Art, Infrastructure, and Nature

I woke up this morning to a lot of rain. Today’s plan was to do a bike tour of the city. I got a message from the host saying that we were still good to go and to bring good vibes, so along with my rain jacket, that’s what I did. While walking to the starting point, I got some chicken empanadas for breaky.

The tour guide’s name was Jhon-Freddy. Really cool guy who is an avid cyclist. He and I connected on endurance sports convo. Along with me and the guide was a nice couple from Belgium, Rob and Cami. This was a touristy tour for sure with the bright orange helmets, the ebikes, and the loud whistles from Jhon-Freddy at all the intersections helping to clear a path for us through the traffic. But, to my surprise, the entire city was fitted with designated bike paths everywhere we went.

Jhon-Freddy informed us about how the city has transformed in 3 main areas: art, infrastructure, and nature. According to him, these pillars have formed the bases for how the city has experienced such drastic improvements over the last few decades. This tour was unique because we actually got to see different places that used to be breeding grounds for crime, but are now very safe, filled with art and other activities.

Along the way, we stopped for some authentic Colombian coffee at one place and a fruit salad at another. The coffee was very clean and they even had hot water in the cups to equalize the temperature of the cup with the coffee as to not change its flavor when poured. Quite an art form. We learned about where different crops are grown and at what elevations. Jhon-Freddy also explained the different income levels of the city from 1-6 based on where you live. Level 1 areas are considered to be the poorest and level 6 the wealthiest. It was cool to hear that the government has programs and provides aid to students coming from level 1 areas, like Jhon-Freddy. He also explained how dangerous it is to be a social leader in Medellin because it makes that person a target for all the gangs and criminal organizations.

Some notable places we visited were Corredor Junin (Shops and Restaurants), La Playa street, and Parques del Rio (cool site of urban transformation as they moved a highway to an underground tunnel to build an urban park where all types of dance classes are offered). However, one of my favorite spots was Bottega square. There is an artist by the name of Fernando Botero that creates unique sculptures all around the world. His work can also be seen at the Denver Performing Arts Complex (The large statues of man and woman at the entrance). Botero donated 23 of his sculptures to the city and demanded that they be placed in this square because it had largely been abandoned by the city government/had become very dangerous. In this way, he attracted a lot of visitors and thus, a lot of government attention to clean up the area. Another cool example of how art has changed the city.

Also worth mentioning was the speed of these ebikes. We rode about 12 miles and I feel like I didn’t put any effort in. There were 5 speed levels, from eco to turbo, and let me tell you, turbo HAULS. We sure had some fun. Jhon-Freddy told us about his next tour business that he wants to open which involves road-bike rentals and long, guided rides into the mountains around Medellin. I thought this was a great idea and there would definitely be a market for it. It was humbling to see how someone from a level 1 neighborhood had come so far, and is now sharing his culture and history with others. Here are a few more pics from the different places we saw.

After some lunch and a gym run, it is now time to get ready for a bar and club tour that I have planned tonight. The tour includes a guide, cover fees at 5 venues, and a drink at each. It is even tailed to solo travelers. Writing this, it is only 7pm and the music has been bumping for over 2 hours already. Here we go.