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Medellin
Before returning to Medellin we take a tuk tuk to visit a curiosity of the region: the "Puente de Occidente"
Jewel of 19th century civil engineering, it’s one of the first suspended bridges in the world. It was designed by the Colombian architect José María Villa (1850-1913).
It took 8 years (1887-1895) to complete, it has two turrets at each end. The metal and wood structure spans the río Cauca.
Then we reach our drop point 20 km from Medellin ... But we have to cross the city!!!
Our GPS is according to its reputation ... It takes us down steeper streets than in San Francisco ... Cold sweats appear!!!
To spice up the journey, the city has put "tope" uphills, in the middle of the street and to make everything more complicated it has installed lights at certain crossings ... The perfect happiness!!
We stop after a while, ready to turn back ... But we are almost at the end of this climb, so we continue.
We take an 8.3 km long tunnel to the airport where we have to drive between 60 and 70 km/h!!! with reminders throughout the crossing.
We arrive exhausted at the campsite where we settle on soggy grass. Indeed, here it rains almost every night.
We meet again Kara and Jason, met several times since Mexico.
Medellin:
The origin of Medellín dates back to 1616 when the Spanish Francisco Herrera Campuzano founded the small indigenous village of San Lorenzo de Aburrá.
During the colonial period, Medellín did not have much importance for the Spanish crown and it was during the republican period that the city developed with the rise of the coffee culture and the exploitation of gold mines.
Despite dark years marked by the drug cartels of Pablo Escobar, Medellin is today a modern city.
On the second day we celebrate Christophe’s birthday in a superb restaurant next to the campsite.
On the third day, we set off to discover the historic centre of Medellin. To get there we take a bus to the "Parque ARVI" where a first cable car awaits us, then we change the cable car which drops us off at a metro station ... Travel time 1 hour and 30 minutes.
We go down to the "Plaza Botero": Magnificent open-air sculpture museum, the square presents 23 monumental bronze works by the artist.
On the same square is the "Museo de Antioquia" housed in an Art Deco building from 1937. It is one of the most important museums in Colombia.
The international art room presents the private collection of Botero, with bronzes and paintings by Max Ernst, Rufino Tamayo, Antoni Tàpies etc.
The Botero room gathers more than a hundred large paintings, drawings and sculptures bequeathed to the city by the artist.
Then we head through the pedestrian streets to the "Catedral Metropolitana": Majestic neo-Romanesque building, built between 1875 and 1930. A million bricks have been used for its construction.
We are very surprised and disappointed by this city center. A huge crowd meets and we are completely oppressed.
After a late lunch, we return to the campsite that we reach after 2 hours!!!
On the fourth day we have an appointment with Ludovic to visit the “Comuna 13”
Our highlight!
In the 1990s, Comuna 13 was confronted daily with violence, murders and kidnappings orchestrated by the FARC, drug cartels, local militians and paramilitaries.
Everyone wanted power and territory, especially after the death of Pablo Escobar.
The AUC factions will wage a guerrilla war to take over Comuna 13 from the FARC and the ELN who controlled this neighborhood (arms and cocaine trafficking).
On 16 October 2002, the Colombian military launched Operation Orion to suppress the rebels in the area.
For almost 3 days, more than 1,000 soldiers and police with helicopters and armoured vehicles «cleaned» Comuna 13 in blood and horror. The price to pay will be disastrous: 11 dead, more than 200 wounded and several hundred missing.
Since then, the Colombian government has participated in the transformation of this "favela" into a quiet and tourist area.
What really allowed the inhabitants to be reborn is the installation of escalators and the provision of public transport which allows the neighborhood to be connected to the city.
Little by little, with access to transport, education of the youngest, easier access to culture, the development of art, including graffiti, the inhabitants have emerged from violence and illegality.
Today, tourism is growing fast, thanks to the many graffiti that make the "Comuna 13" a real art gallery.
We have an appointment at 9:15 on the spot and to avoid a departure at dawn we order a taxi.
We find Ludovic and a very nice couple, Pauline and Geoffroy for this unforgettable visit.
For more than 4 hours we walk through this area to the rhythm of Ludovic’s explanations both about the history of Colombia and about the city of Medellin. The Graffiti tell of the sufferings and hopes of the inhabitants.
We’re watching a little show called "Rap and Hip. Hop " improvised on our chosen words!!!
The return was a struggle .... After a lunch with Pauline and Geoffroy we take the metro back.
Arrived at the last cable car this one is closed ... We are lost ... How to get back to the campsite? We have no idea how to get to our fellow traveler.
We find out and gather false information.... We end up getting a taxi.
The campsite is 2,800 m above sea level. In the morning the temperature does not exceed 8° and the nights are cool and rainy... We pulled out the duvet and are looking forward to getting back into the heat.
Medellin
Before returning to Medellin we take a tuk tuk to visit a curiosity of the region: the "Puente de Occidente"
Jewel of 19th century civil engineering, it’s one of the first suspended bridges in the world. It was designed by the Colombian architect José María Villa (1850-1913).
It took 8 years (1887-1895) to complete, it has two turrets at each end. The metal and wood structure spans the río Cauca.
Then we reach our drop point 20 km from Medellin ... But we have to cross the city!!!
Our GPS is according to its reputation ... It takes us down steeper streets than in San Francisco ... Cold sweats appear!!!
To spice up the journey, the city has put "tope" uphills, in the middle of the street and to make everything more complicated it has installed lights at certain crossings ... The perfect happiness!!
We stop after a while, ready to turn back ... But we are almost at the end of this climb, so we continue.
We take an 8.3 km long tunnel to the airport where we have to drive between 60 and 70 km/h!!! with reminders throughout the crossing.
We arrive exhausted at the campsite where we settle on soggy grass. Indeed, here it rains almost every night.
We meet again Kara and Jason, met several times since Mexico.
Medellin:
The origin of Medellín dates back to 1616 when the Spanish Francisco Herrera Campuzano founded the small indigenous village of San Lorenzo de Aburrá.
During the colonial period, Medellín did not have much importance for the Spanish crown and it was during the republican period that the city developed with the rise of the coffee culture and the exploitation of gold mines.
Despite dark years marked by the drug cartels of Pablo Escobar, Medellin is today a modern city.
On the second day we celebrate Christophe’s birthday in a superb restaurant next to the campsite.
On the third day, we set off to discover the historic centre of Medellin. To get there we take a bus to the "Parque ARVI" where a first cable car awaits us, then we change the cable car which drops us off at a metro station ... Travel time 1 hour and 30 minutes.
We go down to the "Plaza Botero": Magnificent open-air sculpture museum, the square presents 23 monumental bronze works by the artist.
On the same square is the "Museo de Antioquia" housed in an Art Deco building from 1937. It is one of the most important museums in Colombia.
The international art room presents the private collection of Botero, with bronzes and paintings by Max Ernst, Rufino Tamayo, Antoni Tàpies etc.
The Botero room gathers more than a hundred large paintings, drawings and sculptures bequeathed to the city by the artist.
Then we head through the pedestrian streets to the "Catedral Metropolitana": Majestic neo-Romanesque building, built between 1875 and 1930. A million bricks have been used for its construction.
We are very surprised and disappointed by this city center. A huge crowd meets and we are completely oppressed.
After a late lunch, we return to the campsite that we reach after 2 hours!!!
On the fourth day we have an appointment with Ludovic to visit the “Comuna 13”
Our highlight!
In the 1990s, Comuna 13 was confronted daily with violence, murders and kidnappings orchestrated by the FARC, drug cartels, local militians and paramilitaries.
Everyone wanted power and territory, especially after the death of Pablo Escobar.
The AUC factions will wage a guerrilla war to take over Comuna 13 from the FARC and the ELN who controlled this neighborhood (arms and cocaine trafficking).
On 16 October 2002, the Colombian military launched Operation Orion to suppress the rebels in the area.
For almost 3 days, more than 1,000 soldiers and police with helicopters and armoured vehicles «cleaned» Comuna 13 in blood and horror. The price to pay will be disastrous: 11 dead, more than 200 wounded and several hundred missing.
Since then, the Colombian government has participated in the transformation of this "favela" into a quiet and tourist area.
What really allowed the inhabitants to be reborn is the installation of escalators and the provision of public transport which allows the neighborhood to be connected to the city.
Little by little, with access to transport, education of the youngest, easier access to culture, the development of art, including graffiti, the inhabitants have emerged from violence and illegality.
Today, tourism is growing fast, thanks to the many graffiti that make the "Comuna 13" a real art gallery.
We have an appointment at 9:15 on the spot and to avoid a departure at dawn we order a taxi.
We find Ludovic and a very nice couple, Pauline and Geoffroy for this unforgettable visit.
For more than 4 hours we walk through this area to the rhythm of Ludovic’s explanations both about the history of Colombia and about the city of Medellin. The Graffiti tell of the sufferings and hopes of the inhabitants.
We’re watching a little show called "Rap and Hip. Hop " improvised on our chosen words!!!
The return was a struggle .... After a lunch with Pauline and Geoffroy we take the metro back.
Arrived at the last cable car this one is closed ... We are lost ... How to get back to the campsite? We have no idea how to get to our fellow traveler.
We find out and gather false information.... We end up getting a taxi.
The campsite is 2,800 m above sea level. In the morning the temperature does not exceed 8° and the nights are cool and rainy... We pulled out the duvet and are looking forward to getting back into the heat.
Santa Fe de Antoquia
We leave Medellin for Santa Fe around noon via a supermarket ... The fridge is empty!!!
Good surprise : the road is double track and despite a long climb, our companion swallows the km without flinching ... the clutch seems to work perfectly and he camper kept his power ....
Upon arrival, we rest on a parking lot at the entrance of the village.
Santa Fe is a true jewel of colonial art from an architectural point of view, with its narrow cobbled streets, shaded by houses with white facades and pretty balconies carved in wood.
The city has four baroque churches. Unfortunately all were closed ... too bad.
It was the capital of Antioquia during the independence of the region at the time of the settlers, between 1813 and 1826.
We walk along the streets, soaking up the atmosphere of sweetness that reigns there.
We want to have dinner in the city but the restaurants close at 7 pm ...
ROAD BOOK 122
MAVROS ODYSSEE
