For the first stop of my spring break backpacking adventure through Latin America, I landed in Medellín, Colombia. This city was once notorious as the violent landscape painted by Marquez and immortalized in the American TV series “Narcos,” where drug lords reigned supreme from the late 20th century into the early years of this one.
Today, however, gondolas glide gracefully over the mountain ridges, vibrant graffiti roses burst forth from bullet-scarred walls in the slums, and the youth of Comuna 13 channel their pain into hip-hop dance, refusing to let their history fade into oblivion. Meanwhile, in Botero Square, plump, whimsical sculptures stand as both a reminder of the grotesque past and a testament to the healing power of art.
Some cities have an uncanny ability to transform their scars into gold, weaving the bitter essence of coffee into something magical and unforgettable.
P1 – P3 Comuna 13
P4 – P6 El Peñol de Guatapé
P7 – P11 Botero Square and the museum next door
A word of advice: don’t forget your sunscreen! Trust me, I didn’t give it a second thought. With temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius, I assumed I’d be safe, but my neck ended up sunburned. It stung for an entire day, and later, I noticed the skin had started peeling… Lesson learned.
