to honor the city’s 16 neighborhoods, the aesthetic highlight of the city’s Los Alumbrados.

The lights covered almost 20 miles of the  Medellín valley, mainly along the Rio Medellín, and stay on until January 9, 2012.

The Christmas lights are intended to represent abstract interpretations of city buildings and monuments, and paísa history and traditions.

It’s also nice to live just west of the Pueblito Paísa, where a visit to this hilltop attraction can feel like walking through a table model of an Antioquian township. Here, a huge Christmas tree glows, giving the Valle de Aburrá a beautiful symbol of Christmas.

Christmas display along Rio Medellin

A walk along the river, with more colors than a kaleidoscope lighting the way, can be hypnotizing. You’ll see happy people celebrating, with vendors offering food and drinks, everything from sodas to cervezas and carne to cotton candy. It’s a tradition I can get used to.

That reminds me of a funny story about tradition that a paísa friend told me…

While the rumba along the river during Christmas season is well documented for foreigners, walking through the neighborhoods can be just as fun.

Juanes, my paísa friend, said neighbors often pool their money to buy a pig, which they slaughter, then cook rotisserie style. It is common for people from various blocks to share food and drinks with each other as they pass each other’s houses.

Juanes is a paísa, born in Medellín, but he grew up in Miami. His experience with this tradition was limited to his infrequent holiday visits to Medellín as a child.

Christmas lights as geometric shapes

One year, his father decided to bring the tradition to their South Florida cul-de-sac. About five of their neighbors joined them. But apparently Juanes’ father forgot to tell them that he would be slaughtering the pig right there, right before he cooked it.

This shocked the couple that lived a few houses down, so much so that they called the police. Juanes’s father was arrested for animal cruelty. But after explaining that he was only following a paísa tradition, no charges were brought.

I would not be able to watch a pig get slaughtered, but I would not call the cops either. I guess we’ll chalk up the misunderstanding in Miami to cultural differences.

More importantly, there’s a moral to this story. It’s not anything profound, such as: “People from different cultures need to try to understand each other better.” Or: “The police need to use more common sense before they arrest someone who meant no harm, who was only trying to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.”

It’s much more simple than that. The moral is:

“You should try to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in Medellín, at least once. I think you might like it.”

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All photos courtesy of Ana Rodriguez.

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Jersey shopping in downtown Medellin

Deciding what to buy them was easy. I just had to find them.

My four nephews and nieces love soccer so I figured soccer jerseys would make a great Christmas gift, but I had to find them in their favorite colors and that meant going downtown or, as it’s called here, Centro.

My paísa friend Alejandro, who we all call Cachis, offered to take me, to help me. Everyone knows about “gringo prices.” I didn’t want to pay them and Cachis didn’t want me to pay them either.

So here’s the deal. We get there and find a parking spot after looking for about 10 minutes — it was 2 ½ weeks until Christmas and it was a Saturday, so needless to say, downtown was crazy. It was like Times Square on steroids. I was swimming through a sea of people.

I was also protecting my wallet, following Cachis’s advice. Now, don’t take that the wrong way. I wasn’t doing that because it’s Medellín.

I was doing that because it’s a big city and I was bumping into a lot of people. I take these precautions when I’m in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, in any big city.

Nephew Ethan sporting his new Nacional soccer jersey

We passed these vendors that were side-by-side, hundreds of them everywhere, like being at giant flea market.

Cachis had to ask a couple of people where we could find jerseys for my “sobrinos” and eventually, we did.

At this point I had no idea where we were, only that we were somewhere downtown.

I went through my checklist:

• Emma, 8, wears a size 8 and her favorite color is pink.

• Kayla, 6, wears a size 7 and her favorite color is purple.

• Ethan, 5, wears a size 7 and his favorite color is green.

• Zachary, his twin brother, also wears a size 7 and his favorite color is blue.

I batted 3-for-4, barely. There was one pink jersey, just one. I didn’t recognize the team, and it might not be a replica for an official team, but it was pink. Emma, check.

And there were lots of blue and green ones; I just had to choose. For Zachary, I settled on a Chelsea Football Club jersey. For Ethan, I found a Nacional jersey.

There was just one problem: there were no purple jerseys in Kayla’s size. Didn’t matter. I was determined to find one. Fortunately, passing a vendor a few minutes later who was selling them off a rack, I did.

Like Emma’s, I don’t think Kayla’s represented an official team but my sobrinos are at the age when color matters more than anything. Mission accomplished.

They all seemed happy when they opened their gifts on Christmas. But the boys definitely like their jerseys more than the girls like theirs.

Ethan put his on immediately, and I took a picture. Zachary later followed his brother. And they apparently wore them again two days later.

I never got a chance to get a photo of them together because they were never in the same place at the same time, and shortly after opening presents, we had to get ready to go to my sister-in-law’s uncle’s house.

When they wore them again, I wasn’t around. I was in my room, icing my ankle, hoping it wasn’t fractured, treating it until I saw a doctor.

I’ll be going downtown again when my ankle is healed. I need a Nacional jersey, and my brother wants one too.

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Help Portrait Medellín 2011 from Katie Hudson.

The concept is simple: it’s comprised of photographers and volunteers who want to come together and give free professional photographs back to the wonderful Paisa people of Medellín. We hit the streets armed with our camera gear to the barrios around Medellin. We photographed individuals willing to pose, then printed them a copy of the photo that day. We returned to the same location to handed them their very own portrait! A lot of people here have never had a professional photograph taken of themselves and this is a way for photographers, travelers and locals to give back to the community and share the love. The smiles given back in return was our reward… priceless!

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Posing with La Mama Loca

The paísas prove every week that they are some of the most entrepreneurial people in the world.

Take my friend Juanes, for example. He decided he wanted to start his own business, something that could help his fellow paísas, so he started a local version of Groupon. It’s called Mi Mama Está Loca. The story behind the name: my mother is crazy because she’s offering you such great deals on everything from a night out at a nightclub or restaurant to discounts on clothes or purses.

There was a party this month to promote the new business, and I went. It was at Oz, a club near the southeast corner of Parque Lleras. Through the website, mimamaestaloca.com, my friends and I bought four passes, which came with a bottle of Guaro, for 70,000 pesos ($36). Just the bottle itself can cost about that much in a fancy place like Oz.

We got there around midnight and waited in line for 15 minutes. After showing the bouncers our invites — the email confirmation after buying our passes on mimamaestaloca.com — we went straight to the bar, to get our Guaro. I bought a beer too, to chase the Guaro. As I’ve said before, I don’t really like the taste.

Throughout the night, a woman would put on a white wig and funky glasses, to look like the woman on the Mi Mama Está Loca website. She would walk around through the club and take pictures with the guests.

I was busy talking to my friends. My friend Mauro and his wife Ana went to San Andres last month so I was talking to them about that, how beautiful it is there, how I would like to go some day.

I made new friends there too. They are from Europe, although I cannot remember exactly where. I think one was from Switzerland, one from Germany. I’ll find out the next time I see them.

Eventually, the time for talking was over. It was time to dance. The Reggaeton and Electronica were thumping in the background and we couldn’t just stand there anymore. It was a great way to celebrate a great business idea.

I signed up on the website so I get emails from Mi Mama Está Loca everyday. I get emails from the Colombia branch of Groupon too. It’s been only a few weeks that I’ve gotten both, but I already like Mi Mama Está Loca better.

First of all, Groupon is more mainstream. I like that Mi Mama Está Loca has more a local flavor. And second, even if I liked Groupon better, it wouldn’t matter. The one time I tried to buy something, I couldn’t the site rejected my credit card, and after checking my credit scores the other day, it’s pretty obvious that it’s the Groupon site that’s the problem, not my card.

I had no problems buying my passes to Oz on Mi Mama Está Loca. Two to three minutes, and I was done. I was ready for the party.

Juanes, unfortunately, did not make it. He was worn out from all the work he had done to get the business going. He even caught a cold. But from the looks of things, he’ll have plenty to celebrate in the future.

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Dancers in Dulce Jesus Mio

In 2011, Medellin Living solidified its position as the #1 blog for Colombia’s City of the Eternal Spring.

Visits to the site tripled over 2010, thanks in big part to a host of contributors who helped fill in the gaps while I focused on the nightlife and restaurant scene.

Top 10 Posts of 2011

• Medellin Women: Rules of the Game - by Marcello Arrambide
• FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia
• Photo Essay: Sexy Colombian Models
• The Love Motel – A Fun & Practical Solution to Sex in Colombia – by Jessica Rich
• Dulce Jesus Mio
• Robbed in Medellin
• Discoteca Luxury
• 11 Exotic Tropical Fruits of Colombia – by Jessica Rich
• Partying at MIA VIP Room (Discoteca)
• Medellin Drinking Guide: Beer, Aguardiente, Rum and Wine - by Hannah

Honorable Mentions:  2011 Colombia Salsa Festival and Remembering Holly Joan Brittsan

What kind of stories would you like to see more of in 2012?

Leave a comment and let us know.

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Copacabana, Antioquia

Hola amigos, es Dave otra vez.

I hope you’ve been enjoying Ryan’s adventures in Antioquia while I’ve been off exploring Ecuador and Peru.

I had another amazing 6 months in Medellin this year. If you’re new to the blog, here are the highlights.

February

After visiting Japan for the first time, I arrived back at the same Poblado apartment where I’d been living in 2010.

This year, in addition to Wilson, I’d have three  additional roommates cycle through the extra room.

I spent my first 2-3 weeks working on the relaunch of my online community, Travel Blog Success.

A scallop, just one of the many delicious moments at El Cielo

March

In early March, my friend Rodrigo invited me to spend a Saturday night at his family’s finca in Copacabana.

I continued exploring the nightlife in Medellin, and had my first (awesome) night out at Dulce Jesus Mio.

I also made a concerted effort to experience the city’s upscale dining scene, including a visit to El Cielo which specializes in molecular gastronomy.

By the start of 2011, Medellin was clearly on the map as a desirable location to live and work (online). As in 2010, I met a ton of other travel bloggers for the first time.

They included Marcello (Wandering Trader), Brendan (Brendan’s Adventures), Gareth (Tourist 2 Townie), Ryan (Ryan Goes Abroad), Jeff (Maverick Traveler), Jack and Jill Travel, and Colin (Expat Chronicles) among a bunch of others.

Prizma Discoteca

April

April was akin to March.

I was working, hanging out with new friends Marcello and Brendan, and checking out lots of new clubs in Barrio Poblado, including Luxury Discoteca, Prizma, and The End.

I got back into the swing of taking private salsa lessons again.

The colorful pueblo of Jardin

May

In May, I began working with Jessica, a New Yorker who’d moved to Medellin to be with her paisa boyfriend.

Jessica would go on to contribute for several months this year, covering such varied topics as underwater hockey, love motels, yoga, pole dancing, and the best places to take Spanish classes.

I visited the pueblo of Jardin for the first time, and went horseback riding to La Cueva del Esplendor.

Parque Tayrona

June

I continued to explore new parts of Colombia in June, with a 2-week trip to the Caribbean coast.

Stops included colonial Santa Marta, the backpacker ghetto of Taganga, beautiful Parque Tayrona, and Cabo de la Vela on La Guajira Peninsula.

It was on my way back to Santa Marta from La Guajira that I came down with a nasty stomach bug or case of food poisoning.

As if being sick wasn’t bad enough, a few days after I got back to Medellin I was robbed at gunpoint while taking a taxi to renew my tourist visa.

The experience, which caught me completely off guard as it happened in broad daylight on a busy street, left me stunned and extremely anxious for the next few weeks.

Thankfully, I wasn’t hurt in the interaction, and aside from the cost and inconvenience of having to visit Bogota to apply for a new passport, I was no worse off for it.

Colombiamoda 2011

July

After a hectic June, I laid low in early July, but that didn’t last long.

I took my salsa teacher, Yamile, to the annual Colombia Salsa Festival.

Then, my friend Troy Floyd (FOGG Odyssey) returned to Medellin, and together we crashed Colombiamoda, the country’s annual fashion week.

And that lead us right into the 2011 Feria de las Flores, which I was much better prepared for having experienced it the year before for the first time.

I was so busy at the time, I never did get to write up my experiences at this year’s Feria, however I had a blast and maybe I’ll still get some photos up before the next one rolls around.

In late July, I took a weekend to visit Santa Fe de Antioquia where I began putting together a city guide to Medellin.

This is an eGuide I intend to finish and publish in early 2012.

The 2011 Flower Parade

August

By the second week of August, after the flower parade had wrapped up, I was on a flight to New York for my cousin’s wedding.

A week later, I was flying to Quito, Ecuador to begin exploring the rest of South America.

Travel Plans for 2012

I’ll be celebrating New Year’s in Lima, and then heading south toward Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

I fully intend to return to Medellin for a few months in 2012.

Until then, Ryan is going to continue contributing on a regular basis, and I hope to share the perspectives of many more.

Thanks for your continued support!

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Kevin, my roommate, talking to a Tigo salesman

For a month, I resisted. It was the first time in a dozen years that I did not have a cell phone and I liked it.

This might sound silly to you, especially if you are part of the generation that has had mobile phone since middle school. And I’ll admit, even though the first cell phone I remember seeing was the brick-sized model Zach Morris used on “Saved by the Bell,” I had gotten somewhat attached to my smaller, more contemporary model over the years I was living in the states.

Then came the day that the newspaper I worked for bought us all cell phones, and now I had two. It was too much. I felt like I didn’t have any privacy.

That changed when I moved to Medellín. But 30 days into my stay, I realized I needed one. It’s especially important, my friends advised me, when you’re looking for a job.

The question then became: how do I go about getting one? What company should I choose? What will it cost?

Here’s a quick breakdown:

1. You can find cell phones anywhere, at any of the malls, at small shopping plazas, even in downtown (Centro), although they might be stolen goods, depending on where you by them.

2. There are 3 major providers — Comcel, Tigo and Movistar.

3. Prepaid (annual) plans typically require you to have some sort of proof that you can afford it, a price I don’t know and don’t plan to ask about for a long time. Many paísas pay as they go. There is a place called Gana that allows you to put credit on your phone when you need it. You only need credit to make calls. Receiving calls is free.

4. Making calls from one provider (Comcel, for example) to another (Tigo or Movistar) is more expensive than making calls between the same provider (Comcel to Comcel, Tigo to Tigo, Movistar to Movistar). So you might want to find out what company most of your friends have before deciding.

5. Talk to a paísa you trust before going out to buy your phone. Salespeople are salespeople, wherever you go. Their job is to make a sale. The more you know, the better off you will be.

I talked to my friend Paula, a paísa who is dating my roommate Joseph, who I talked to about my future purchase as well. I wanted advice on which provider to pick — Comcel, Tigo or Movistar.

Paula and Joseph told me Comcel is the most popular, something my paísa friend Juanes confirmed as well. But Joseph told me Comcel is also the most expensive, partly because you will be able to use your phone if you are in other parts of the country, outside the Medellín area.

If I’m outside the Medellín area, the last thing I want to do is be on my cell phone. That eliminated Comcel from my choices.

[Dave here. Just to clarify, all 3 service providers can be used throughout the country, however the quality of your connection (as is always the case) will vary per provider. Generally, Comcel is considered to have better coverage throughout the country -- in those distant pueblos, as well as the big cities, whereas Tigo's coverage may not be as strong in the more remote areas. 

I prepaid Tigo for a year, including 70,000 COP ($37) per month for unlimited Internet/data coverage for my Blackberry, and was satisfied with the coverage everywhere I went in Antioquia, and Colombia. I did not have service at the northern tip of La Guajira Peninsula, but I was only there one night.]

Paula and Joseph then told me that Movistar is the cheapest option. I knew that two other roommates, Steve and Nadia, had Movistar so I talked to them about it. They like Movistar, except for one thing: they have a certain amount of time to use their credit — anywhere from two weeks to a month — or they lose it. Ok, Movistar won’t work.

I settled on Tigo. I pay 10,000 pesos (about $5) for about 40 minutes and I keep my credit, even if I don’t use it right away. Most of my paísa friends have Tigo, so my money goes a lot further than if I had picked one of the other two providers.

I bought my phone at Los Molinos, the closest centro commercial with a Tigo store (the same place I recently took two new roommates to get a phone). I chose the cheapest phone possible, a basic LG that cost 60,000 pesos (about $34), something that allows me to call and text and receive voicemail, the only functions I really need. The phone comes with a one-year warranty.

Having a cell phone again has been handy. It’s easier to keep in touch with my friends here. I don’t have to be on the phone all the time either. Remember, my plan is pay-as-you-go. I often have no credit, so if I can’t call or text you back, that’s why. But let’s talk soon…

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Rivera is a Colombian singer, and this video was shot in Cartagena.

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Holly BASE jumping from a bridge

Last week, I learned the sad news that Holly Joan Brittsan, the first regular contributor here at Medellin Living, died as the result of a BASE jumping accident in Utah.

She was just 24 years old.

In mid-2009, as I was getting ready to leave Medellin for the USA, I made an open call for volunteer contributors, and Holly responded with great enthusiasm.

She already had plans to move down to Medellin, and we’d just miss meeting each other in person. It’d be her first time living outside the United States.

When I asked her to tell readers about herself, she wrote:

I graduated in May 2008 with a BS in Music Management.

I am a dancer, which means I’m always finding the most exciting nightlife.  My dance training is 20 years of classical ballet, with cross training in Tap and Jazz.

I actually don’t have much training in any ballroom type dances, which is one of the reasons I wanted to go to a South American country.

I’m a base jumper, and always looking for a good way to play with parachutes or get some adrenaline going.  I’m currently a music manager for some local bands, and I’m always looking for the best local music.

She was also fond of horseback riding, and was particularly impressed with the horses she found in Medellin.

Holly was not a novice when it came to skydiving and BASE jumping.

According to this profile, her first skydive was June 5, 2005 followed soon after by her first BASE jump July 16, 2005.

Her jump numbers list 195 skydives and 64 BASE jumps, but there’s no sign of when the site was last updated, so I have a feeling the numbers are actually higher.

She once wrote about the time she went BASE jumping in Medellin. It required climbing 24 flights of stairs up a building still under construction.

Here’s an excerpt:

I took two steps and launched myself from the building.  I waited a half a second, and then threw the pilot chute that would open my parachute.  As I waited for the rig to open, I stared at the ground rushing up at me.  I kept everything in position and kept solid.  The parachute opened with a crack, and I immediately turned into my landing pattern.  There wasn’t time to do anything else.

Two quick turns, and I was landing in front of Mario.  The police were a few feet away in the street, amazed.  I landed, waved at the police, and started putting my things away.  One officer came and took a picture of me.  I looked up to see the security guards on the parking level, obviously talking about the jump.

We quickly discussed where to wait for HP, but we looked over and saw him climbing down the ladder.  We piled in the car and went to have a nice 6:30AM breakfast on a beautiful Sunday morning. (Read the full version here)

Holly was well aware of the risks involved in her chosen sport, yet it didn’t make hearing about the deaths of her friends and peers any easier.

She wrote an especially poignant post about this reality in September 2009 after learning of several deaths within a short period of time.

On the practical side, she wrote about safety in Medellin and her Visa run to Venezuela.

She also tapped into the alternative stuff in Medellin I’d not explored, such as getting a tattoo at Envigado Ink.

Her most popular post in terms of readers (even now) is A Woman’s Guide to the Medellin Look.

By March 2009, after eight months of living in Medellin, she decided to take a job coaching gymnastics back in Utah.

I remember she was really excited about the opportunity to go back to the States and do something she loved.

My deepest condolences go out to Holly’s family and friends.

If you knew Holly, please share your thoughts of her in the comments below.

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Song: Mi Corazon Esta Muerto

Artist: RKM & Ken-Y

Genre: Reggaeton

Nationality: Puerto Rican

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My body hurts a little, but it’s a good kind of pain, the kind you get after doing something fun.

This time, it was horseback riding in Guarne, a small town just north of Rio Negro.

I had been looking forward to this trip for a few weeks, after my friend Mauro invited me. The cost was 65,000 pesos (about $34) and that included lunch, transportation and a horse.

I was wondering how the experience would be because 65,000 pesos is a lot of money here. It was even better than I expected.

Alejo, one of Mauro’s friends, organized a group of around 20 people to go, a group with lots of nice people. We met outside a dance studio in Barrio Colombia, filled two vans, then headed east.

I was a little groggy because I had just returned to the city from a finca in San Jerónimo, where we stayed up late drinking whiskey and beer. But I was excited. That gave me extra energy. I had not ridden a horse since I was a kid growing up in Hawaii.

We rented the horses at Cabalgatas Guarne, a place perched atop a hill with a gorgeous view of the town and the surrounding mountains, the kind of scene you might see in a pretty painting.

Salsa music was playing, so while we were waiting for lunch, a handful of people in the group started dancing, four pairs of people who were apparently familiar with each other because they seamlessly shifted from one dance partner to another, all while spinning and turning in between. This would become a trend.

(Editor’s note: this form of salsa dancing, where you switch partners, is called salsa rueda, or salsa casino.)

We had a delicious bandeja paísa for lunch as Alex Naranjo and the other Cabalgatas employees rounded up the horses. Mauro suggested we sneak out there and pick our horses early. I got a white one, average size, very tame.

The first part of the ride was through the town, where we saw beautiful old buildings and lots of friendly people waving to us.

Mauro had a bottle of Aguardiente and he handed it to me so I could take a shot. I don’t know why I drink it, why anyone drinks it. Guaro, as the paísas call it, doesn’t taste especially great — it’s like watered down Jagermeister. But it’s all part of embracing the paísa culture, I guess.

We were in the town, on the pavement, for only 10 minutes or so before we hit the trail. There was a quick stop in the foothills, at this little store where a woman was cooking comida tipica outside.

One of the girls took a bad step off the sidewalk and sprained her ankle, maybe even broke it. It looked like she had a baseball under her skin; it hurt me just to look at it. Alex, being the accommodating business owner he is, had one of his employees drive over to pick her up at the store.

The trail then took us up, up, up into the mountains. The view here was spectacular. We made another stop in these lush hills, at another small store.

Salsa music was playing so the same eight people put on a show. I danced too, but not with them. I’m not nearly good enough to do that. But I had fun dancing with a couple of the girls I had met on the trip.

Four hours later, we returned to Cabalgatas Guarne.

This bears repeating: four hours later.

Can you imagine what it would cost to rent a horse for four hours in the United States and ride a trail with a beautiful backdrop of green peaks?

Here, you pay only $18.

I assumed that the day was over, that we would jump in the vans and head back to the city. I was wrong.

We spent about another two hours there, drinking a little more, salsa dancing a lot more, and embracing the good life in Colombia.

The details to plan your own horseback riding trip in Guarne:

• Alex Naranjo
• Cabalgatas Guarne
• Tel: 562-3102, 551-3898
• Cel: 320-676-9867
• Email: alexandernaranjol@hotmail.com
• Facebook: CabalgatasGuarne

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Three straight weekends. That’s Halloween in Medellín.

The parties started the weekend before Halloween weekend. But I decided to forgo starting early. I was too busy.

With Halloween on a Monday and “ley seca” in effect the two days before because of the election, Friday was my target night for dressing up and partying hard.

But like I said, I had been busy. On the Wednesday leading up to the weekend, I walked from my Belén apartment to a store in Laureles, Carnaval & Fantasia.

They had hundreds of costumes, it was difficult to decide. I settled on being a marinero, a sailor.

This led to some good laughs because my friend Carlos, the owner of La Esquina de Basco, the restaurant on the first floor of my building, compared me to the member of “The Village People” who wore a similar costume.

“Y-M-C-A,” Carlos blurted, doing the motions, making everyone laugh.

Carlos busting my chops is nothing new. Anyone who looks at my Facebook page knows this.

So it’s no surprise he did it for Halloween, a time to laugh and have fun. And that’s what I did, although not exactly the way I expected.

The place to be on Friday night was Aqua, the nightclub at La Strada, a posh shopping center in Poblado.

Halloween costumes

I talked to my roommate about going with him and his girlfriend, but after going out the night before — and getting invited to a costume party Saturday night — I didn’t have the motivation. I was tired.

But Bruce said he and Julieth had a great time and showed me some pictures (one of them posted with this story).

The best costume: a guy dressed like a table with a bowl of fruit on top, around his head.

So Saturday night rolls around and I haven’t heard anything from my friend Lucas. I’m thinking, “Damn it. I paid 40,000 pesos to rent this costume and I might not even use it.”

I resigned myself to the fact that I might have to wait for weekend No. 3 to celebrate Halloween. The unexpected happened again.

Around 9, one my roommates told me there were people downstairs asking for me. It was Abuelo and Rafa, two of Lucas’s friends. They came to get me for the party. Turns out, the house was only three blocks from my place.

It was a good party, lots of people in costumes, one couple dressed like Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

And like almost any celebration in Medellín, there was lots of Guaro. They stocked up on it before 6 p.m., the start of ley seca or a prohibition on alcohol sales until 6 p.m. the following day.

I didn’t drink much. I just wanted to talk to my friends and meet new ones, which I did. It was a great time.

The next day, I returned my costume and got my 20,000 deposit back. I decided one weekend of Halloween was enough for me. But “the rumba must go on,” and a couple of my other roommates indulged on the last weekend of costume festivities.

Kristina, Rachel and their friend Barbara dressed up as Jagermeister, Sky Vodka and Red Bull, which, together, made them a Jager Bomb.

I didn’t see the costumes, haven’t seen the pictures. I heard their laughter from my room as they were preparing to leave for a party. It woke me up.

I thought about going out there to see the costumes up close, but then I let my head crash into my pillow and drifted back to sleep, to rest up before my next rumba.

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Our finca's pool in San Jerónimo

One of my roommates made Colombian coffee on a recent Saturday afternoon, to help us wake up after a long night. As we talked, I saw someone out of the corner of my eye standing in the doorway. It was my friend Juanes.

“I stopped by to invite you to a finca,” he said. “We just found out we can have it for the night.”

I hesitated. I still had homework to do. But then I realized that I can always do my homework Sunday night, and I shouldn’t pass up the chance to go to a beautiful vacation home in the countryside, especially when we were getting it practically for free.

Typically, it costs 550,000 pesos, or about $290, to stay from Saturday to Sunday. But Juanes is a marketing specialist for Fincas VIP, a company that rents out these vacation homes. It’s nice to know people like Juanes.

It was a beautiful drive to San Jerónimo, about an hour, with great views of the mountains northwest of Medellín.

We never stopped in the town. It looks nice, from the pictures I’ve seen, a small, quaint place with a little park somewhere in the town center. But we went straight to the finca, turning onto a little dirt road off the highway and down a steep hill, even crossing a shallow creek to get to the property.

The caretakers, who live there, opened the gates for us and we pulled up to a big house with white columns and a fancy pool. Take a look for yourself if you want to see more pictures.

You immediately notice the fresh air in the countryside. Although Medellín is possibly my favorite city ever, it is big enough that it can get smoggy.

I think that’s part of the reason paísas like fincas so much, to escape the city for a little while. Mauricio, or Mauro as we call him, told me this finca would sell for about $1 million.

I took a deep breath, strolled around the property, then went inside to find a bedroom — there were six to choose from — then I put on my board shorts and headed to the pool.

On one side of the pool, it was about 5 feet deep. On the other side, it was shallow enough to lie down. And in the middle, there was a bar with a terrace above it where we ended up at the end of the night.

After swimming, we went inside to eat. There is a kitchen, so you can cook your own food if you want, but we didn’t go grocery shopping.

Instead one of the caretakers went into town and got us chicken, potatoes and arepas. The chicken was grilled, the potatoes were baked and they were about the size of golf balls, the smallest potatoes I have ever seen.

And the arepas? Let me put it this way: I have never tasted an arepa I didn’t like. It was a delicious meal, like so many I have had here.

We played games after dinner, the first one called Sapito, requiring you to toss brass rings toward a large wooden box topped with holes, each one worth a different amount of points, ranging from 100 to 3,000. And if you somehow get a ring in the mouth of the brass frog at the back end of the box, well, you’re either very lucky or very talented, and whichever you are, you get 5,000 points.

There is also a Ping Pong table and a pool table too, although not the kind you expect to find at a billiards hall in the United States. The game here, billar, consists of only three balls, two white (one with a small red circle on it), one red. The object is to pick a ball and try to hit the other two with one try. You get a point each time you succeed. First one to 50 wins.

The only thing we were missing was music because, for some reason, the stereo was not working. But we ended up getting a good laugh out of the situation.

At one point, Mauro pulled out his Blackberry and played “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio. He said the song came with the phone.

After we heard it a few times, Mauro tried to find something else. It was Macy Gray, her song “I Try.” It was the other song that came with the phone.

Then Mauro put his phone down and it played three times in a row. At that point, I said, “We’re still listening to this?” Yes, yes we were.

The song made a quick cameo later, when Juanes used the phone to call his brother. Somehow, he started the song again, and we all started laughing with Juanes saying, “How the hell do I turn this thing off?”

When Juanes’ brother, his wife and two friends arrived, we retreated to the pool, to the terrace above the bar, and sat around talking and drinking. We were having so much fun we forgot to take pictures of ourselves. It happens, sometimes, when you’re staying at a beautiful finca.

By 2 a.m., I was ready to sleep. I had to be up in five hours. I was going on another adventure.

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Partying at Dali Rock

The place stands alone. It is not like most of the other bars and restaurants in Parque Lleras, which are clustered in the same area.

But Dali Rock is not to be missed.

I found Dali Rock on my first day in Medellín, when I was walking up and down the streets near the Art Hotel.

The bar caught my eye because I saw a sign above the entrance that read, “Boston.” That’s my mom’s hometown, and I’m a huge fan of their professional sports teams, mainly the Bruins and the Red Sox. Turns out, it was just an ad for cigarettes that the bar used to sell, but it was enough to draw me inside.

I immediately liked the atmosphere. It reminds me of those trendy lounges in the United States that have become so popular.

There are couches and tables and a long bar, and the lighting is perfect, bright enough that you can see everyone but muted enough to the point of comfort. There’s also a second room, which I have seen used as a dance floor.

The music is a mix of classic rock, everything from the Rolling Stones — my favorite band — to Pink Floyd, to more modern rock, such as Linkin Park and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It’s a good variety.

If you like shots, this is your place. There are so many different kinds, written on a blackboard behind the bar.

Of course, like most places in Medellín, you can get Aguardiente if you so choose. I tried Aguardiente for the first time here because the people sitting next to me offered me a shot. But typically, I stick to beer, mainly Aguila, which costs 4.500 pesos (only $2 or so).

The owners like to offer different themes too. Sometimes I get an invite on Facebook for an event called Pan y Vino (bread and wine). Other times, it’s Fiesta 80′s.

I went on a recent Thursday for a private party. I enjoyed talking to the people sitting next to me and practicing my Spanish with them. The Tigers-Yankees game was on the TV, so I was watching that too. I caught only the bottom of the ninth, with the Tigers up, 3-2, and cheered when the Yankees lost.

I explained to the people I was talking to that Red Sox fans don’t like the Yankees because of the long history between the teams. Then the conversation shifted to topics that ranged from traveling, to living in Medellín, as I had another beer, while Aerosmith played in the background.

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Song: Tengo Tu Love

Artist: Sie7e

Genre: Rock

Nationality: Puerto Rican

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Hanging out in Parque Lleras

The trip to Medellín just made the most sense. A roundtrip ticket from Washington, D.C., and a great deal on a hotel were too good to pass up.

Now I’m saying something similar, only this time I’m talking about staying for a long time.

After spending about a week in Medellín in May, I knew I wanted to move here. The friendly people, the perfect climate, the mix of a thriving urban culture and a neighboring beautiful countryside…that combination makes it the perfect place for me.

And the cost of living is very low. A city in the United States with all these amenities would be at least 10 times as much.

The trick is staying here. I’m working on getting a full-time job and a Visa, and I’m optimistic I’ll be able to find both. Time will tell, but I’m staying positive.

My goal is to have a well-rounded experience while I am here, to enjoy the big-city amenities such as the clubs and restaurants and museums, and the beautiful countryside getaways by relaxing at fincas or partaking in an outdoor activity such as horseback riding.

And I want to share these wonderful experiences with everyone reading this blog.

My hope is that you will find this informative and that it will motivate you to experience the Medellín area for yourself.

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Luckily, Itor remembered a place where his dad used to take him and his sisters more than 18 years ago and we were only a few blocks away.

We questioned its continued existence, but not for long.  It turns out the bowling alley has been open since 1981, and it still going strong.

When we got to the entrance of the bowling alley, we thought, this is going to be dead.

Who is going to be here on a Saturday afternoon?  It was quiet, a bit creepy and very isolated in barrio Floresta.

As we ascended the stairs, we started to hear some voices here and there, and then as we got even closer, we were in complete shock.  The noise was deafening, the alley was jam-packed with people in all sorts of sobriety levels, and the alley was huge.

I guess we got lucky and unlucky.  We came on a tournament day, which meant that there were hundreds of people in different teams, all wearing crazy Halloween style costumes.  As a result, there was no space for us to bowl.

But there was a 15-piece band, dressed in army uniforms, playing amazing music.  There were 5 horns, 3 drums, 2 pianos, 2 guitarists and 3 singers.  It felt like I was in the 1920‘s for a moment.  Unfortunately, I don’t think that part happens every day.

Besides bowling, they have air hockey, billiards, ice cream, a bar and a restaurant.

They are open 7 days a week, and bowling costs 5,500 COP (3 USD) a game. To rent shoes costs only 1,000 COP (.55 USD).

In other words, if you’re looking for a break from the usual routine in Medellin, it’s cheap fun!

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Song: Es Un Secreto

Artist: Plan B

Genre: Reggaeton

Nationality: Puerto Rican

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Inside La Esquina de Basco

La Esquina de Basco is a neighborhood restaurant on the ground floor of the International House Medellin.

Opened and operated by Joel, who also rents out the apartments in the building he renovated himself, La Esquina offers an excellent menu that mixes up both traditional Colombian fare with Mexican, Italian, and pizzas.

Due to its prime location across the street from the Unidad de Deportiva de Belen (sports park), you’re as likely to see Colombians eating here after basketball games as you are the foreigners living on the floors above.

The restaurant also acts as a gathering place. Last year, I joined Joel and friends in La Esquina before we all headed off to celebrate Halloween at Mango’s Discoteca.

Later, in December, we met up again for a chiva tour of the Christmas lights in the valley.

BBQ Pollo pizza

But back to the food. As you can see above, I was all about the giant, cheesy pizzas. The crust is key to a good pizza, and the cooks at La Esquina deliver good ones. Not too thick, and not too thin, just the way I like it. A personal pizza costs 8,000 – 9,000 pesos ($4 – 5), while a full one is double that.

Other entrees include hamburgers, burritos, chicken sandwiches, chicken salads, and a variety of carne dishes.

The menus of the day are also worth considering. Mondays feature Ajiaco, my favorite, while Fridays are the classic Bandeja Paisa, and Sundays feature the hearty Sancocho soup.

An Aguila beer costs 1,600 pesos (84 cents), and a soda will run you 1,200 (63 cents).

La Esquina de Basco is open from 12 PM to 8 PM daily.

Buen provecho!

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Song: Atrevete Te Te

Artist: Calle 13

Genre: Reggaeton

Nationality: Puerto Rican

Notes: Atrevete Te Te by Calle 13 wasn’t the first reggaeton song I ever heard (that was Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina in Costa Rica, cerca 2005), however it was a close second. I remember seeing the video on MTV when it first came out.

Little did I know at the time, it’s based on a Colombia cumbia beat (at least according to Wikipedia).  Needless to say, Calle 13 is quite popular in Colombia.

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Manizales, Colombia

I have been studying with a private tutor, reading books, listening to the radio, watching movies and attempting conversations with several people at my job, but nothing was about to prepare me for the 10 hours per day of Spanish I was about to encounter at my 5-day Spanish-speaking doula course in Manizales.

But, as luck has it, my course happens to be the same week as the 33^rd International Theater Festival where the streets are the setting and the people the actors.

This festival has been my only relief from wanting to bash in my head every night before going to bed knowing that I have another 10 hours of understanding almost nothing the next day.

The festival consists of mini and grand theater projects from all over the world including Spain, Venezuela, USA, Italy, Mexico, Holland, Brasil, Guatemala, Argentina, Uruguay, Honduras, Salvador, Australia, Japan, Chile, Ecuador and China.

The performances have been taking place in universities, museums, local theatres, cultural centers, the cable car stop, parks and throughout the streets.

Shows run from 9 – 11 in the morning until 9 – 11 at night, and have a wide variety of themes, settings and costumes.

Park in downtown Manizales

And it doesn’t hurt that the backdrop is Manizales, one of the most beautiful cities I have been to in Colombia.

The city is nestled in the mountains, with streets running through it as quaint as San Francisco with restaurants, stores, museums and street kiosks as cool as NY’s village.

It also doesn’t hurt that the men are delicious and everyone is super friendly, even more-so than Medellín which I thought was impossible.

The weather is hot during the day and cool to cold at night.

Its absolutely perfect here, with everything one can desire for a nice little vacation from your vacation or to stay for a little bit longer to get more acquainted with the people and their culture.

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The girls handing out shots at Antioquia Mia

The day seemed like any other, at first. But this is Medellín. Something fun is always lurking.

I went to happy hour with a couple of friends and we split a bottle of Aguardiente.

About an hour or so later, I returned home, where my roommate was waiting for me because he had just scored two tickets to Antioquia Mía, a fashion show at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, only a few blocks from our place.

We arrived to the Coliseo to find beautiful women outside giving out free shots. What kind of shots? I have no idea. All I know is they were colorful and sweet and I don’t care for sweet liquor. I limited myself to two. Bruce indulged a little more.

Then we went inside to take our seats. About 2,000 people showed up for the event — invitations were given out on a limited basis, and we were lucky to get two of them.

A few of the fashion design students sitting next to us

Bruce and I chatted with some girls sitting next to us who are studying fashion design and hoping that beautiful models will some day be wearing their clothes.

But on this night, the aspiring designers looked to Beatriz Camacho, Lina Cantillo and Juan Pablo Socarrás for inspiration. All three are apparently quite famous in Colombia. Just check Google.

About an hour and a half from the time the doors opened, the show was ready to begin. We all got quiet as most of the lights dimmed and the music started.

One after another, models strutted from one end of the runway to the other. It was one of those Medellín moments, where you pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming.

If I had to guess, I’d say that 80 percent of the outfits looked pretty fashionable, while the rest were either too ostentatious or just plain strange.

Of course, I’m no expert on fashion design. But to me, it’s like art. I like what I like, I don’t like what I don’t like. Hardly a professional opinion, but I’m still entitled to one, right?

The only really surprise was that the show was so short. First there were the female models, then the male models, and then the females again. I think only half an hour passed.

When the lights went on, I looked at one of the girls sitting next to me and said, “That’s it?”

Regardless, it was a great time, experiencing the paísa culture and enjoying the conversation we had with the people sitting next to us.

On the walk home, Bruce and I had a discussion that we’ve had many times before.

We are very lucky to live in Medellín. It’s paradise.

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Many places that have been reviewed are joints that can be considered “hot spots”.  Clubs where you can find attractive women, salsa dancing, fancy food that tastes OK, but costs a fortune and listen to live music.

But this is where the upscale locals go, or the Colombians who are trying to be upscale, seen, heard and picked up.

Sometimes though, you just want to go to a little hole-in-the-wall bar where not everyone feels the need to dress to impress, spend a fortune for nothing or is trying to get a date (or a husband).  Sometimes, you just want to toss back a beer in your jeans and t-shirt, and then another and another and still spend less than a metro ride (maybe that was a bit of a sarcasm).

Last Saturday night I did just that.  My boyfriend and I were with a few of his friends from college in Laureles.  We were driving around looking for somewhere to go since none of us like to frequent Parque Lleras, or spend time in Poblado.

Then, Fede suddenly screeched the car to the right, and passed over two lanes to land in front of this hole-in-the-wall bar, literally a hole.

We climbed out and while I was curious as to the sanity of these people, I followed them to a small table right outside one of the two entrances.

The place was so tiny, it only had 3 tables inside in order to make room for an even smaller dance floor.  The outside walls were bright green with a painted brick decoration, and the interior walls were bright blue.

They had no food, so Fede and Aleja went next door to the street vendor and brought back massive bowls filled with French fries, potatoes, hot dogs, salami, chicken and any other type of meet you can think of.  Of course we were able to eat it there since they weren’t offering any food, just booze.

Then Fede invited me for a dance, as Porro came on, and everyone else who was sitting outside drinking and getting drunk got up to dance as well.

In between DJ-ed songs that were poorly mixed and sometimes stopped abruptly in the middle of a song when no one was responding to it, people went back to their tables to drink some more.

At most, there were 12 people there and everyone was relaxed, enjoying themselves and un-concerned about those around them.

We constantly requested songs which not only my table but everyone around us sang with sheer delight into their beer bottles.

For once, I felt like I was in an environment where people were there just to enjoy themselves and their present company.

Not to mention, I had a better time there then anywhere I have been so far in Medellin.

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Song: Como Tu No Hay Dos

Artist: DJ Buxxi

Genre: Merengue

Nationality: Colombian

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Song: Sexo, Sudor y Calor

Artist: J Alvarez ft. Nejo & Dalmata

Genre: Reggaeton

Nationality: Puerto Rico

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If you just got to Medellín or have been living here and feel like you need a little change of home décor, the Home Center is the place to go.  It has everything you need in one massive building from cups and plates to carpets and paint.

Seriously, I haven’t had this much fun shopping since I went to Ikea for my college dormitory furniture!  And, this stuff is nicer, and you don’t have to put it together.

The Home Center is the Home Depot of Colombia.

While its not as cheap as say, shopping in Centro, it saves you time, haggling and is much less chaotic.

They have an outdoor patio furniture area, nursery area, bathroom and kitchen area, and bedroom and living room area as well as tools, tiles, paints, and thats just the beginning.  Plus, everything can be exchanged if it doesn’t fit or look right.

They will also help you find a taxi or they can deliver things to your home.  And, it is cheaper then what you may find in the malls or boutique shops.

How to begin?

The first thing I did was to find someone who would be my shopping guide, since I had no idea where anything was.  Thank you Juan Carlos.

Juan Carlos was so patient with me as I tried to describe in Spanish what I was looking for and the measurements I needed in feet.  That was a bit more challenging.  He showed me the different sizes, styles and fabrics of curtains and then the variety of rods I could use to hang the curtains and how to actually hang them.

After some time he called over some of his co-workers to help me with my Spanish conversational skills.  When that was an obvious failure, we got back to work, and he took me through the many carpets, and then over to the paints.

And, when I didn’t buy anything after all that (I had to run back to Spanish class) he was still happy to have worked with me, and told me to find him next time I stop by!

So, the next day I did go back with a friend, and while Juan Carlos wasn’t there, one of the other guys I spoke with was. He remembered exactly what I came to get. Within minutes, I had a carpet cut, rolled, and wrapped and I was waiting for a taxi downstairs.

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There are several Home Centers located in Medellin, including one at San Juan Calle 44 #65-100, and another along Avenida Las Vegas, a few blocks north of the Poblado metro station.

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Manny Mania Colombia 2011 from SkateCol on Vimeo.

Manny Mania en la Ciudad de Medellin, Colombia.
Una Produccion de On Board Shop y SkateCol.com
Camara y Edicion: Andres Contreras
Red Bull Manny Mania 2011

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This skate video was shot at Parque de las Luces in downtown Medellin.

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Restaurant Herbario in Poblado, owned by two long-time friends by the name of Carlos, who are also the owners of Bonuar near the Museum of Modern Art was an experience unlike any I have had thus far in Medellín.

The restaurant with its tall ceilings, clean lines, floor-to-ceiling wine walls and wooden tables, also had a second floor overlooking the dining area.  Before our meal even began, 2 massive glass windows on the second floor opened up and the restaurant’s band began playing some great background music with their 2 guitarists and a pianist.

Herbario also has some interesting facts about it that sets it apart from other restaurants around the world.

First, it supports the deaf culture by inviting deaf interns to learn how to be in a kitchen and be part of a cooking team.

Second, it pays fishermen a fixed rate to fish for their tuna with rods, rather than nets, to keep the tuna from bruising before they get to the restaurant.

But, I have to admit, I didn’t try the food there even though I heard it was excellent. Instead, I was there for an event they host every few months called De Ida y Vuelta.

This is a brilliant plan that was put together by the Carlos’ to bring all of Colombia to Medellín, especially since many paisas don’t have the time or money to visit the rest of the country.

Basically, Herbario chooses a few of the best chefs and restaurants throughout Colombia and invites them: the chef, his cooks, their food and their equipment, to come to Medellín for one day and share their cuisine.

The chef prepares a tasting menu of his best dishes and a sommelier is brought in to match each dish with the perfect wine.

Herbario houses about 80 people, and there is usually only 1 seating for the day.  During this time, all guests are served at the same time and are introduced to the food and wines by the chef himself, and the sommelier.

This past Saturday I went for the cuisine of Astrid and Gaston, a Peruvian restaurant.  This restaurant in Colombia is also the only one that is not run by a Peruvian chef, and he is considered one of Colombia’s best chefs, Francisco Rodriguez.

On the menu, he offered shrimp, tuna, cow, pig and his famous dessert, Mango Ravioli with a chocolate cake.  With it was paired sweet wines, dry wines and red wines.

The seating cost 200,000 COP ($111 USD) per person and everyone was waited on hand and foot.

Because the preparation takes places in the moment, and 80 guests need to be served at the same time, the chef and sommelier went into discussion abut the cooking process, ingredients and general love for food in between meals.

The meal lasted about 5.5 hours and every minute was spectacular.

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Song: Sin Compromiso

Artist: J Balvin

Genre: Reggaeton

Nationality: Colombia

Notes: This video was shot in several locations around Medellin, including a variety of upscale hotels, including the Hotel Intercontinental and Hotel San Fernando Plaza in Poblado.

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Bandeja Paisa (photo: by Cvanda)

Most holidaymakers fall in love with Colombian cuisine after a few days in the country. Typical dishes include everything from Ajiaco, a soup made from chicken and avocado, to fried ants which are eaten in some remote north-eastern areas of the country (although many Colombians from elsewhere wouldn’t fathom eating such things!). However, it’s dishes such as Bandeja Paisa – a plate consisting of grilled steak, chorizo sausages, fried pork rind, red bean rice and topped off with a fried egg – and empanadas – stuffed pastries filled with beef, chicken or cheese and rice and coriander – that often prove to be a favorite with the tourists.

There a several places in Medellin where you can learn to recreate some of Colombia’s most popular dishes. The INSARC runs occasional courses on Colombian cookery, whilst IPSA run a course which pairs learning to speak Spanish with Colombian cooking lessons. The informative course can stretch from a week to a month and consists of fifteen lessons per week. Students are taken to typical Antioquenan restaurants and taught to cook under the guidance of local chefs.

Students taking the course should consider staying in one of Medellin’s rental apartments or cheap hotels with self-catering facilities, such as Egina or the Estelar Apartmentos, so that they can practice recreating the dishes on their own in the evenings.

Coffee beans (photo: by Edans)

While the food in Colombia can be fantastic, the country is best known for its coffee. The most popular brand in the country is Juan Valdez. However, many of the locals still like to drink their coffee in the traditional pool halls, where it always served with a china cup and saucer.

One of Colombia’s smaller coffee plantations, Fredonia, is located just a short distance away from Medellin. Travellers can take a tour to the region with an English-speaking guide through the company Tours by Locals. The company can arrange pick up from many hotels in Medellin then drive 34km south of the city to the thriving coffee farm.

Coffee Beans (photo: US Fish and Wildlife Service)

The trip begins with a brief overview of the many processes that take place when coffee is harvested. Afterwards there’s the option of taking a horse-riding tour up to Cerro Bravo, where a traditional Colombian lunch will be served. A tour around the local area takes place after lunch where travellers will visit sights of interest such as the bullring, before being taken over to the coffee mill to sample some of Columbia’s finest delights.

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This was a sponsored post, which enables me to continue bringing you entertaining travel stories and practical travel tips from Colombia.

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Medellín is one of the most popular cities for backpackers in Colombia. Full to the brim with things to do and see, it’s clean, sunny and has some of the warmest (and best-looking) people in the world. For some people, however, this just isn’t good enough.

If you’re fed up with smelly backpackers, bored of constantly spotting sandal-wearing blonde people wandering gormlessly through the streets, exacerbated at being asked where you’ve been on your trip, you might want to think about what else Medellín has to offer.

We’ve looking out for you and found some free/cheap less known things to do or enjoy.

Cementerio San Pedro

Visit Cementerio San Pedro

(Carrera 51 #68 – 68)

It’s strange that Recoleta in barrio Buenos Aires has such a global reputation, when the tradition of ‘graveyard cities’ is very much alive in other South American countries, too, especially in Colombia.

Medellín’s own elaborate final resting place for those deemed worthy is called Cementerio San Pedro, and is ‘home’ to many politicians, wealthy families and some of Colombia’s most important historical figures.

And if you are there on the night of a full moon, be sure to go there for a night tour or enjoy the live concerts that take place while sipping a beer. Spooky.

Entrance to Jardin Botanico

Have lunch at Café Del Bosque, Jardin Botanico

(Calle 73 # 51)

Fed up of the crowds? Head down to Café Del Bosque in the city’s botanical gardens and you can enjoy a range of coffees, juices and snacks among one of Medellin’s more tranquil parks.

It’s also a great place to take a date, or even a Camus book as you relax and contemplate your contempt for other people and the absurdity of existence.

Carlos E Restrepo Park

Have drinks at Parque Carlos Restrepo

(Carrera 64B & Calle 50)

A favorite with students and intellectuals, Parque Carlos Restrepo is a small area where you can relax on the grass or benches and drink beer.

Perfect for an early evening with friends, it’s a great atmosphere and somewhere you’ll definitely be able to interact with the locals.

What’s your favorite tip for getting off the beaten track in Medellin?

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Pole dancing not only allows a woman to get an amazing workout from arms and abs to glutes and calves, but it helps guide a woman towards her inner animal, sexy animal that is.

Between the hair flipping and full body rolls, learning how to balance on the pole, climb the pole and spin around the pole, the experience proves to be quite challenging and exciting.

I checked out a few places for pole dancing before I landed at Pin-Up Girls.  While it was a real pain in the glutes to take my first class, it was well worth it in the end.

But the school didn’t allow me to take a sample class so I didn’t know if I would like it.  I had to buy a series of classes to get a better price, and I had to do this by going to the bank and depositing money to the school. FYI – bank lines are unforgiving at any time of day in Colombia.

Next, I had to take a beginner class on a Saturday so they could see my level, and teach me the basic positions of pole dancing which would be the foundation steps for the rest of the movements.  Then they called me and gave me a set time every week to take class.

Classes are offered Monday through Saturday from 6 AM to 8:30 PM.

Despite the hassles, it was well worth it.  The building itself is adorable, while a little inconveniently placed.  It has pink and white striped walls with cute photos hanging all over.

And, they have a little shop on the bottom where they sell the most adorable panties and other booty clothes for taking class in.  Then, you head upstairs to a huge room with a wall lined with mirrors, and about 12 poles.  This is where the magic happens.

While I haven’t seen any men taking class, there is no rule saying men can’t join in the fun.  Think about it…

Monthly Classes

• 1 class a week is 85,000 COP ($47 USD)
• 2 classes are 150,000 COP ($84 USD)
• 3 classes are 220,000 COP ($123 USD)
• 4 classes are 270,000 COP ($151 USD)

Plus, you can buy classes on a three-month basis and get a better deal.

Pin-Up Girls also offer classes in Jazz, hip-hop, contortion, sexy dance, cardio, chair dance, bio-fitness, Tribal dance and Arabic.

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A video by Gareth of Tourist2Townie.com showing Un Dia En La Vida (A Day In The Life) in Medellin, Colombia.

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Main plaza in Santa Fe de Antioquia. (photo: David Lee)

Falling in love with Colombia and its people is easy, staying here is a little more difficult.

Unless you want to visit the DAS office every month, the best way to stay in Colombia is to study, or work.

With a student visa, you need to find a university to study Spanish or another subject area, and then pay for your classes first.  Most schools require that you pay for half the classes you desire.

So, if you want to study for three months, you have to pay for a month and a half in advance.  And, if you want to study for more than 3 months, you have to pay more money for your visa because you also have to pay to receive a celula.

Other then that, the process is fairly easy.  The school can usually help you find someone to receive your passport and other documents in Bogota, bring your papers to the Embassy and then ship it back to you within 3 days.  Again, at an additional cost.

On the other hand, I have read a few blogs about the difficulties of getting a job in Colombia and the visa associated with it.  Maybe I was just lucky, but within a week of coming to Colombia, I was hired at a well-known private school along with 2 other Americans.

The school took care of almost everything required to get me a work visa in Colombia, including paying for all the expenses, like sending me to Panama for 2 nights, the hotel room, extra spending money, and taxis to and from the airports.

They set up an appointment with the consulate for me and provided me with all the paperwork I needed to apply for a work visa in Colombia, except for the apostilized diplomas.  This had to be done in New York, and was apparently quite a hassle according to my parents from who I had to request their services for the task.

The only thing left for me to do is go to the DAS office for my celula.

Required Paperwork

1. Three 3 x 3 photos on white background
2. Passport with at least 2 blank pages
3. Copy of passport: information page and last page used
4. Diplomas of Universities (needs an apostile – which is a hassle in and of itself)
5. Contract from the job, provided by the company
6. “Solicitud de visa” form SC-FO-15, provided by the company
7. Certification of legal representation, provided by the company

Another incorrect statement I found online:  “If you are thinking about working as a teacher and you want a work visa you will need a teaching qualification. This rule is quite new. So, no teaching qualification, no work visa as a teacher.”

This is not true, as I do not have a teacher certification and I was just hired 3 weeks ago.  However, I have taught for a year in Peru which helped me during the hiring process.

Fees

• $205 for the visa
• $25 processing
• $50 for the appointment

And, it is important to bring currency in the country you are going to.

My job gave me Colombian Pesos to use in Panama, but they didn’t accept them, and I had to change money at a very poor exchange rate, losing money for my school.

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Do You Know Jack? Launch Party from Jack Media on Vimeo.

Before leaving Medellin, I attended the launch party for Jack Magazine, formerly known as The Arepa, and they released a video from the event.

Congrats to Robin, Jeff and their team for continuing to put out a high quality magazine covering the fashion, music, art and culture of Colombia.

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Paisa beer is really Pilsen. The beer company changes their can and bottle designs every year for La Feria de las Flores.

No matter how much Spanish you learned in 10th grade, or how long you’ve lived in a South American city, when you pick up and travel to a new place, you will be confronted with new sayings and phrases particular to that country, region, city and culture.

Here’s some key paisa slang you’ll hear friends saying to one another in Medellin:

(Como estas) Bien o no?

How are you?

No veo la hora de llegar a mi casa

I can’t wait to get home.

Estoy salado

I’m unlucky (salty like a fish).

Ay primo hermano!

What’s up friend

Estar a un pelo

To be really close to something or to be a hair away from something.

e.g., Marce esta a un pelo de la boleta de libertad.   Marce is so close to freedom.

Estar en sus cabalas

To be rational, use your wits.

e.g., El no esta en sus cabalas.  He is not of right mind.

Sin mas ni que

Like it was nothing.

Ir a la fija

To be really sure, something that is fixed.

e.g., Will Camilo be late? Si, a la fija!   Yeah, of course, he is always late!

Ni mas faltaba

No way!  Don’t even think about it.

Estoy enguayabado

I am hungover, taken from the guayaba fruit.

No cabe en la ropa

When someone is full of himself or egotistical they say that he cannot fit into his clothes.

What’s your favorite paisa slang?

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El Paisa Es El Rey (The Paisa is King) by John Jairo Perez is my latest musical propaganda discovery on YouTube. The number of songs professing the awesomeness of Medellin and the paisas who call it home cannot be ignored!

It all reminds me of the songs about another great city: “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra, and “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z.

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September will mark the first doula course ever to be held in Colombia.  One course will be held in Bogota, and the other in Manizales.

Soon there will be doulas in Colombia to add to the list of countries that are already practicing this past time.

What is a Doula?

A doula is “a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.”

A Birth Doula (per DONA International)

• Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
• Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
• Stays with the woman throughout the labor
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decision
• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers
• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s memory of the birth experience
• Allows the woman’s partner to participate at his/her comfort level

Why Use a Doula in Colombia?

In big cities, women in labor are assisted by technology and a team of health professionals. This biomedical tendency in modern obstetrics has meant the loss of the traditional companion, intimate and private, leading the laboring woman into a more passive role, almost of submission.

Doulas help to bring the birthing process back to a more natural approach, while still understanding the importance of using the latest scientific discoveries when needed.

While many clinics in Colombia do not yet support Doulas, or even know about them, the new and growing community of Doulas hopes to quickly spread the message about the importance of their work in order to provide women with a greater educational and emotional support system.

As Doulas become more well known and received, this post will be updated with information on how to contact a local doula in Colombia.

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The new video Tu Olor by Wisin & Yandel was shot in Cartagena, Colombia.

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Birdseye view of UPB campus.

Medellín offers a variety of Spanish classes for foreigners throughout the city, and amongst different types of groups and organizations.  Below is a list of  schools and websites that have helped me choose the one best for me.

Free Language Exchange

UPB Conversational Classes

Every day from 2 – 4 PM.  Location varies between 2 different buildings, 6 and 12 and classrooms.  Speak with Gustavo, the Director of the language center at UPB in Buliding 6.  Remember to bring an ID with you to get onto the campus.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is a great website to help you manage in Colombia, meet new friends, see what’s new, where people are going, find a place to stay AND have free el intercambio de idiomas.  Free language exhanges usually take place on Wednesday or Thursday evenings in a very relaxed environment, like at a park or pub.  People get together, eat, drink and talk.

Spanish Classes

Three major universities offer Spanish classes, as well as help you get a Student Visa to allow you to stay in the country for up to 6 months at a time.

UPB

Has an expanding language center run by Gustavo Jaramillo Cardona (Gustavo.jaramillo@upb.edu.co, 574-354-4564).  They have 14 levels of Spanish classes and offer group classes at 17,000 COP ($9), semi-private 26,000 COP ($14) and private lessons 44,000 COP ($24).

The drawback is that there are not enough students to offer group classes at every level.  As I’m writing this post, they only have enough students for level 3 and level 8 so everyone must fit into one of these levels or wait until more students come.

University of Antioquia  

Recently cut back on their Spanish as a foreign language department and currently only offer private classes for about 44,000 COP ($24).

EAFIT

Offers 4 levels of Spanish programs with 12 courses in total, with no more than 8 students in each class.

All three universities offer assistance with finding housing, getting a student visa, and providing orientation to Colombian culture through the ability to sit in on certain classes for no credit.

Furthermore, there are many language centers that offer English, German, French, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese as well as Spanish for foreigners.  Many of them can be found by browsing the web.

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At the start of 25th annual El Desfile a Caballo in Medellin, Colombia.

Every year, El Desfile A Caballo (Horse Parade) helps kick off La Feria de las Flores in Medellin.

My first horse parade was in 2010, and I had no idea what was going on, but I loved the atmosphere.

6,000 horses were walking through the streets, while thousands of Colombians and curious tourists partied and looked on along the parade route.

Getting into the action at Medellin's annual Cabalgata.

This year, I knew what to expect, and met up with Troy and Marcello at the Aguacatala metro station, near the start (and end) of the parade route.

I was retracing my steps from 2010, except this time, I was almost immediately propositioned to mount a horse. Troy and Marcello egged me on, and eventually I climbed into the saddle, to the delight of the mostly Colombian crowd.

I’ve been horseback riding a few times in Colombia, including to La Cueva del Esplendor in Jardin earlier this year, but this was different. I felt like everyone was watching…and they were!

There aren’t a lot of gringos who mount up for El Desfile A Caballo.

La Cabalgata features plenty of paisa women, in addition to the men.

After a few minutes turning the horse in circles, I dismounted and thanked the man for offering me a ride.

We then continued to trace the parade route, stopping from time to time to drink a beer, eat some empanadas, and snap some photos.

I kept a tight grip on my camera the whole time, considering my Blackberry had been stolen by a pickpocket at last year’s horse parade.

There were enough pretty paisas on horseback to keep any guy's attention.

We walked as far north as the Poblado metro station over the course of 2-3 hours.

I was feeling tired pretty early, so I walked home from there, leaving Marcello and Troy to continue enjoying the one-of-a-kind atmosphere.

In addition to the horses, there are floats as well, like this one featuring the little people of Mango's Discoteca.

Colombian soldiers patrol the area, ensuring everyone can enjoy the parade, and cotton candy.

A group of Colombian men rock out along the parade route.

During La Feria de las Flores, paisas wear traditional woven vueltiao hats, a national symbol of Colombia.

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Salsa dancing (photo by: Troy Floyd)

Colombian nightlife revolves around music and dancing.  Reggaeton may be increasingly popular, but salsa still rules the airwaves, buses, bars, and crossover clubs.  Salsa dancing’s appeal spans generations, and you’re just as likely to see an 18-year old dancing salsa as a 50-year old. Learn salsa in Medellin, and you’ll learn to appreciate the culture on a whole new level.

I began taking salsa lessons soon after I arrived in 2009 through a studio in Patio Bonito. I started out with group lessons, supplemented by the occasional private lesson.

That’s how I met Yamile, and I quickly found I enjoyed my lessons with her more than the other instructor.  We even ran into each other at the 2009 Colombia Salsa Congress, where she immediately invited me to sit with her and her friends.

When I returned in 2010, I began taking weekly private lessons with Yamile once again.  At about 24,000 pesos ($14) per hour, they were far more affordable than private lessons in the States, which usually start at $50/hour.

In early 2011, Yamile, along with her Venezuelan teaching partner, opened their own dance school, Baila Latino, in Poblado.

The cost of private salsa lessons is the same, and they also offer instruction in all forms of Latin dance, including: salsa casino, tango, merengue, bachata, and paso doble. In addition to classes, Yamile also organizes social dance events. I heard that over 200 people attended the last event at a club in Centro this past June.

I’ve been salsa dancing for two and a half years, and while I’ve received some group instruction at bars in the US, I attribute most of the patterns and combinations in the video below to my classes with Yamile.

She’s got a passion for dance, and dance instruction, which makes taking classes with her a lot of fun.

And don’t just take my word for it. Benny the Irish Polyglot took classes with her daily during his stay in Medellin last year. You can see some of what he learned in this video.

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Lingerie models

Every July, sexy Colombian models show off the latest designer trends at Colombiamoda, the country’s annual fashion week. Medellin is the epicenter of Colombia’s textile and manufacturing industries, and therefore it’s also the home to modeling schools, agencies, and many top models.

This year, Troy and I returned to check out the scene, along with Marcello. You may recall Troy’s 2010 photo essay of sexy models on Go Backpacking, or a second set of photos showcasing Colombia’s fashion models on this blog.

My informal, and totally unscientific survey of 2011 models indicated most were paisas. Enjoy!

Another shot of those two sexy lingerie models.

She's got legs.....

Most of the Colombian models were baring flat stomachs like this paisa.

We recognized two of these three bikini models from last year.

This lingerie designer from Bogota also enjoyed playing the part of model.

A Colombian model looking sexy in silver.

A pair of cute bikini models.A pair of cute bikini models.

This paisa model had the best smile of the day.

She also had the best body!

Until 2012...

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Vallenato singer Jorge Celedon played an outdoor concert to kick of the 2011 Feria de las Flores in Medellin. He no doubt performed La Invitacion, which is as the title suggests, is an invitation for people to visit Colombia, and explore its cities, culture and landscapes.

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The colors, smells, flavors and textures of the fruits that flourish in this rich area are not to be missed.

Here are some of my favorites:

Cherimoya

Cherimoya (Photo: little blue hen)

It has a green exterior that looks like it is covered with soft thumb prints, same interior as the guanabana. The fruit is fleshy and soft, sweet, white in color, with a sherbert-like texture.

Some characterize the flavor as a blend of banana, pineapple, papaya, peach and strawberry. Others describe it as tasting like commercial bubblegum. Mark Twain called the cherimoya “the most delicious fruit known to men.”

Granadilla

Granadilla (photo: quinet)

Hard, round, usually orange exterior best eaten by using your fingernails to crack the skin, then sucking the snot-like crunchy seeds out from the inside.  If you can get past the visual, it’s incredible.

Guanabana

Guanabana (photo: clandestino_20)

Massive green fruit with soft thorn-like pieces covering it.  The inside is a white fleshy substance with black/brown seeds.

Its flavor has been described as a combination of strawberry and pineapple with sour citrus flavor notes contrasting with an underlying creamy flavor reminiscent of coconut or banana. The Guanabana tree is a miraculous, natural, cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than Chemo.

Guava

Brazilian Guava (photo: keetr)

Guava fruit generally have a pronounced and typical fragrance, similar to lemon rind but less sharp.

Guava pulp may be sweet or sour, off-white to deep pink, with the seeds in the central pulp of variable number and hardness, depending on species.

Lulo

Lulo fruit and juice (photo: Luna sin estrellas)

Looks like and feels like a small orange tomato.  The fruit has a citrus flavor, sometimes described as a combination of rhubarb and lime. The juice of the lulo is almost always used as a drink since it is usually too strong in flavor to eat.

Mamoncillo

Mamoncillo (photo: iguana_box)

The fruit, somewhat like a cross between a lychee and a lime, has a tight and thin, but rigid layer of skin, traditionally cracked by the teeth.  They grow on a branch like grapes and are green in color.

Maracuya (aka Passion Fruit)

Maracuya (photo: Vic Lic)

Similar appearance to the granadilla, interior and exterior.

(Dave here, this is my favorite fruit in Colombia. I especially like it in juice form.)

Pitahaya

Pitahaya (photo: pellesten)

Cactus fruit which are sour and refreshing with a juicier flesh and stronger taste.  The fruit must be cut to get to the fleshy center which is eaten together with its black crunchy seeds.

Tomate de Arbol

Tomate de Arbol (photo: Luna sin estrellas)

An egg-shaped edible fruit that looks like a tomato. The flesh of the tomate de arbol is tangy and variably sweet, with a bold and complex flavor, and may be compared to kiwifruit, tomato, guave or passion fruit. The skin and the flesh near it have a bitter taste and are not usually eaten raw but in juices with cinnamon.

Uchuva

Uchuva (photo: Mataparda)

Its most notable feature is the inflated, papery calyx enclosing each berry. Inside the skin is the tart, tangy, cream pulp (technically the seed coat), which is sucked by putting the whole fruit inside the mouth. It is bright orange and sweet when ripe but can be extremely sour and face-puckering also.

Zapote

Zapotes (photo: leoncillo sabino)

This unusual fruit is round with a rough brown skin. The pale orange inside also has a slightly rough texture and a sweet, malty taste. There are a few large black seeds but they are easy to remove.

Head to any of the local fruit markets to get the freshest and cheapest variety of these exotic fruits, or try them in juice form from street vendors and restaurants. They are much more refreshing and revitalizing then coffee, or cheese bread.

Or, if you visit the coast, you can find many of these fruits hanging from the trees, waiting for you to pick and eat them fresh.

What’s your favorite Colombian fruit?

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Me Voy Para Medellin by El Combo de las Estrellas is the unofficial anthem of the annual Feria de las Flores.

The chorus of “me voy para Medellin a la Feria de las Flores” translates as “I’m going to Medellin for the Flower Festival” and the song and video are filled with references to the city and paisa culture.

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Outside The End Discoteca in barrio Colombia.

The End Discoteca is another in a long string of new reggaeton-specific clubs to open in barrio Colombia.

It lies figuratively, and physically, between Luxury and Prizma. All three clubs play similar music, are packed with pretty girls, and offer good drink service, so it’s mostly the door policies, floor plans, and capacities that differentiate the three.

Also, based on my experience, you’re much more likely to see foreigners in Luxury than Prizma or The End, which is probably because the latter two are situated on side streets, whereas Luxury occupies a highly visible corner location on Calle 43G.

Inside The End Discoteca

My first visit to The End Discoteca was with Team Medellin, otherwise known as Marcello, his young American friend Jack, Brendan, and Aussie Tim (just back from a stint of work in Angola). I met up with them around midnight on a Saturday. I think the cover was 15,000 pesos ($8).

The main floor is an open rectangular space with tables and stools. Because dancing to reggaeton involves little more space than is required to stand up against your partner, the setup in clubs like this is fine with me. In fact, it makes breaking the ice with people at nearby tables a little easier.

Running the length of the club on each side are VIP sections.

From right: Marcello, Ivon, and I

We all had a fun night out, and I would definitely return to The End again.

Luxury is a little too cramped, and Prizma on the cavernous side.

The End Discoteca is a fun, mid-sized club that fills the gap.

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Action on the dance floor in the VIP area.

In 2009, on my last weekend in Medellin, I spent two nights dancing at the 1st Colombian Salsa Festival.

As luck would have it, I ran into Yamile, one of my dance teachers, at the door. I had a way better time as a result of her company than had she not attended.

Therefore, it was only fitting that I attended this year’s festival with her, the Venezuelan partner with whom she opened her new dance studio, and a bunch of friends and fellow dance students.

Son de Cali perform

This year’s festival was held at the gymnasium of UPB.  The space felt smaller than the gym at Universidad de Medellin, and the space given for a dance floor was absolutely miniscule in comparison to what I remember from 2009.

Two years ago, the majority of the floor was dedicated to two temporary dance floors, with tables and chairs placed around the perimeter. This year, the VIP area was on the floor, and in the middle of it was a tiny little dance floor.

Everyone else was relegated to the bleachers, and dancing wherever they could find the space.  And trust me, Colombians always manage to find space to dance!

I think it’s just us Westerners that want expect lots of room.

The dance floor in the VIP area was much, much smaller than in 2009.

Son de Cali performed first, and while I didn’t recognize any of their songs, I enjoyed their music.

Unfortunately, the acoustics in the gym were terrible. Considering it’s made of concrete, including the bleachers, it’s not surprising that the music sounded like a wall of noise. Yamile told me there weren’t any good venues in Medellin for this kind of event.

Sure, there are theaters where you’ll get better acoustics, but there won’t be any room to dance. There is the bull fighting stadium, which is used for big concerts, but I imagine the salsa festival doesn’t bring in enough people to warrant a space that large. For better or worse, the event continues to be held in university gyms.

On the plus side, it definitely felt like there was a bigger crowd in 2011 than 2009, though we didn’t have the chance to mingle and dance with world class salsa dancers like in 2009.

The Puerto Rican singer, Andy Montanez, was a big hit with the crowd. The two other singers are his sons.

Andy Montanez was the headlining performer of the night, and he was certainly a crowd favorite. The Puerto Rican singer had his two sons on stage singing with him as well. He looked very much the part of a grandpa, but a grandpa with groupies!

Throughout the evening, vendors walked the floor selling everything from Aguardiente and rum, to fresh lime juice (my drink of choice for the night), potato chips, and lasagna (for those who forgot to eat dinner).

I had a wonderful time dancing with Yamile, and several other women at our table, and would highly recommend the event, though VIP tickets are definitely not required to have a good time.

Below is a clip I took of Yamile, along with her business partner. Go to Facebook for the high quality version.

For lessons, visit http://www.aprendersalsa.c​om

or call Tel: 317-430-0888 or 312-801-2867

Their current studio is on Calle 10 (across the street from Mondongo’s restaurant) right next to Parque Lleras in Poblado, however they are looking at moving to a larger studio in the future.

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Si No Le Contesto by Plan B has been on regular rotation in all the Medellin discotecas I’ve been to…since last year!  Fun song to dance to, but then again, so are most reggaeton hits.

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Botero Plaza in downtown Medellin.

This is a guest post by Ryan.

Thank goodness for my dark hair and light skin. That combination served me well during my last trip to South America.

It has been more than two months since I spent five days in Medellín and the most popular question I have been asked is: “Was it safe there?”

Yes. It’s like any big city in America. If you use common sense, you’ll have a great time with no problems. And for someone like me, who has similar traits to many paísas — dark hair and light skin — I felt as comfortable there as in any big city I have ever been to.

I followed some advice from guidebooks and websites that I browsed: men in Medellín do not wear shorts. Ever. Unless they are working out, it’s always pants.

Those books and sites also suggested learning some basic Spanish. I’m already proficient so all I had to do was review my language books to refresh my memory.

And I was cautious when pulling out money to pay for things, and when using my camera or phone. I didn’t wear a watch or any jewelry either, not that I ever do.

I did veer from one bit of advice: tourists should refrain from going downtown at night alone. My hotel was near Parque Lleras, arguably the most popular nightlife area of the city. But not on Wednesdays. It was my first night in town and I wanted to have fun.

Two people had already asked me for directions that day, so I was feeling confident. I took a cab downtown. Not much was happening there either but I always felt safe. A homeless guy asked me for money, but so what? That happens to me every time I walk to the Metro near my apartment in Washington, DC.

My comfort level rose even more the next day when I met a guy from Cali who lives in New York and was in Medellin on business for the medical industry. I told him I went downtown against the advice of the guidebooks and he told me, “Unless you do something really stupid, you won’t have any trouble blending in here. You look enough like them.”

Paísas I became friends with didn’t feel as strongly as he did. But they seemed to agree that I would have no problems while I was there.

I had quite a dark tan in high school, all those days at the beach growing up in Hawaii. My color faded after moving away and not spending a lot of time in the sun. I remember lamenting my mom’s English, Irish and Scottish genes, how they stole my tan and have kept it away. I don’t complain anymore.

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Introducing Jack Magazine (formerly known as The Arepa).

Last Saturday, Jack Magazine made its official debut in Medellin via a launch party at Vanilla Discoteca in Poblado.

Formerly known as The Arepa, the magazine started two years ago by Robin Finley of California has undergone a change in both name and direction.

Jack Magazine is slightly bigger than The Arepa, with a larger scope — all of Colombia, instead of just Medellin, however the focus will continue to be on Colombian culture, music, and fashion.

The June/July 2011 issue includes stories on Cartagena, surfing in Colombia, tango, and of course some fashion pics with pretty models.

It has been exciting to watch the magazine grow and evolve over the last two years, and I have no doubt it will continue to have a bright future.

The Jack Magazine launch party at Vanilla Discoteca.

As for the launch party at Vanilla, it was a mashup of different events, from DJ’s to a faux lingerie model shoot, complete with complimentary chocolates from Me Late Chocolate.

The venue itself seemed more like an art gallery space than a typical Colombian club. To get a better feel for it, I’d want to check back on a regular night.

Whether you want to receive the physical magazine, or simply catch up with Colombian culture online, be sure and check out Jack Magazine.

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To get a resident visa in Colombia based on being in a relationship with a Colombian national, you need to present various forms and documents at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Bogota. They will then usually grant you this visa on the same day.

The visa is typically granted for a year in the first instance, but this can be renewed later, and it allows you to work, live and study in Colombia. After three years with the same visa, you can apply for permanent residency.

Essentially, this visa works in exactly the same way as being married, but rather then presenting marriage certificates, you are presenting proof of your civil partnership.

Required Documentation to Apply for Resident Visa in Colombia

1) Declaration of relationship status in front of a Notaria. This is a legal document which declares that you and your partner live together and are in a civil partnership. It is signed my you, your partner and the Notaria. This has to be done in advance of going to the Ministry, and this document is handed in along with the other forms on the day you apply for the visa.

2) Short letter (1 paragraph is fine) from your Colombian partner to the Ministry for Foreign Relations saying you live together, and requesting that you be granted a visa. The letter needs to be signed and witnessed by a notaria.

3) Photocopy of your passport and partner’s Colombian ID card. Your partner’s ID photocopy needs to be signed and witnessed in front of Notaria; your passport photocopy does not.

4) Two forms that are on the Ministry for Foreign Relations website. Both are straightforward, and only take 5 minutes to fill out:

• Formato SC-FO-15
• Formato SC-FO-07

5) Two 3mm by 3mm photos of yourself to accompany forms and the visa that they eventually grant you.

Cost, Office Hours, and Getting There

The visa has a cost of $160 (USD), plus you have to pay a non-refundable $50 to be seen at the Ministry and hand in your papers. You cannot book an appointment in advance.  You have to just show up and join the queue with your partner and documentation, so get there earlier.

Hours:  Weekdays from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm

Address:  Ministry of Foreign Relations, Avenida 19 #98 – 03, Edificio Torre 100, Pisos 3º y 4º, Bogota

The building is fairly obvious once you are there, and you’ll see lots of people outside. There is a Transmillenium bust stop about 5 minutes away, or you can take a taxi if you not familiar with the transport system in Bogota.

The official website of the Ministry for Foreign Relations contains all the information (in Spanish) about this marital/partnership visa, as well as all the other types of visas. If you scroll down, you can download the forms mentioned in step 4 above.

Interviews

Once they have had a look through your paperwork, they will sort it out for you and then call you for a short interview.

They ask you lots of things, including how you met, why you want to be in Colombia, where you’re living, about your partner’s family, etc. The interview is fairly intense, although short, as they are trying to verify your relationship is genuine.

They send you away, and then call your partner in for a similar interview. Assuming your answers correspond, and they are satisfied, they grant you the visa.

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About the Author:  James Byder is a former UK government economist who recently moved to Colombia and started a blog focusing on themes related to doing business here.  For more information, or if you would like to contact him, please see his new blog at TotallyColombia.com. 

Please contact Dave with any corrections.

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Add in scenes from the Fast and the Furious 5 shot in Rio de Janeiro, and it’s one heck of a music video!

I’m going to be listening this all the way to Brazil.

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Prizma Discoteca in Barrio Colombia

As Barrio Colombia fills up with more and more discotecas, there’s little room left on the main strip, Carrera 43G, to hold many more. This means a lot of the newer clubs, like Prizma Discoteca, have set up shop on side streets.

Unless you know to walk down one of these side streets, you’d never know a large and popular club like Prizma existed. And because it’s not in plain view to casual visitors, you’re less likely to find backpackers and other foreigners in them.

Like Luxury, Prizma Discoteca is reggaeton only, so if you’re looking to salsa dance, this is not the club for you.

Unlike Luxury, it’s huge, and the open space is a welcome relief. The club’s capacity is 700 people, and on the night I went with Marcello, Brendan, our Aussie friend Tim, Jessica, and my Colombian friend Angela, it felt completely full.

A late night reggaeton performance inside Prizma.

Prizma’s popularity means it’s best to make a reservation in advance, via their Facebook page, instead of planning to show up on a Friday or Saturday night and expect to get in. The first time we tried to go, they wouldn’t let us in, stating we needed a reservation. It’s possible this was because we didn’t have any girls with us.

On our second attempt, I did try to make a reservation by calling in advance, though I’m not sure it was ever documented. But we had a few girls with us, and got there earlier in the night (before 11 AM), so there were no issues.

We were lead to the back, and given seats that overlooked the 70′s-esque plexiglass dance floor. From there, the night unfolded with bottles of Aboslut vodka and orange juice.

The crowd was on the younger side — most are probably college age students. The majority of girls made an effort to dress up in skirts and heels, while the men wear their typical t-shirt, jeans, and sneaker combo.

The guys loved the club, and while I enjoyed the atmosphere, 3-4 hours of straight reggaeton is too much for me, especially given we spent the prior night at Luxury. Visiting the two clubs on back to back nights gave me a whole new appreciation for crossover clubs which mix up the genres of music.

Video Clip (For Facebook followers only — if you can’t see it, “Like” the blog on Facebook!)

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Arepa con queso (arepa with cheese and sweetened condensed milk drizzled on top).

Last month, Dave had just arrived on the coast, and I was boarding a plane to NY for my best friend’s wedding.

We were BBMing when Dave began bragging about how he just ate the best fish he ever had (pargo).

Of course, I had to try to one up him so I started bragging that I was fully loaded with different Colombian sweets and treats in my back pack such as Mani Moto  (of course Mani Moto is not nearly as good as coastal fish, but it was something).

And, to my horror and surprise, Dave, our famous Medellín guide who has been here for 3 years, had never tried Mani Moto.

That is when I decided to write a post about the different sweets and treats you should try while walking around Medellin.

Another reason I want to share this with you is because many tiendas do not allow you to go inside.  They have counters in front of their store, and usually a cute old man waiting to take your order, and serve you.

Since many of you have probably never been inside one of these tiendas, you may not know what to ask for.

Try asking for one of these:

YUMMY

• Copelia (orginal and coconut)
• Cocoasette
• Giraffe (vanilla, strawberry and chocolate)
• Mani Moto

Served by street vendors or in Panaderias (bakeries)

• Obleos (there are served outside on little carts)
• Arepas con queso (downtown near El Eslabon are the best)
• Palito de queso (cheese bread)
• Donut with arequipe
• Ice cream sundae at Crepes and Waffles
• Cacao lip balm for your lips (all natural and works better then anything I have ever had)

Not So Yummy

• Milo
• Mont blanc

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Cabo de la Vela, Colombia

The last 12 months of living in Medellin, and traveling around Colombia, have brought me into contact with far more travel bloggers and backpackers than I ever expected. A few were only visiting for a short time, taking advantage of the cheap domestic flights to get around the country, while the majority were at the start or end of much longer journeys around South America.

The backpacker trail through South America is a well worn one. The number of travelers I’ve met starting or ending their journeys in Colombia feels about even.

Beginning in Colombia

For many traveling the whole of Latin America overland, having started in North America or Mexico, Colombia is the first logical South American country to visit after leaving Panama.

There are three options to bridging the Darien Gap, the no man’s land of thick jungle connecting the two continents: arranging overland trips, sailing, or booking international flights. The Darien Gap has long been considered too dangerous or difficult to cross overland, so most travelers opt for sailing or flying.

Once backpackers have gotten their fill of Colombia, many opt for the 24+ hour bus rides to Ecuador, in spite of the cheap flights that are available. Aside from comfort and speed, flying is a good way to avoid the typical petty crime and pandering that commonly occur at land border crossings.

Ending in Colombia

For those who end their South American tour in Colombia, many got their start in Buenos Aires.

Backpackers start in Argentina instead Brazil for two main reasons, cost of travel, and size of the country.

For example, one backpacker I met while sharing a taxi from the Santa Marta airport to Taganga said he’d spend about $10,000 for three months of travel in Brazil. I know some people could probably spend a year in Colombia for that much!

Backpackers also suggest Brazil is big enough to warrant a trip of its own. Though Argentina seems just as big, it’s much cheaper to cover the large distances.

The colorful pueblo of Jardin.

My Route

My 6 months in Medellin are up in mid-August, but instead of flying straight to Ecuador, I’m going back to New York for a wedding. After a week back in the States to watch the nuptials, and re-supply, I’ll be flying straight to Quito to begin following the classic backpacking route from North to South:  Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil.

If things are going well by Brazil, I may make the added effort to visit the three little forgotten countries of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

And there’s a small chance I might find myself in Antarctica, as I’ll be in the region during the Summer travel season.

Once I’ve covered the rest of the continent, and experienced Brazil first hand, I’ll decide what comes next.

Will I return to Medellin for the fourth straight year in 2012?

I have no idea. We’ll have to wait and see!

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This was a sponsored post, which enables me to continue bringing you entertaining travel stories and practical travel tips from Colombia.

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Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog. Membership includes 27 tutorials, personal and private support forum, expert audio interviews, and much more.

Salsa dancing at the 1st Annual Colombia Salsa Festival. The guy in all blue is one of the professionals.

Cali may be Colombia’s salsa capital, but Medellin is home to the country’s annual salsa festival (or Congress, as they’re called in Western countries).

This weekend, from July 8 – 10,  Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) hosts the 3rd Colombia Salsa Festival.

The Festival is a mix of dance classes, competitions, concerts and social dancing.

Singers

• Andy Montañez (Puerto Rico)
• Son de Cali (Cali)
• Aguanilé Salsa (Medellín)

Dancers

• Griselle Ponce (Puerto Rico)
• Baila Society (USA)
• BNF Dubái (World Champions)
• And the best salsa groups from Cali and Bogota

There are a variety of ticket options to suit everyone’s needs and budgets.  Here are just a few:

• Full Pass (all workshops, VIP access for Fri + Sat night concerts/social dancing):  259,000 COP ($147)
• VIP Pass Friday (Semifinal competition, concert w/Andy Montanez + Son de Cali): 86,000 COP ($49)
• VIP Pass Saturday (Final competition, concert w/Aguanile Salsa): 45,000 COP ($26)

VIP tickets allow you to have a seat and table near the dance floor. Of course Aguardiente and Rum are available to fuel your dancing throughout the night.

Junior Alabi, in the black shirt, dances with my German friend Astrid. He's one of the best salsa dancers in the world!

I was lucky enough to attend the 1st Colombia Salsa Festival in 2009, which was a blast.

I ran into my dance teacher, Yamile, at the door and she invited me and my friend Astrid to join her at a table (normally reserved for VIP ticket holders).

I was able to dance with her, and her friends, while sharing the floor with some of the world’s best salsa dancers, including Junior and Emily Alibi (USA).

If you love salsa music and dancing, then don’t miss the 2011 Colombia Salsa Festival.  For much more info, check out the official site.

See you on the dance floor!

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Verdeo has just done that.  Besides being one of very few vegetarian restaurants in all of Medellín, it is also located in the back of an adorable and super trendy boutique clothing shop.

The food choices consist of tofu, grains, humus, falafel and vegan options.  I ordered a falafal sandwich and a 5 grain veggie burger which were delicious to the very last bite.  Not to mention they had carrot/ orange juice, my favorite! And another great juice of tomato and cinnamon.

The restaurant itself feels like its outdoors with cute little tables and one of the walls is lined with VHS cassettes.  The waitresses were lovely and sweet and I cannot wait to go back.

Hours

Tuesday & Wednesday                      12 PM to 4 PM

Thursday to Saturday                        12 PM to 10:30 PM

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The Lambada by Kaoma is the anthem for the style of dance that goes by the same name.

Lambada originated in northern Brazil, and at one point swept throughout the country, however it has since decreased in popularity. Every now and then, at a club in Medellin, or Barranquilla, I’ll hear the song played, and a few people will know how to dance the lambada.

Along with samba, it’s on my dancing to-do list for when I get to Brazil.

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And, they bring it to the public in the most amazing places, with many of these classes being donation-based.

Instruction is provided in Spanish, however even if you’re still learning the language, you can simply observe the movements as others do them, and then try to emulate.  Good instructors will watch their students, and correct any incorrect forms.

Of course, I am a little bias since I am a Sivananda yoga teacher, which is Hatha Yoga.

Yoga & Meditation event at the Botanical Gardens.

Cool places to find donation-based yoga classes:

Museo de arte Moderno (Carrera 44 No. 19 A – 100)

• Monday (open levels)         6:30 AM – 7:30 AM
• Wednesday (open)              6:30 AM – 7:30 AM
• Friday (open)                        6:30 AM – 7:30 AM

Botanical Gardens (Calle 73 No. 51D- 14)

• Tuesday                                   11 AM
• Thursday (yoga suave)        11 AM
• Saturday (beginner)             10 AM
• Sunday (open)                       10 AM

El Tesoro Parque Comercial (Cra 25A # 1A Sur – 45)

• Monday (intermediate)       7 PM
• Tuesday (beginner)              7 PM
• Wednesday(intermediate)  7 PM
• Thursday (beginner)            7 PM

At the studio:

• Atman Yoga - Transversal 37 No. 72-84. Tel: 311 – 1132 or 321 – 812 – 5510
• Sati Yoga - Calle 10 No. 36-14 int 201. Tel: 352 – 4143
• Ganesha Yoga - Cr 39 No. 66-15. Tel: 284 – 8905

Click here for a complete listing of studios in Medellin.

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