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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

Forget the shops and restaurants. At El Tesoro, I’d rather sit on the terrace, drink a coffee and enjoy the view of the valley.

Something impossible to miss in Medellín is the shopping malls. There are some nice ones.

I’m not much of a shopper nor have I ever been but this post isn’t for me, it’s for all of you reading this blog, to give you a guide. Frankly, the best thing about malls, I think, is this parody in the show “How I Met Your Mother.”

So, in the words of Robin Sparkles, “Let’s go to the mall!”

1. El Tesoro

It’s in one of the city’s wealthiest areas and it fits right in.

El Tesoro has everything you could want: great restaurants such as Mis Carnes; great stores such as Adidas; and a great view from its northern terrace.

You can see a movie if you’d like too.

Just remember to bring enough money if you plan to shop. It’s not cheap.

The center of Centro Comercial Oviedo.

2. Oviedo

Centro Comercial Oviedo is like El Tesoro, a place with great stores and restaurants, and a movie theater too.

But instead of a view, it has a large tree in the middle.

I’m guessing there are people who like this mall better because of the location as well. It’s right off Avenida Poblado, on the Milla de Oro, the Golden Mile, a business district that generates a lot of Medellín’s wealth.

There is another shopping option nearby, which I’ll get to later, but this is the best one in the area.

In Belén, people flock to Los Molinos.

3. Los Molinos

I used to live two blocks from Centro Comercial Los Molinos and visited a handful of times. It’s where I would go to the movies.

Sometimes, I would go grocery shopping at the Exito, in the south section of the mall. Other times, I’d get ice cream from Crepes & Waffles.

Once, I bought a shirt from Arturo Calle, possibly my favorite clothing store in Colombia. In fact, it’s the only mall store from which I’ve ever bought an article of clothing.

Santa Fe (photo: David Lee)

4. Santa Fé

Just south of Centro Comercial Oviedo and across Avenida Poblado, you’ll find Centro Comercial Santa Fé.

I laugh every time I pass the Dunkin’ Donuts here. I once lived in Rhode Island for a summer, and Dunkin’ Donuts is everywhere, so this reminds me of those three months in 2001.

A lot of people go here to eat at Sushi Light, especially on Tuesdays, 2-for-1 sushi night. Get there early if you want a seat, by 6 p.m.

Another good reason to go is the currency exchange office on the third floor. It’s always better to exchange or withdraw money in malls so why not here?

Mayorca as viewed from Itagui metro station (photo: David Lee)

5. Mayorca

Mayorca might be the most economical of the malls.

The first time I went, I tagged along with my British friend John, who was looking for slacks. I don’t remember the exact cost, but it was a good price.

While I was there, I also bought a little stuffed tiger from Pepe Ganga, a gift for my friend Neto, whose wife had just had a baby boy, Cristobal.

Perhaps the best thing about this Sabaneta mall, though, is the location: right next to the Itagüí metro station. It’s hard enough to get me to go to the mall, but convenience helps.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

Going forward, Ryan and I will be compiling monthly posts with local events in Medellin, including notable concerts, festivals, sports events, and holidays.

We’re already halfway through May, but hope to be putting future schedules out on the first of each month.

Concerts

May 25: Ruben Blades 

Ruben Blades, a salsa legend, will be performing an outdoor concert on Calle San Juan for free on May 25.

To get a taste of Blades style and music, check out the video above, a full 2+ hour concert he performed in Cali seven years ago. Personally, my favorite song is Plastico.

Source: Colombia Reports

Festivals

All month: May for Life

May for Life is a “a month-long celebration to promote nonviolence in a city that continues to struggle with its violent perception.”

Throughout the month, there will be free concerts, parades, and speaking events.

One of the more interesting events, in addition to the Ruben Blades concert (above), is the “Routes of Memory” bus tour, which will take people to historical points of interest in the city, as well as neighborhoods currently suffering from high violence, including Communas 8 and 13.

“The tour takes place on May 20 and buses depart from La Plaza de Libertad at 9:00 AM.”

Source: Colombia Reports

May 31 to June 2: Vibra Mi Tierra

Vibra Mi Tierra is an annual beer and food festival held in Jardin Botanico over the first weekend in June.

This is a family-friendly event, featuring locally-brewed beers by 3 Cordilleras, and live music from 20 artists and groups. Tickets are available in advance, online through the Vibra Mi Tierra, at a discount, or at the door the days of the event.

Festival Hours

• Friday, May 31, 6:30 PM to 12:30 AM
• Saturday, June 1,  11:30 AM a 1:00 AM
• Sunday, June 2, 11:30 AM a 1:00 AM

Source: Vibra Mi Tierra

Do you have a June event you’d like to see listed on Medellin Living? Contact us.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

Wolfine was born in Medellin, so we can chalk up another reggaeton singer to Colombia.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

I LOVE kimchi tacos!!!

One of the best foods ever created comes from a food truck.

In Los Angeles, two enterprising chefs decided four years ago to blend the foods of two prominent cultures in their sprawling city: Koreans and Mexicans.

Thus the kimchi taco was born.

They opted to sell the culinary creation out of a food cart, which became a food truck, which became a trend that has caught on in other major metropolitan areas, especially in New York and Washington DC.

These food trucks do their announcing and advertising through Twitter and usually nothing more, and they are the reason tweets became a part of my life: I wanted to know where to find TaKorean, the DC food truck that made and sold kimchi tacos.

I thought I had seen the last of kimchi tacos when I moved from DC to Medellín. I was wrong.

I found out when I went to Carmen one night, because the wait at Chef Burger Bar was 30 minutes and my stomach was growling so I couldn’t wait that long.

I decided to go to Carmen, instead of one of the many other Parque Lleras-area restaurants, because a traveler I met in Bogotá raved about it and Dave wrote such a great review about it.

The grenobloise, the entrée I ordered after I ate kimchi tacos because, well, I was there, so I had to try one of the main courses.

The fine dining establishment with the low lighting and diverse dishes offers kimchi tacos as an appetizer, what they call tacos coreanos, or Korean tacos. I didn’t care that it was 32,000 pesos ($18) for three — exactly twice the cost for three from TaKorean — I had to have them.

The steak was topped with the perfect combination of kimchi and bulgogi sauce.

For those of you unfamiliar with kimchi, it’s a spicy, fermented cabbage that is popular in Korea and Hawaii, my home, the place I first came to love kimchi. Bulgogi sauce is another Korean staple, a marinade made from soy sauce, brown sugar and ginger, among other ingredients.

Since I was there, I figured I might as well try an entrée too and I went with the grenobloise, the fish of the day topped with a lemon caper cream sauce that looks like soap bubbles and accompanied by spinach and potato gratin.

My friend Laz had the bavette vera cruz, a special of the day that included steak, mashed potatoes and, from what I remember, some vegetables although I don’t remember which ones. The steak came with a brown sauce that Laz could not identify.

I loved my entrée, and Laz his, and I wouldn’t mind eating the grenobloise again or trying Laz’s dish sometime, but I’ll always love Carmen for offering a fusion of foods that collided in a food truck, thanks to two cultures and two entrepreneurs that call Los Angeles home.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

View of Bucaramanga from a shopping center

Visiting Bucaramanga was an afterthought.

I’ve wanted to visit the pueblo of San Gil, “adventure capital of Colombia,” since 2009, but it wasn’t until recently that Bucaramanga edged its way into my subconscience as well.

A few years ago, Medellin was receiving mentions as an up-and-coming retirement destination. As recently as this past February, Bucaramanga received similar accolades from US News & World Report.

In my never-ending quest to learn more about Colombia, and figure out if there’s someplace I’d enjoy living more than Medellin, I took a 45-minute EasyFly flight to Bucaramanga.

I arrived after dark. The taxi ride from Palonegro airport to Kasa Guane, the city’s only hostel, clicked in at 30 minutes.

Ryan had recommended the hostel, and once I arrived, I could see why. They’ve got an incredibly friendly, social community there.

I took a simple private room with shared bath for about $20 a night, and then went out to dinner.

[I'm going to dedicate a future post to the food of Santander, so I'll be skipping the cuisine in this one.]

“Mujer de Pie Desnuda” by Fernando Botero

The following morning, I picked up a city map, and got directions to Centro. It was an incredibly short walk.

First, I crossed Calle 33, a main road a few blocks from the hostel, and walked over to Parque San Pio to see the Botero sculpture. The park itself wasn’t too interesting.

Parque Las Palmas is surrounded by bars and restaurants, making it a popular nightlife spot

Bucaramanga goes by two nicknames: La Ciudad de los Parques (The City of Parks) and La Ciudad Bonita (The Beautiful City).

If Medellin weren’t already The City of the Eternal Spring, Bucaramanga could take that title as well, though I think all three titles apply to Medellin too.

In fact, I didn’t find better mountain views in Bucaramanga than we have in Medellin. Once again, it comes down to the fact that Medellin lies in a valley, so you’re surrounded by them.

By comparison, Bucaramanga is situated more like Bogota and Cali, with a backdrop of mountains on one side only.

View toward Parque Santander in downtown Bucaramanga

I continued a little further on Calle 33, and then turned left (west).

Ten minutes later, I crossed the Modern Art Museum, which was closed while they installed a new exhibition.

I then proceeded to Parque Santander, which marks the center of the downtown area.

Catedral de la Sagrada Familia

The city’s cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, faces one side of the park. It’s the only interesting thing I found down there.

After a brief siesta back at the hostel, I wanted to check out Giron, a pueblo 30 minutes southwest of the city (by taxi, up to an hour by local bus).

Catedral del Senor de Los Milagros in the pueblo’s main plaza

Most of the buildings in the pueblo are painted white, and I imagine it is similar to Popayan in this respect.

There’s not much to actually do in Giron.

Like most Colombian pueblos, you walk the cobblestone streets, admire the colonial architecture, take a peek inside the churches, and simply hang out.

Capila de las Nieves

I ate dinner at a restaurant my roommate Wilson recommended, Restaurante La Casona, across the street from the Capila de las Nieves (Chapel of the Snows).

Later, he would tell me that his mother was from Giron, and that the wealthier Colombians would get married at Capila de las Nieves, as it was more expensive to have the ceremony there.

I didn’t want to leave Bucaramanga without getting a taste of the nightlife, so I made an effort to get out on Friday night.

But, most of my evening was spent hanging out at the hostel bar. There were at least as many, if not more, Bucaramangans there than foreign visitors or expats, so I didn’t mind too much.

They were all sociable, and curious to know what I was doing in town, and what I thought of the city. It reminded me of the curiosity paisas showed me when I first arrived back in 2009.

Inside Salsa Calison on a Friday night

Eventually, some time after midnight, we got a group together to hit up Salsa Calison, which is one of the few salsa bars in the city.

It was so late, there weren’t a lot of people in there, but I was still happy to get a few dances in with my new friends from the hostel. And there was no cover which is always nice.

The photo above shows the original bar, with dance floor, however it had expanded into the adjacent building. I liked the old school decor of the original room more.

While my time in Bucaramanga lasted no more than three days and nights, I do feel as though I got a taste of what the city has to offer. I’m glad I visited, but I wouldn’t choose to live there over Medellin.

For visitors, Bucaramanga is a good waypoint if you’re traveling overland from the coast south toward Bogota, or vice versa.

You can also use it as a jumping off point to visit the Chicamocha Valley, or to go paragliding, but I believe both are more easily done from San Gil.

For expats like myself, I feel as though it’s too small and provincial. Many of the best and most popular restaurants are focused on the local cuisine, which is heavy on the meat. In due time, I expect to see greater variety, but it’s not there yet.

If you think Medellin feels small compared to Bogota, Bucaramanga will feel like a pueblo. This small-town vibe may appeal to retirees, but I imagine younger people may feel limited.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

Easyfly plane at Aeropuerto Olaya Herrera in Medellin

I discovered EasyFly, a discount Colombian airline, in my search for low-cost flights from Medellin to Bucaramanga.

A week before my departure, I booked a return flight online for 249,440 pesos ($159), which works out to about $80 each way.

But the cost savings didn’t stop with the flights. EasyFly operates out of Medellin’s Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, meaning I’d save time and money on taxi fare as well.

Until now, all my flights to/from the Medellin have been out of the Jose Maria Cordoba International Airport in Rio Negro.

The official 2013 taxi fare from the city to the international airport is 57,000 pesos ($31), whereas a taxi from OH Airport costs me about 6,000 pesos ($3), and takes 5-10 minutes (versus an hour).

EasyFly began operations in 2007, and has been slowly building a schedule of routes. Daily flights currently serve a mix of 16 cities, from the capital, to ones not serviced by other major airlines.

The three flight hubs are:

• Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport
• Medellin’s Olaya Herrera Airport
• Bucaramanga’s Palonegro International Airport

From Medellin, you can fly direct to:

• Apartado
• Bucaramanga
• Cucuta
• Monteria
• Quibdo

Disembarking at Bucaramanga’s airport

EasyFly operates a fleet of BAe Jetstream 41 propeller planes. As you can tell from the photos above, they’re not very big, but given the flight distances are so short (about an hour max), it’s not too bad.

My flights between Medellin and Bucaramanga clocked in at 45 minutes each, and both were relatively calm with little turbulence.

Inside the planes, it’s a tight fit. Each row seats 3 people. On the left side of the plane are single seats, while the right side features two per row.

For my departure from Medellin, I asked for a window seat at check-in, and got one a few rows back, which put me directly next to the right propeller. I was still able to get decent views of the city during take off.

My only luggage was a small backpack, so I was able to take it as carry-on, and stow it under the seat in front of me.

Landing at OH Airport, Poblado can be seen to the east (right)

On my return flight, I chose the front right window seat, so I didn’t have anyone in front of me.

Before I and others could board the plane, we had to give up our carry-on items (except for purses), as the flight attendance said the plane was full.

I was a little annoyed at the late notice, but the truth is I had nowhere to stow the bag in front of me, and there are no overhead compartments either.

Since we took off in Medellin from south to north, I figured the return flight would have to do a loop over Medellin to approach the airport from the south.

Sitting on the right side of the plane would give me a nice view of Poblado as we landed. This turned out to be the case, as you can see above.

Boarding my return flight from Bucaramanga to Medellin

Because OH Airport in Medellin and Bucaramanga’s airport are so small, check-in times were minimal, though you can do so online through the EasyFly site if you want to pick your seat and print your boarding pass (you’ll need two copies).

The service on the ground and in the air was friendly, and both flights were on time. Actually, my flight from Medellin departed 10-15 minutes EARLIER than scheduled. In all my years of flying, that was a first.

I wouldn’t hesitate to use EasyFly again, but for now, they don’t fly out of Medellin to any other destinations I want to visit.

Hopefully that’ll change in the future, because I much prefer flights from OH Airport to JMC in Rio Negro.

Have you flown EasyFly? Share your experience in the comments below.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

This song is one of my favorites from dance class, and it just so happened to be the song I last danced to before my salsa teacher, Yamile, left Medellin for London a few weeks ago.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

Cafe Pergamino

Last August, I finally had the chance to meet Michael Thompson, the Medellin-based photographer behind Lightenupandshoot.

His suggested venue was the brand new Pergamino Café, around the corner from the Juan Valdez at the top of Parque Lleras.

Pergamino was opened by Pedro Echaverria, a 20-something Colombian with an American university education, and a wealth of experience in the coffee industry as the son of a coffee producer.

A patio with tables and chairs is situated outside the café, which lies behind an unassuming red brick facade.

The street is relatively quiet, so you can sit outside without fear of being blasted out of your seat by car horns and motorbikes.

Clean, modern interior decor

Inside, the modern decor is bright and welcoming. Sunlight illuminates a whitewashed wall in the deepest corner.

The decor of Pergamino Café is a welcome change from the cookie-cutter stylings of Juan Valdez Cafés. It feels like I could be in any number of American or European cities.

The wood counter features tempting cakes and pastries, as well as mason jars with gourmet dog treats for four-legged friends.

Wi-Fi is a given.

Capuccino

Orders are made at the counter, and delivered by the staff. I opted for my usual, a cappuccino (3,900 pesos, $2), as well as a piece of cheesecake (6,500 pesos, $3.50) to get the full experience.

The presentation was nice for both, but I honestly can’t tell a good coffee from a great one, and I wished the cheesecake was a little thicker.

If you’re a coffee enthusiast, go ahead and read this article which is a more erudite look at why Pergamino is a world-class cafe.

My friend Joel also wrote about Pergamino here.

Strawberry cheesecake

Last Friday afternoon, I met up with a few readers at Pergamino. It was my first time back since last August, and the whole place was packed with a mix of foreigners and Colombians.

Pergamino, it turns out, was an instant hit not only with the foreign expats looking for an alternative to Juan Valdez, but with Colombians as well.

I ordered the first thing I saw on the menu this time, which turned out to be blackberry juice. I resisted the red velvet cake I saw on the counter, though I might not be so strong next time.

A plate of fresh potato chips were delivered to our table outside. Thinking they were complimentary, I began eating them, only to find out later on that they were intended for another table.

In addition to coffee and pastries, Pergamino also offers a short selection of sandwiches and salads for between 11,000 pesos to $14,000 pesos ($6 to $7.50).

What’s your favorite cafe in Medellin?

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.

Pueblito Paisa

Pueblito Paisa is a mock Antioquian village situated atop Cerro Nutibarra, a hill occupying a central location in the Medellin valley.

Opened March 3, 1978, Pueblito Paisa offers visitors a glimpse into the typical setup of pueblos in Antioquia (and throughout Colombia).

Shops sell souvenirs and restaurants serve coffee and traditional foods like bandeja paisa.

The main plaza of Pueblito Paisa during the 2010 Flower Festival (note the silletas leaning against the fountain)

The buildings are situated around the edges of a cobblestoned plaza, marked by a fountain. Visitors are able to peek into the mayor’s office, a barber shop, and a white church.

The hallmark of every Colombian pueblo I’ve visited is a main plaza, where you can see daily life unfold, and a church.

During a boat trip on the lake in Guatape earlier this year, I was also informed by our guide that artifacts from the pueblo which now lies at the bottom of the manmade lake made their way to Pueblito Paisa for display.

January 2009 sunset from Pueblito Paisa. Christmas lights are still waiting to be taken down.

My first visit to Pueblito Paisa was at the end of my very first day of sightseeing in Medellin, over four years ago.

After taking the metro to the Industriales stop with an Argentine doctor from the hostel, we walked up the hill, arriving just in time to see the city’s transition from day to night.

As the natural light faded, the twinkling artificial lights from homes and businesses began to light up the valley in their own beautiful way.

The valley looked like all the stars from the sky fell upon the mountains, and it was from Pueblito Paisa and Cerro Nutibarra that I first saw the city this way.

The 2012 holiday light display in Pueblito Paisa

Every December, Pueblito Paisa is decorated with Christmas lights as part of the citywide Los Alumbrados display.

During the holiday season, this quiet little hill experiences a huge surge in visitors, as both foreigners and Colombians tour the various light displays throughout the valley.

Cerro Nutibarra offers an excellent vantage point for looking at the lights along the Medellin River below.

December 2012 view of the Medellin River with Christmas lights

The December 2010 Christmas light display on Cerro Nutibarra as seen from the Medellin River

Pueblito Paisa can be reached by foot from the Industriales metro, or by taxi (about 6,000 pesos from Poblado).

It’s a generally safe area, but I would recommend taking a taxi (vs. walking) after dark.

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The 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide by David Lee is now available for purchase on Kindle and PDF.