MEDELLÍN (A Wrap Up). Final Post From Our Temporary Colombia Home. 73 068 Km
After a little over 3 months our time in Colombia is coming to a close. After our couple of weeks in the Zona Cafetera we have returned to Medellin for a couple of days before heading to Bogota. Medellin was a very easy place to settle for a few months and though I have posted about our weekends away and some of the events around the holidays, there were a few other things we got up to here.
That time I volunteered to work with sloths, Anteaters, and Armadillos
After Claire found some volunteer work that suited her and we decided to stay in Medellin it was time for me to look for something as well. So I wrote to a lady about helping her in a rescue and rehabilitation centre and spent the next couple of months looking at fundraising and grants as well as looking after some of the animals along with her and another volunteer.
Baby sloth having tree training
Armadillo
Collared anteater
Giant anteater
That time we planned to go to a national park and it was a recreation park.
A little south of town we had heard about a park which was meant to have some walks and a general nice out of the city feel to it. Turns out it was more of a recreation park with kids obstacle courses, zip lines, climbing walls, and picnic huts. It was actually a really nice spot and would be a great family day out if you lived in the city. Whilst we we there we did find some walking trails, an iguana, and a family of monkeys.
That time Claire had a birthday in Medellín.
For Claire's birthday we found a top little restaurant to have a degustation. They call it a "food experience" which includes washing your hands with food plant based solids and liquids that have been cooked/prepared just for the experience. It was a little weird but great.
That time we went on a fruit market tour and discovered the awesomeness of Colombian fruit
After doing a great walking tour just after we arrived in Medellín we decided to use the same company to learn about Colombia fruits. Over a couple of hours they took us through the market where we tried around 14 different local fruits and learnt where they came from, how to pick a good one, and what natural benefits each of them may have for you. It changed our experience of Colombia for the next few months.
We also went past the corn processing section where people worked liked machines to pull corn apart ready for people to buy to make various corn based foods.
Just a mornings work of left over corn cobs
That time we played with dynamite for fun.
There is a strange game in COlombia called Tejo. It has a similar approach to Boche where you have to through heavy discs towards a target and the closest person wins. The kicker here is there is no ball to hit. It's little packets of gun powder placed next to a metal ring so when you hit the packed it goes boom!
That time we went to the Casa de la memoria
One of the recommended museums to visit in Medellín is dedicated to preserving the history of the trauma inflicted on the city in the late 20th century. There are now adults in Colombia who have grown up not directly knowing the tragedies of the past. This museum was designed to help heal the city and educate those in the future. It has a series of temporary art projects as well which was just neat.
That time we went paragliding
For a long time this year we have said we should go paragliding. Medellín was meant to be a great spot to do it and we had a ball.
That time we went to the Botanical Garden and the took the cable car up the mountain
Before Christmas, as the weather turned a little drier we got out into the parks a little more. First we went to Parque Arvi in the north of town where after taking the metro, you change to 2 cable cars to ascend to the top of the surrounding mountains. Despite the size of the park, it is pretty regulated where you can and can't walk. It was nice trip out there but the park has so much more potential.
Following that we went to the Botanical Garden in town and spotted some cool animals and birds including Iguanas, turtles, and macaws.
Given we had a little time that afternoon, we stopped off on the way home to take the cable car up the other side of the valley for another cool few of Medellín.
And so tonight is our last night. Tomorrow we take the long bus back to Bogota and our final stop in South America.
73 068 Km (39714Km Flights, 9156Km Sailing, 23679Km Bus, 296km Hiking, 51Km Horse riding, 150Km Train, 12Km Bike)
