We went downstairs around 1pm and grabbed a taxi. The plan was to get lunch and then I wanted to check out Parque Berrio and the Botero sculptures. We stopped at a restaurant going towards downtown and I had some Chorizo, but it was nowhere as good as the first place. We were sitting outside, eating and just enjoying the great weather and each other’s company. I settled up the bill and it was something ridiculously inexpensive, like $3 for both of us. As we were waiting for change, a man and presumably his two kids came up and asked for money. Tatiana asked me if it was ok and then ordered them a meal. Up until now I had been well-shielded from any poverty. I’m sure it’s really bad in some places, but for the most part the low and high end of society never meet.
We got into another cab and headed towards Parque Berrio. For those of you who don’t know, Botero is a contemporary artist from Medellin who is one of the darlings of the art world. His style is to make everyone fat. And while I was never very enthusiastic for his illustrations, I really like his sculptures. There are a good couple dozen of them in and around Parque Berrio. Botero has moved on to a different genre now and narcotics violence is the theme of his illustrations.
As we entered the downtown area, you could see the transition from wealthy residential homes and condos to the hardscrabble landscape that makes up downtown Medellin. It is not unlike the Grand Concourse in The Bronx – discount store after discount store and plenty of sidewalk merchants plying their wares.
And just like the Grand Concourse, it’s safe when the masses are out during the day, but at night when the stores roll down their metal gates, you had best be off the street or vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times. And why would you be here after dark anyway?
The taxi dropped us off at one corner of the park and I started shooting away.
We spent almost an hour looking at the sculptures and then Tatiana suggested we ride the Medellin Metro. The system is new and Medellin is the only Colombian city with a Metro. I can’t remember the cost, but it was cheap and there were plenty of people in the cars. It rides above ground, so there’s some nice scenery out the windows.
We got off at the Poblado stop near the hotel, but it was such nice day out, I wanted to enjoy the weather. Besides, all there was to do back at the hotel was have sex, and I was almost worn out at this point.
I told Tatiana that I wanted to go to the cemetery where Pablo Escobar, the original Colombian drug lord was buried. I figured a photo of the grave would make a good wallpaper for my desktop at the office.
We got into a taxi and the driver wasn’t exactly sure which one of the two major cemeteries Pablo was resting in. He thought it was La Pas, and like an idiot I said, yes La Pas, I remember reading that. So off to La Pas we went. It was a nice 15 minute ride to the outskirts of Medellin and as soon as I saw the roadside flower vendors, I knew we were close.
We pulled up to the information tent and Tatiana inquired as to the location. Well, they said Andreas Escobar (the soccer player) was here, but for Pablo you had to go to Envigado. The taxi driver was embarrassed that he mixed up the two, but I didn’t care, we were having a great time playing grab-ass and making out in the backseat.
Twenty minutes later we pulled up to Envigado and headed to the information center. Pablo’s grave was right around the corner and we paid our respects. A family friend was there and also showed us an adjacent plot with a couple of Pablo’s associates who also didn’t make it, one on the same day.
We headed to the taxi, which whisked us back to the Dann Carlton. Tatiana and I went upstairs and I looked at my watch, knowing the end was near. My flight from Medellin to Bogota left at 6:00am and Javier was scheduled to pick me up at 4:30am. That meant I had to be up at 4am at the latest. I wasn’t sure if I was going to even go to bed or just stay up.
Tatiana and I had another monster session and then we just laid around, content to be with each other. We took showers, got dressed and ready to go out to dinner.
We caught a taxi and took it to where we had lunch the first afternoon, but the place was closed. We pulled up to another restaurant close by, inquired if they had Chorizo and got out of the car.
We sat outdoors in the back. The weather was just perfect and we enjoyed our last meal together. The food was good, not as great as the first place, but still very good. The main knock on the place was the lighting – it may have been the darkest restaurant I’ve ever eaten in. I couldn’t even make out the food on my plate!
I needed to hit an ATM and noticed several along the street. We decided to forego a taxi and just walk to the bank. The first several didn’t have a 24 hour ATM and by the time I found one, we were nearly back at the hotel.
We went upstairs and started to pack. I put away all the electronic equipment and Tatiana packed my clothes. Tatiana said she wanted to go to the airport with me, but I didn’t think that was a good idea as we’d be going up the mountain and I didn’t want her to get carsick. But she insisted and I was fine with it.
I was dead tired and knew I’d be in bad shape if I didn’t get a couple of hours sleep, and with that shut the lights at 11pm. At 1am I awoke to Tatiana straddling me and we went at it until close to 2. Luckily I was able to fall right back asleep and when I awoke at 4am I felt surprisingly refreshed.
I hit the shower, got dressed and went downstairs to settle up the bill. They asked if I would like a cup of coffee while they inventoried the suite upstairs. Javier was waiting for me outside and a bellhop went up to get the bags.
Luis (the other taxi driver) was also outside, and I went over to say hello/goodbye.
Tatiana and the bellhop met me downstairs and after paying the bill, we headed towards the airport. There was no traffic that time of the morning and we made it to the airport in 30 minutes. I paid Javier 35,000P + tip and he waited outside as he was going to take Tatiana back into Medellin.
Check-in was a breeze and I still had 30 minutes to take-off. Tatiana and I got something to eat near the gate and then it was time to go. I gave her a $50 bill as a gift – damn I wish I hadn’t forgotten the Amor Amor perfume on my desk! Oh, well – next trip.
The 30 minute flight to Bogota was uneventful. My flight to Newark didn’t leave until 9:20am, so I had 2.5 hours to kill. I forgot all about paying the airport tax and the exemption stamp (between door 5 and 6) and they informed me as I was checking in that I had to pay it. There was a guy collecting the departure tax right next to the Continental counter, but I would have had to pay double since I didn’t have the exemption and I didn’t have enough in US cash or Colombian Pesos (you can’t mix both). But seeing as I had time to kill, I went to get the exemption stamp (took 20 minutes), then went to Priority check-in at CO, paid the reduced airport tax ($28) and checked-in. Got a pass for the Avianca lounge, which is upstairs after immigration but before security.
Went upstairs to find a total mess trying to get through immigration. It’s total chaos and very disorganized: took 30 minutes just to get past the “ticketed-passengers only” door and then an hour to clear immigration (there’s a sign that warns it can take 2 hours to clear immigration and I don’t doubt it). That’s one of the reasons I’m doing Medellin – Miami the next trip. I figure clearing immigration in Medellin can’t be worse than Bogota.
There is one lone dial-up station in the Avianca lounge; just as well as I didn’t have much time thanks to the time it took to clear immigration. Just before clearing security I bought two bags of coffee – can’t come back from Colombia empty-handed!
Went through security and boarded the plane – filled just like the trip over. The flight was uneventful and when they announced the initial descent, I realized my best hobbying trip had come to a close.
Immigration was a breeze, customs waved me right through and I was catching a cab out in the heat and humidity of Newark in great time. Less than 60 minutes later I was back in Brooklyn.
Final thoughts and list of contacts/addresses to come.
