Coffee tasting and a dance show

After our snack, we caught a local bus to visit a coffee museum.  Here, we were shown the different grades of coffee bean and had a shot of the best quality coffee.  It was delicious, but we weren't tempted to buy anything. 

We then walked up to a covered area where we stopped to watch a couple of dance troupes.  They were excellent!

After the dancing, we continued our walk into Comuna 13, one of the 16 communes of Medellín, with a population of around 160,000.  The neighbourhood is associated with street art performances, graffiti, bright colours, tours, and an energetic environment that showcases its resilience.  However, Comuna 13 was not always a vibrant community.  It faced violence and insecurity due to drug trafficking, paramilitaries, and controversial military operations.  The area was only cleaned up as recently as 2002.  Since then, it has benefitted from investment in infrastructure, such as a cable car line and a series of escalators and social programs.

Today, the neighbourhood is full of colour and life.  It was heaving with locals and tourists alike.  We spent a couple of hours here exploring and soaking up the atmosphere.Read more