Medellin

Not long ago Medellin was the centre of the world cocaine trade with an alarming death rate as Pablo Escobar controlled much of the city. While it still has its problems, the city has undergone significant transformation over the past two decades. Infamous Comuna 13 has now become a tourist attraction showing off its graffitied streets, and the centre of the city is dominated by Botero statues. But signs of the troubled past are still evident and are important reminders, not least led by Botero and his “bird” statues. The original was damaged in a terrorist bombing, to which Botero responded by donating an identical statue to the city.Read more