Metro’n around Medellín

Medellín is a unique city; central parts of town are built along a narrow river valley, further residences and slums sprawl up the steep slopes of the basin.  It makes for a distinctive and spectacular sight at night, thousands of glittering lights dancing across the mountain sides. 

The city has a metro line which runs North to South through the valley – and brilliantly has put in gondola like cable cars to service the poorer barrios rising hundreds of meters into the sky.  Riding the cable cars up the near vertical gradients is an enlightening experience to see how many of the people in this city live; music rising up, kids flying kites on roof tops and playing soccer in the streets.  

Metro Stop: Itaguí

The last stop going South on the metro brings you to a cemetery, where the infamous Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria is buried.  This elusive Colombian drug king is often referred to as the World’s Greatest Outlaw, and his cartel is often regarded as the richest and most successful criminal enterprise in world history.  At his height of power he was reported to be smuggling 15 tons of cocaine a day, worth more than half a billion dollars, into the United States; the Medellín cartel controlled 80% of the global cocaine market.

Although seen as a dire enemy of the United States and Colombian governments, Escobar was a hero to the poor in Medellín.  Given he rose from poverty himself, he worked to create a ‘Robin Hood’ like image - building football fields, hospitals, schools and churches, and frequently distributing money to the poor.  As you will see in a future post we also visited his summer home in Guatape, an exclusive lake community in Colombia. 

Metro Stop: Parque Barrio

Parque Barrio is the center of town, and boasts the opportunity to wander around a number of unique areas including Parque Boliviar (a relaxed square with a nice fountain), Botero Square (with over 20 of Botero’s memorable bronze sculptures), and De la Luz Square (a very modern art installation leading into the library).

Metro Stop: Poblado 

El Poblado is the area of town where we stayed at Black Sheep; a quick 10 minute walk to the Zona Rosa, an area with many restaurants, and as we discovered amusing nightlife.  For the first time since our travels began everyone at the hostel was planning to go out, so we joined in.  Partaking in all Medellín has to offer, it was a fun night…and morning that concluded around 6am!