At Easter we visit the wrong Lord's home

I was in Medellín before (2008?), for just a couple of hours in transit from Bogota to New York, and it struck me as very beautiful, and so I marked it as a place I wanted to visit for longer, however last time we were in Colombia in 2023 we didn't come. Why, we'll because Flo was scared to visit the world capital of illegal drugs with the children. Explaining that the drug lord Escobar and his gang were long since dead and that the FARC and the government had really ended the civil war more than 15 years ago, didn't convince her, and in any case visiting the Caribbean coast and another place I longed to see (Cartagena) was a good 2nd choice.

I don't know what changed Flo's mind, but here we are, and it's Easter to boot.

As far as Easter goes, it's both low-key and intense here. None of the commercialistion, but still traditional Easter processions.

In terms of the city and its beautiful surroundings, it doesn't disappoint . Its luscious green, rolling mountains and hills are quite exceptional, and the way the city of Medellín climbs up the slopes with endless settlements of the poor is unique. It's also quite safe for tourists, although there are a lot of street beggars asking for food, though at least those we met were not aggressive.

Several of the photos are of the 13th community district, which climbs up the mountainside, with very narrow streets, escalators, and loads of street art.Read more