Los Alumbrados Medellin-2007
This was my second Los Alumbrados (Christmas Lighting) in Medellin Colombia. In 2006, I viewed it from across the river while on a Chiva ride with a group of friends. It was spectacular then and I took almost an hour of video (which I still am committed to editing and posting some day).
This year, I witnessed Los Alumbrados from the “people” side of the river. The viewing stand side of the river. The food stands, crafts, beverage and people walking side of the river.
As much as I was in awe of Los Alumbraos 2006, viewing it from the comfort and safety of a Chartered Chiva bus, experiencing it as a part of the local gente (people) far surpassed any experience I could have imagined.
My friend Dave and I decided to walk the length of the river together, taking photos where we could and keeping an eye on each others back. It turned out to be an unwarranted fear. We parked our wallets (devoid of money, credit cards or anything of value except copies of our identification) in our front pockets along with our cell phones, money and anything else of value we could consider susceptible to pick pockets of which we had been warned. Fair warnings and I am sure some sleigh of hand people are successful in light handing some careless peoples valuables if the opportunity presented itself but we never experienced any problems.
I had a $1,000+ camera with several lenses worth almost as much strapped around my neck tucked inside a windbreaker jacket I was wearing. I also had a cloth shoulder bag carrying other accessories strapped over the other shoulder. When I wanted to take a photo, I would remove the camera from inside my jacket, attach a lens if necessary, take a couple of quick photos and return the camera to the safety of the inside of my jacket.
After an hour or more of doing this without any problems or threats of theft, I became a little less concerned and began to get into the festivities of the evening.
Hundreds, no, more like thousands of Paisas and their families were out in throngs enjoying the Sunday evening walk along the riverfront and viewing the spectacular Christmas lights that make up Los Alumbrados.
Hundreds of small stalls lined the riverfront walk selling everything from meats, chicken, local fare, sumptuous looking sweets, beer, rum, arts, crafts and more. The periodic viewing stands of special lighting presentations were filled with families, young lovers, children, people with cameras and cell phones taking photos of the gala presentations.
After several special photos, we ventured inside to the vendor stall area and marveled at the 8X10 tented and covered areas with people cooking grilled meats, selling arts and crafts, desserts, beer, rum, soft drinks, battery operated Christmas ornaments, toys and almost anything else you could imagine.
“A la orden” (at your service) was the cry from many booths. After several hundred feet of seeing the same fare over and over I finally built up the courage to ask for some photos. The local Paisa people responded warmly and graciously. When I asked their permission to post their photos on the internet, they were elated. Not a single refusal. When I asked for a “very small” sample taste of the food they were selling, not a single one refused. Some were heavenly and would put many weekend chefs on $499.00 barbecue grills to shame. Others were questionable but very flavorful just the same.
We wound our way back to the riverfront and the last reviewing stand. It started to rain so we took advantage of the cover to keep from getting wet. While standing there, we noticed several couples taking photos in front of some of the displays. With camera neatly tucked under my windbreaker, I approached them and asked if I could take their photo.
At first, they recoiled at the sight of my DSL camera as if it were a serpent of some kind. Then, they were curious as to where I might be using the photos. I explained to them that I owned the English version of the Medellin Travel Guide web site and it was Katey Bar the Door. They became instant models, posing in their finest stances. Taking direction and smiling their brightest. Suddenly, we had a crowd surrounding us. The novelty of two gringos and the buzz that we were somehow famous brought droves of people to see the novelty.
Our models wanted to see the finished product and I was only too happy to comply. We shook hands, wished each other a happy evening and Merry Christmas. Again, I asked if they had any problems with having their photos posted on the internet. They looked at me like I was stupid or something. “Of course not”, was their reply. I wrote down the name of the web site and encouraged them to take a look in the next couple of days to see their photos. They actually came out pretty good!
When we reached the end of the lighting display and turned around to go back to our car over ¼ of a mile away, we slowed our pace and began to take in the ambiance of the evening. Not only were we the only gringos we saw all night, we were the tallest people in the crowd (at 6’1” (me) and 6’4” (Dave). Children would walk up to us just to hear us speaking in English. People would ask where we were from and after hearing we were from the USA but were living in Medellin broke into big smiles of acceptance.
We were Paisas, experiencing Los Alumbrados like the locals. Enjoying the Christmas season like a local. Not shut up behind our front doors but out on the streets celebrating with the local people. Enjoying the efforts of this city to light up its riverfront with a spectacular exhibition of Christmas lights, enjoying and savoring scents and smells of the food vendors, thinking nothing of walking down the street, enjoying a cold beer while walking in front of the ever present but unobtrusive local police and military security.
Remember when you were a kid and there was an annual state fair in your town? Remember the lights, the sights, the smells, the sounds, the excitement, the anticipation of something special getting ready to happen?
For the Paisas of Medellin Colombia, Los Alumbrados is their anticipation of the Christmas season. A daily party (Rhumba), a daily fiesta, a daily celebration of life, a time to be with family, friends and fellow Paisas. To roam the streets marveling at the gala Christmas decorations, eating the scintillating foods, drinking and being amongst fellow countrymen.
Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad Medellin.
MTG.
