As usual I wake up early in the morning - which suits me fine as there is a metropolis to be discovered! I skip breakfast for now and take to the streets. Prado is one of the oldest neighborhoods - and my Guest House is conveniently located just within Prado Centro. This neighborhood has clearly seen better days but there is still some very extravagant architecture around - some buildings even resemble Egyptian temples.
The heart of Medellín lies within easy walking distance (at least during daytime) of Prado. All the churches are splendid, and all in all of them are places of serene worshipping. But not only the churches are well-visited - all the plenty squares and pedestrian malls are filled with people chatting, drinking coffee or aromáticas, reading and most people don´t look like they´ve been born on the sunny side of life. Still, the stroll is very pleasant. One cannot help but notice all the flower stands. Of course I know that Colombia is one of the big flower producers in the world but I still wonder how an estimated 150 flower vendors in a very small part of the city can make a living. The people here must be flower maniacs.
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| The left bird was destroyed by a bomb |
Not far away lies one of Medellín`s biggest attractions, Plaza Botero, where more than 30 sculptures form a very enticing open-air museum. Botero´s art, he is Medellín`s most famous artist, somehow manages to appeal to his audience. His models are all a bit chubby but at the same time very expressive.
A few minutes away the former railway station looks like an anachronism in Medellín´s modern business and administrative centre, where the many old trucks and buses form a striking contrast (and explain the really bad air quality...)
Time to take the modern metro and ride to the north. Medellín is the only Colombian city with a metro, which is just one sign of the thoughtful city planning. The metro connects with the metro cable, a cable car that reaches some of the poorer and notoriously violent neighborhoods that spread on the steep slopes of the surrounding hills, thus making it easier for the people living there to gain access to jobs and shopping in the valley.
The Botanical Gardens are a treat - the perfect place to relax and to fill the lungs with some fresh(er) air. This award-winning and famous park hosts plants from all sorts of different climate zones, most of which can be found in Colombia. The little lagoon is a great place to watch birds and huge iguanas.
Finally it´s time to leave. I head back to the city centre, buy food for dinner and stroll back to the hotel. After dinner it`s blog time and then, of course, bed time.
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