With Los Alumbrados in Medellin Colombia almost upon us

Well, the mayors office promised the most spectacular Los Alumbrados (Christmas Lighting) in Medellins history and I believe he has lived up to his promise.

Even though the formal lighting does not take place until Novmber 30th (or some say next Saturday), they have been making “test runs” on a couple of evenings and I can tell you, it is nothing short of spectacular. We even had a chance to view it from a look out point up on Las Palmas going towards the airport one evening.

Now, not to be outdone, Pueblito Paisa always has a very nice display as well and take advantage of their high point in the city to draw attention to their efforts. They also had a “test run” the other night and I can attest to the fact they too have gone all out for this years Los Alumbrados.

Hopefully, you will have a chance to see this years spectacle or will plan to attend one in the future. I am planning to do a video of this years Christmas lighting and will post a link to You Tube after editing.

Monday night officially starts the Christmas season in Medellin and at midnight, the skies will fill with fireworks all over the valley. Any high up vantage point will make it worth staying up for….but plan to be awake most of the night from the noise….!

“Why would you want to live in the jungles”

I almost fell out of my chair laughing as I explained that Medellin Colombia was a very cosmopolitan city with malls to rival any city in the US.

I play on-line poker (for play money only…for now anyway…LOL). I was chatting with another player the other day while sitting out a hand and she told me she lived in Ohio. I told her I lived in Medellin Colombia.

Her response was, “why would you want to live in the jungle”

So typical of the Hollywood stereotypical perspective that many have of cities in Colombia that I just had to laugh. I started off by telling her it was great to take my donkey and cart to the market everyday because we didn’t have refrigeration and needed to buy fresh meats and produce daily. I also told her there was no gasoline involved only grass and some occasional hay.

She became intrigued when I told her we had no electricity or running water and only had a generator to watch DVD’s on occasion.

Anothe player piped in and told me to cut the BS as he had visited MDE and knew differently.

I then invited her to visit the web site www.medellintravelguide.com to get a better feel for the quality of life here and to see what a modern city it really is.

She e-mailed me the next day that she had no idea it was such a beautiful place and so modern. Said she might even like to visit someday and were we serious about the prices for cosmetic surgery. I think she has a breast augmentation in mind.

Jungles? Yes, Colombia has lot’s of jungles but Medellin is not in one of them….!

Medellin Travel Guide Updated Travel Directory

There are many Blogs and Forums on Colombia and Medellin in General. There never seems to be an end to the repeated questions that arise on many of these forums.

MTG has attempted to put a plethora of snippets on Medellin in it’s travel directory section; www.medellintravelguide.com/medellin_traveldirectory.html

It is actually 5 pages long but can answer many of your questions about traveling to or visiting Medellin.

The format is quite simple. Many short snippets about Medellin Travel topics with each one being linked to pages with more intense information.

If we have missed anything you think is important, let us know and we will be happy to add it.

Thank you,

MTG

Chicken Gizzard Soup-Medellin Colombia

We almost always have a pot of soup on the stove. Started fresh every morning and generally based from a bullion cube, what gets added is fresh vegetables, rice, pasta, left over meats from the night before (if there are any) and occasionally some special surprises.

In this fashion, there is always something fresh to eat that can be quickly heated and consumed when hungry instead of waiting for a pre determined time to eat.

Now, when I was a youngster, I was introduced to chicken gizzards at a very early age. Unlike many kids, I rarely turned up my nose that weren’t familiar to me. I always tried it and if I like it would eat it. If I didn’t like it I wouldn’t. Several things took time to acquire a taste like broccoli, caulifolwer and cooked cabbage to name a few (all of which I now readily devour when presented).

Anyway, I recall my first experience with chicken gizzards at my aunts farm in Tennessee. I had no idea what they were but as soon as I put one in my mouth I immediately liked them and even asked for seconds!

The one thing about my chicken gizzard history is that they were always fried!!!

Imagine my surprise when I found chicken gizzards in my daily bowl of soup? There was no doubt I would eat them but I was curious about the taste/texture etc of this new treat.

Since our soup is always cooked in a pressure cooker, the gizzards were were actually quite tender and tasty and brought out an added flavor to the already delicious chicken based soup of the day.

The receipe? Chicken based bullion cube; add fresh vegetables of your choice; pasta or rice and chicken gizzards. Pressure cook or boil for as many hours as you wish and get out your spoon when ready to eat!

I am told that addiding gizzards to soup is quite common in Medellin. First time I have seen it in over two years but I am delighted to have found it.

Next time I go to Exito or Carrefour, I believe I’ll stock up on more gizzards as a kind of hint. I might even show them how to fry up a few for dinner one night.

Sabados Felices

A favorite Medellin comedy/variety show was doing a live filming in Parque de Deseos last Saturday night. The crowd began forming early in the afternoon for a 7PM filming.

By curtain time, the open air plaza was jammed with about 25,000 people. It was a standing room only event.

Now my spanish is not bad but a lot of the jokes that included innuendo, metaphors, sarcasm and local modismos went way above my head. Probably like some of our jokes would appear to a non native English speaking person.

None the less, we had a great time and it was fun to be around a large group of local people. I think I was the only gringo in the crowd!!!

Medellin Flower Festival 2009

The Alcalde Medellin’s web site posted July 31st to August 9th as the 2009
dates for Feria de las Flores. Other Annual Events listed as well.

http://www.medellin.gov.co/alcaldia/jsp/modulos/V_medellin/index.jsp?idPagina=1015

If you have not already started planning your trip for Feria de Las Flores 2009, you may already be too late. This annual event, now in it’s 52nd 52nd year, attracts visitors from all over the world. Hotels and rental apartments fill up fast (and many charge a 20-30% premium during this time).

The entire city of Medellin is in Party Mode for 10 days as parades take place almost everyday including the Antique Car Parade, Desfile de Silliteros (flower carriers parade). the worlds largest outdoor horse parade called Cabalgata and many others.

If you have never been to Feria de Las Flores in Medellin, you are truly missing one of the most important times this city has to offer.

Make your reservations soon!

Medellin Travel Guide

For photos and videos of preveios years festivals go to www.medellinflowerfestival.com

Envigado Nightclub Charles de Gaulle

Charles de Gaulle is an Envigado nightclub opened from Thursday-Sunday nights. From Thursday to Sat nights it plays a combo of crossover and local Vallaneta music and is full of a young crowd of local Paisas.

On Sunday nights, it is transformed into perhaps one of the largest dance studios in Medellin. Many professional dancers, dance schools and their students (as well as many local accomplished dancers) go there to practice in public and is it ever a sight to behold.

You will think you are watching a professional ballroom dance contest without the coats and tails and fancy dresses.

Drinks are reasonable and there is no cover charge.

See ya there some Sunday night!

Another satisfied patient with Dr. Juan Carlos Mejia

Ever since I started posting information about my Medellin Dentist, Dr. Juan Carlos Mejia, my personal in box has been flooded with inquiries about his services, prices, is he a well trained dentist, is it safe to visit Medellin, can I really save money, is his clinic sterile, does he use the latest technology, can I trust my dental requirements with him, does he do laser whitening?

It became somewhat overwhelming so I started forwarding my e-mails directly to him for responses. I don’t know the procedures for a crown replacement or what it would cost.  I do not know how many hours a dental implant takes or the procedure for replacing an amalgam filling with a white filling.

What I do know is that every single patient that I have ever referred to Dr. Mejia has raved about his services and professionalism.  Many have  sent me e-mails about how much money they saved, even after considering the cost of their airfare, hotels, meals and more. Better than 90% have commented on what a nice guy he is and how they can not believe they have his personal cell phone number or how quickly he responds to their e-mails.  The best one was one guy who told me about using his web cam to show a tooth problem on line with Dr. Mejia and the Dr. being able to give him an online response and estimated cost for the procedure.

Comments like;

- DR. Mejia did a dental implant for me for $450 that my dentist in the US quoted me $1,800 for;

_I had 3 root canals that my dentist in the US quoted me $4,500.  Dr. Mejia did them for less than $1,200;

-I am from England where there are the worst Dentist in the world.  Dr. Mejia fixed two crowns and re-filled 3 amalgam cavaties whith white fillers and now my teeth look great.

-He saw me on a Saturday morning because I only had the weekend in Medellin.  My dentist in the US was probably on the golf course.  Imagine???

 

Well, when you keep getting glowing feedback from your constituents like this guy is getting, you tend to want to keep promoting him.

One other interesting fact:  His Tutorial on Cosmetic Dentistry is the second highest read post on this site.  Feria de Las Flores beat him out, but not by much.

Need some high quality low cost dentistry?  Might want to consider a visit to Medellin.  Enjoy the wonderful climate, the friendly people, the beautiful girls, get a little required dental services performed and pay for the cost of your visit with your savings and then some!

 

Yes, he and his staff speak English.  He can explain what is required in English. He can explain the procedures in English….but he will bill you in pesos….!

“Medellin is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world”

Who is this person?  Jiang Yuxia of the China View newspaper:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/10/content_9892506.htm

 

“ Medellin is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world, as drug cartels and deals are rampant there. “

Does she live in Medellin?  I think not!

Has she ever set foot in Medellin?  I seriously doubt it! 

Has she checked her facts about homocide rates in major metropolitan areas of the world lately?  Does not seem so!

Is this rampant, negligent news reporting at it’s worst? Probably so!

Was she bored and trying to find something to enter into her computer one morning?  Well, you can answer that one.

What a completely stupid generalization to make about a country she knows nothing about. Too bad her tabloid does not allow for comments or rebutals.  But then again, it is China!

BTW-Have you read much lately about how much China is persecuting the Tibetans?  Ask Ms. Yuxia to print an article about that next week!

I will reiterate.  I have never felt so safe in any city in the world as I do in Medellin Colombia.  74 countries and 480 cities I have been blessed to visit.

The homocide rate is lower here than in Philadelphis, Washington DC, New Orleans and Miami.

The people here love their President and may very well vote him into an unheard of third term in office.

Ms. Yuxia, get a visa and visit Medellin sometime. You may never go home!

Are you running for office or something?

What an absurd statement to make!

“I won’t know them”

Alex Miguel Hernandez R. wrote to me, “I left Medellin when I was 4 years old and 30 years later I am returning for the Flower Festival to visit my family”

He has never met a large number of his family.  Aunts, uncles, cousins and a grandmother who is still living.  He grew up in a bi-lingual family in South Florida yet he never really knew the city of Medellin where he was born.

“Your site inspired me to make a visit to the home of my family” he wrote.

His father, a prominent attorney and businessman, packed up the family and their posessions when Alex was merely 4 years old and moved to the US.  His father was fairly fluent in English but the rest of the family spoke only Spanish.  They struggled to survive in an English speaking environment, sent their kids to both public and private schools and spoke both English and Spanish in their home.

Alex never met his grandfathers.  One died of natural causes while the other was killed by rebels who opposed his political views.  Three of his uncles met with untimely deaths due to the FARC and several of his cousins disappeared due to drug gang related activities.

“My family in Medellin will not know me and I will not know them”, he wrote to me.  But I want to ride in Cabalgata at the Feria de las Flores in honor of my father. “He used to ride in the parade every year with his brothers and family.  Can you help me find a horse I can ride in the parade?”

It was a challenge we could not resist.  Calls went out to friends, acquaintances, people in restaurants and our small network of gringos in Medellin. After almost 3 months of seemingly futile efforts, finally, a friend put us in touch with a tour operator who had access to over 200 horses available for rent for the Flower Festival.  Call it the Mother Lode! “He can rent anything from a mule to a thoroughbred stallion” (the latter being somewhat expensive by local standards).  Alex rented the stallion without a blink of an eye. 

An accomplished equestrian due to his fathers insistence on maintaining the family’s historical roots, Alex decided to spare no expense on his return to Medellin, honoring his fathers tradition of riding in Cabalgata and finally meeting his extended family.

“You have been so helpful I do not know how to repay you” he recently wrote to me. “Write a short atricle of your experiences revisiting the home of your birth” was my response. “Consider it done”,  was his American English colloquial response.

We look forward to reading about his experiences.

Alex, bienvenidos a Medellin!