Colombia - Day 3

On Friday, we at breakfast at the apartment. We had eggs with mushrooms and arepa and cheese and hot chocolate. We relaxed all morning long until about 11am and we took a taxi to her moms for lunch.

When we got to her mom’s we relaxed and drank fresh raspberry juice. Then we ate lunch. Lunch was chicken, carne, potatoes, yuca with a delicious flavor with rice and salad. We also had mazamorra which is a corn soup kinda thing. The yucca was the best I have ever had. It was amazingly delicious with the flavor and way it was cooked. We also had coffee and guava.

I was seriously sooo full I had to lay down for awhile. I relaxed on the floor in her moms room just enjoying the view out her patio door window and would occasionally get up to walk around on the balcony. The coffee helped to make me feel better from forcing so much food down. I was so full. I remember asking Alejandra how she eats so much food but stays so little. She ate more than me and I was struggling. Does that mean the more I eat of this food the skinnier I will get? Lol!

While we were there they started a load of laundry with some of my dirty clothes as well. After they were done washing they hung them up on the porch on hangers which were hung from a broom stick strung between the poles of the patio. Such an ingenious cost effective dryer and means of hanging clothes.

We left her mothers around 1pm by taxi. We took the taxi to the nearest subway station.

There we purchased the tickets to get on the orange line to the blue line which took us to another location where we got on a metrocable. A metrocable is similar to our ski lift. There are so many homes in the mountains that they have a metrocable with stops along the way in order for people living on the mountainside to get home. It is soooo amazing how steep the roads, mountains, and metro cable are. The homes are not the nicest but probably have the basics you need to survive on.

As we escalated up this metrocable, which was an hour up and an hour down easily, I watched in aw of how amazing this city is and the unique beauty of it. I kept thinking I should see people running and jumping from roof to roof like you see in movies. It looked like it may be kina scary or unsafe to walk around there. Alejandra explained to me that in the days of Pablo Escobar and the cocaine production, there were certain roads that you couldn’t walk on or you would be killed. She said how a lot of the people in the area there worked for him and he would support them and develop their area. Up until 3 years ago it was incredibly dangerous. The government has initiated tons of great programs to teach them to take care of their city and respect others coming in and it is now safe to visit. Later this day we did just that and I learned it was Alejandra’s first time ever even there due to the past violence and she had been wanting to go lately but just hadn’t.

When we got to the top of the metrocable (arvi parquet) it was amazing. The last 15 minutes of the metro was trees only. We were above the height of these huge tropical trees. It was very scary at points and anyone scared of heights would freak out. You could see so far and so much that the views we saw the entire ride were out of this world and unexplainable and something you can only experience in person.

At the Arvi Parque, we were given a map of different trails and told we could go with a guide or by ourselves. First I had to try some snacks we saw. I tried a fruit called brevas with cheese and rice with milk and raisins. It appeared that there were many little villages and nature areas you could go visit and get to easily by walking around for the day. There was also camping grounds. It would be a great place for people to bike. There were roads, security, and people selling things all over. We went to the police horse stables and wen to visit them as well. I got to take some pictures and pet a 4 year old beauty. The officers and I were trying to communicate since Alejandra is allergic to horses and was unable to enter so that was interesting but we managed just fine.

We stayed for only an hour or so and then began to head back. On the way we stopped at a little hut where they were selling chorrizo and corn. I had to try the corn. It was grilled and very unique with big kernels different than corn in the US. They put it back on the grill with salt and butter to get it warm and fresh like again. It was so crunchy and yuumy.

We got purchased the returning lift tickets (aka subway via metrocable) to get back down to the city. On the way where the metro cable to the park meets the city metro cable to the neighborhoods, we got off to walk around the area that you never would have dared to do a few years back. I have to say, it was a very rough looking area by the looks and condition of the homes, BUT everyone just did their own thing and was out and about enjoying the day. From kids playing in water fountains, playing on cement stairs parallel to the steep road, sitting and rolling down on skateboards on the steep hills, selling food on the street, people watching on their porch, hanging laundry; everyone seemed content and fulfilled. I did not one time my entire trip especially in this neighborhood see someone that was rude or with a nasty attitude, whining or complaining. Alejandra told me that Columbia was rated the happiest country and I believe it after seeing this and much more.

We got off at this location in order to walk around and check out the new library. This library was HUGE. It was built and paid for by the city but supplies were donated by Spain. The goal is to make a safe haven and educational facility for kids in this neighborhood to stay out of trouble and learn how to interact with others and get an education. It is amazing to see all the kids running around and moms hanging out with their kids in this amazing state of the art facility. We took a tour by an employee. They have plans for 4 more of these facilities in other neighborhoods similar just next year alone. I can't say how much I see some kids being saved or having future changing opportunities from this. They had a line out of the computer room where they are allowed 1 hour free in blocks by first come first serve of monitored online access. There is a play room for little ones where they have the time of their lives. They have experimental rooms, rooms with books where kids where reading that may have never had this chance before. It was so touching to experience.

After we left the library and took the last subway metrocable down to the main subway station we headed to the stadium. Again, I was whooped somehow but still ready for whatever. Once I got home though and laid down again, I was done for the night. At the stadium, it was similar to a flea market. Tables set up with arts, crafts, goods, etc people where selling. There were a lot of neat items. I purchased a $5 US pair of earrings and a few clay kitchen items that were very inexpensive. I also tried merengon with strawberries. Basically this was a meringue top and bottom with fresh strawberries in the middle. We only stayed for an hour or so then headed out.

We needed to get more pesos for the next taxi so we walked across the road to a local shopping center. On our way we saw aerobics in the park at 9 or 10pm on a Friday night... how cool is that?

There were restaurants such as a food court and bars outside as well where we decided to get some food and beer before heading home. We each ordered a beer and a plantain dish similar to a taco but minus the taco and add a smashed and fried green plantain. We had michiladas which are different than what I know of as in the US. This was a beer in a bottle served with a salted rim glass with lime juice. After a good hour relaxing outdoors, eating, and drinking a few Aguilar Colombian beers we took a taxi home and passed out fast.