:: naazita ::

Wednesday, January 25, 2006 at 18:54

Medallo

I finally checked out Medellin, Colombia's third largest city after Bogota and Cali. I can't remember the last time I arrived somewhere new with about a hundred preconceptions. Ever since I got to Colombia, I've heard a lot about Medellin. How the women are the hottest (a significant number aided by silicon). How the weather is perfect. How the people are friendly, even if they think they're a cut above the rest. How they talk (sing?). How they eat frijoles everyday. Etc Etc Etc. So finally I checked out the city for myself, and found a number of reasons why Medellin is a great city. Some of them:

- Because it's beau-ooo-tiful. (And I'm not just talking about the women).

- Cool concept parks. Like this one - 'El Parque de los Pies Descalzos'. In downtown Medellin, skyscrapers in sight, a neat little park which is all about the joyful abandon of bare feet. Almost like a miniature water park cum beach in the centre of the city. Ah, the joy of things that don't cost a penny.

Great nightlife. Parque Lleras if you're into silicon spotting. I would recommend the happy hour 3 x 'Beso de Tigre' for 11.900 pesos at 'Thaico'. Now that's a cool deal. Or Trilogia for great live music.

- They have really funny store names. Like this one. 'Maridos en Alquiler' or 'Husbands for Rent'. Blown fuse? Leaking tap? Just call.

It would be a sin to talk about Medellin and not talk about the food. The paisas (folks from Medellin), boy can they eat! The paisas reading this will be well proud of me... I tucked into Mondongo at 'Mondongo's' (pic below, it's cows stomach, but you're probably better off not knowing, huh?)... arepas at 'Arepas J & C'... cazuela de frijoles (yummmm) at 'Ajiacos & Mondongos Exquisitos'... when I also learnt what 'Suchi' means in Medellin... ok, that's my laugh for the paisas... if the rest of you have no idea what I'm talking about... nevermind! (I skipped the Bandeja Paisa...I'm afraid I might die if I eat a whole one...)

- The Metro, the Paisa Pride. Colombia's only metro, and I swear it's the cleanest metro I've ever seen. Singapore has competition.

- Oooh, and Metro Cable... extension of the Metro... that goes up, up, up in one of the hilly poor communes of Medellin... fantastic social investment for the city...

- Weather so perfect you can sun-bathe on a zebra crossing in downtown Medellin ; )

- Fantastic company. Thanks Paito, eres genial... la quiero mucho ; )

Also cool was the catch up with Gabo, Indian homie in Medellin, very very cool. Gabo, waiting for the blog updates : )

Back in Bogota pues... with a Paisa accent... hahahaha

Saturday, January 14, 2006 at 18:08

Look Who's...

...been rappeling (Parque Los Yarumos, Manizales).

This is the scary bit, the first step. Going from 0 to 90 degrees south. It's a good thing you can't see the look of terror on my face.

Getting there. Long legs help.

Wet, cold, muddy but lovin it. Oooh, almost home.

This was the first waterfall we went down. The second one was double in length, double fun and not half as scary as the first time.

Can't wait to do this again.

Sunday, January 01, 2006 at 22:25

New Years

Until this year, New Years Eve was just another excuse for a party with friends. I always imagined it was fairly similar everywhere, at least any cosmopolitan city (and I'd put Bogota in the cosmopolitan city category). But Colombia had me surprised. It turns out that New Years Eve is not the biggest party night of year, like it is in many parts of the world. Hey, it isn't even a party night to begin with. New Years Eve in Colombia is a family night, probably moreso than Christmas Eve. It's an evening of getting together with the family, reflecting on the year gone by, and sharing wishes and propositions for the new year. And then there are agueros.

Agueros are like little superstitions, things that people do to bring good fortune in the new year. There are a whole lot of agueros based on the New Year, and just after the family brings in the new year at midnight, people set about doing these agueros in a frantic rush. Here are some of the popular ones (maybe the Colombians can help add to the list)

- eat 12 grapes just in one minute, just after it hits midnight - make a wish with each grape (for good luck, 12 grapes for 12 months)
- throw rice around the house (for prosperity/abundance in the new year)
- run around the block with a suitcase/travel bag in hand (for travel)
- bathe jewelry in champagne (some people say bathe yourself in champagne too)
- wear yellow underwear (hahahahahaha)

There are lots more, some really bizarre ones. But the point is, here I was looking for a party on New Years Eve, but struggling to find anything, since just about everyone is at home with their families, chatting and aguero-ing away. I called about 15 clubs, some of Bogotá's biggest. Almost all of them were CLOSED. Imagine that. Culture shock. No rumba on New Years Eve. At least not in Bogota - Cartagena is where all the big parties happen (as we speak - Tiesto, PVD, Robby Rivera, etc... ). We finally managed to find a respectable party at Babar... which only began at 1am...

There are some cool photos from my new years eve, but my camera has accidently found its way to Rotterdam, thanks to this chica... : ) Something will have to be done to retreive my coolpix baby...

Oooh, and Happy New Year.