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Thread: Medellin Idyll

  1. #1
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    Medellin Idyll

    Today was Exotic Fruit Tour at Plaza Minorista. Our tour guide was a lovely young Paisa called Diana. I highly recommend this tour if you decide to come to Colombia. Our first day here we walked around the fruit and veg aisles at the markets with a lot of mutterings of "What is that?" This tour introduced many fruits for sampling so we now have a better idea of what we can pick up at the market.

    Lulo
    Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_101043-jpg

    Curuba
    Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_115522-jpg

    Granadilla
    Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_115417-jpg

    Different fruits we tried on the tour
    Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_121037-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_101043-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_115522-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_115417-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180614_121037-jpg  
    pues, estamos aqui

  2. #2
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    First time I've seen feijoa called guavasteen. Interesting. Tree tomatoes I've always known as tamarillo and I'm surprised that they're not called that in South America....I'd always assumed "tamarillo" was Spanish in origin.

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    My favourite was the chontaduro. On its own it tastes very much like boiled kumara. Add a bit of salt it gets more interesting. Top it with salt and honey and it's wicked good.

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    R.I.P. Luigi's Avatar
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    Nice.


    How long are ya staying there?


    A school mate of mine spent a summer in Columbia after school, at 2 Euro a gram the fooker had quite a coke habit by the time his family forced him to come back.

    Suppose a kilo's out of the question?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Luigi View Post
    How long are ya staying there?
    5 weeks


    Quote Originally Posted by Luigi View Post
    Suppose a kilo's out of the question?
    Weed's decriminalised here in Colombia. For coca leaves you can buy bushels of the stuff in Bolivia.

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    Nice one.

    Just about gagged at the sight of the tree tomato thingies though. Jaysus those things are dreadful!

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    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    What's this got to do with Merthyr Tydfil?

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    Taken from my balcony looking east towards the football stadium and La Candelaria (the central business district).


    Medellin Idyll-img_20180612_145149-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Medellin Idyll-img_20180612_145149-jpg  
    Last edited by happynz; 15-06-2018 at 10:11 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by happynz View Post
    5 weeks



    Weed's decriminalised here in Colombia. For coca leaves you can buy bushels of the stuff in Bolivia.
    Neckties still available.?

  10. #10
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    Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Stayed at The Black Sheep hostel near Zona Rosa, back in '08. Great accommodations, as I recall.

    I also recall the owner being a Kiwi. You might want to stop by there, to pay a visit for future reference. Meanwhile, enjoy Medellin. Cheers!

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    The algarroba was an interesting one. It looks very much like a big petrified pea pod. One needs a hammer, or a big rock, to crack it open. Inside is whitish-yellowish chalky flesh that smells suspiciously like pongy cheese and dirty toenails (don't ask about the dirty toenails 555). Yet, when a piece is placed between cheek and gum the algarroba starts to soften and dissolve and the flavour is reminiscent of vanilla and malted milk.

  12. #12
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    Kindly (ahem) disregard post # 10. The Black Sheep hostel owner, in Medellin, is a real New Zealander, and a truly nice person. Enjoy your holiday there,........bud.

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    Uh...

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_075018-jpg

    You're a strange one, Ben.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_075018-jpg  

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    Transport day

    Medellin has a very good integrated transport system.

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_092107-jpg

    One can transfer easily and without added cost from the trains to the Metrocable.

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_092840-jpg

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_092913-jpg

    The Metrocable serves the barrios up on the hillsides reducing workers' commutes by an hour or so.

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_093754-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_092107-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_092840-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_092913-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180616_093754-jpg  

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    Brekkie on the balcony...

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180618_061831-jpg

    Coffee, eggs, lulo, pitaya, and arepa con queso.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Medellin Idyll-img_20180618_061831-jpg  
    Last edited by happynz; 18-06-2018 at 08:24 PM. Reason: spelling

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    Very nice, cheers.

    It looks surprising clean and clear for a large city.


    Did you go to where Escobar was shot dead? I'd imagine it must be a kind of dark tourist spot.

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    We're staying in Barrio Estadio, about a 1.2 km walk to Barrio La America where Escobar met his end. The barrio where Escobar was shot is not a particularly dangerous place and is in fact a desirable sort of middle-class neighbourhood. We haven't done any Narcos tours but there are some that run half-day excursions to where Escobar was shot and the grave where he is now buried.

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    fcuked off SKkin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by happynz View Post
    One can transfer easily and without added cost from the trains to the Metrocable.
    Looks like an appealing transfer ...


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    sniff sniff


  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Luigi View Post
    It looks surprising clean and clear for a large city.
    In many areas it is tidy, but in parts of La Candelaria it gets a bit dodgy. We were down that way this morning and sussed quickly that it's not the kind of place to be flashing a late model mobile phone (so no pics).

  21. #21
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    Double post!

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    Quote Originally Posted by happynz View Post
    Uh...You're a strange one, Ben.
    Indeed, I am a strange one. Thank you, for that recognition. Cheers!

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    COP 9,000 menu del dia (THB 1 = COP 89), served midday.

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180618_130008-jpg

    Soup, salad, chicharrón (pork belly), rice, an arepa, fried plantain, a baked potato and a fruit juice. Oh, and a wee sticky guava fruit lolly...

    That's us done eating for the day.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Medellin Idyll-img_20180618_130008-jpg  

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    Today's excursion was to Las Escaleras Electricas - public escalators that go up the hillside into a notorious barrio in comuna 13. Once the most dangerous barrio in what was once one of the world's most dangerous cities, the barrio has began to transform itself. It still is a hotbed for rival street gangs and narco outfits, but with the introduction of the escalators and the local government providing paint to local artists the barrio now welcomes a steady stream of local and foreign visitors to appreciate the street art and to hear the locals' stories.

    Many blogs advise only going with organised tours for safety reasons, but we decided that we would go as independents. One can take a combination of train and busses to the escalators, but with two people it was not much difference price-wise so we took a taxi (taxis are a bargain here).

    We got to the escalators at about 09.30. The first level is at the top of a very steep street. It becomes readily apparent that this isn't a barrio plagued with random gang tags scrawled on every available surface, but a vibrant if troubled neighbourhood..



    Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_105138-jpg

    The first level escalator...

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_095231-jpg

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_095657-1-jpg

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_100045-jpg


    More art...

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_104625-jpg

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_101204-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_105138-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_095231-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_104625-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_095311-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_095657-1-jpg  

    Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_101204-jpg   Medellin Idyll-img_20180619_100045-jpg  
    Last edited by happynz; 20-06-2018 at 10:34 AM.

  25. #25
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    Great stuff. Interesting to see, cheers.

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