“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 http://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 Los Alumbrados in Preparation

This year the mayors office started very early preparing for this years Los Alumbrados.  Not many were sure why the preparations were starting in early August but it was apparent something big was hapening.

It started with the installations of huge green water drums all along the river.  The workers were hacking their way through the rocks and dirt that line the river placing these 2-5 hundred gallon water containers and submersing them below ground.  Next came the installation of all new metal support structures across the river.  This is not an unusual sight but the structures themselves were.  Mush more durable, stronger and they looked to have a plan of permanence about them.  They were being built to support something very, very heavy.  Next came the installation of tan tarp like material below the support structures.

 

My curosity was piqued so I began asking around if anybody knew what was going on with this years Los Alumbrados?  The Mayors office finally announced that this years theme was going to be a water theme and all the tanks and support structures were being erected to pump water.  He also promised that this years Los Alumbrados would be the most spectacular in history.

Having attended 4 Los Alumbrados, I find that difficult to believe but if the installations are any indication of what is to come, it will surely be a spectacle to behold.

 

Make your plans early as accommodations fill up fast and expect to pay a minimum of a 20% surcharge from the first of December until January 15th.  Oh, and bring your cameras!