Colombias Bi Centennial

Medellin really turned all out for their Bi Centennial celebration. On Monday night, there was an incredible fireworks display hosted by the mayors office, the Governor, local businesses and more.

It was billed as the largest spectacle of it’s kind in Colombian history and I can believe it.

Two and one half tons of gunpowder was exploded over a 70 minute period of time.

The show was choreographed by Group F, a French firm who is renowned worldwide for fireworks displays with a word cup, an olympics several Cannes Film festivals and others to their credit.

To say the show was spectacular may be an understatement. To say the proud Colombians were exhuberant would be short sellng the pride they have for their country.

The mayor started off the festivities with a speech recognizing the original liberators of Colombia from Spain. The President elect, Manuel Santos was greeted with applause and cheers from the crowd and was only overshadowed when he praised outgoing President Uribe. The people here love him for what he has done for their country and what he has done for Medellin.

Crowds estimated at over 200,000 attended the waterfront spectacular and continued into the wee hours of the morning with parties in their homes and local watering holes.

Independence day on the 20th was relatively quiet. I guess most were nursing hangovers or catching up on their lost sleep.

Coming up next is Colombia Moda and of course Feria de Las Flores. (July 31st-Aug. 9th)

Cabalgata (the horse parade) is one of my favorite events of the feria. For the past three years, I have joined the millions that turn out and watch the parade along its 28Km route. This year, I am participating!!!

Thats right, I am going to put this saggy butt into a saddle for 8-10 hours and enjoy the feria from the back of a horse. The past two weekends warm up rides have been great and I am looking forward to being a part of this 53 year old event.

Big hat, long sleeve T-shirt, lots of sunscreen….and of course Ron Medellin Rum to quench the thirst of a long hot summer day………LOL

Now, I guess I can start to live up to the nickname my friends have started calling me: Gringo Paisa!

Wish me luck!

Feria de Las Flores 2010

If you are just now making plans to attend you may be too late. Most hotels and apartments are full or filling fast. This years feria is expecting a record attendance….as if last years could be surpassed?

Cabalgata will be the first Saturday of this years feria whereas in the past it has traditionally been held on the last Saturday of this 10 day event.

After 3 years of watching Cabalgata (the horse parade) from the calles, I am actually going to participate as a rider this year. Not only will you see photos of the horses and pretty Paisas, you will also get to see photos of the crowds along the way.

I am sure I’ll have a sore posterior. Not because I am not used to riding. I am just not used to riding for 10 hours……LOL

Hope to see you there. It is a “do not miss event” in Medellin.

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 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….!