Seeing as I’m heading to the Daddy Yankee concert in Medellin tomorrow night, I’m going to indulge in one of my favorite songs.

In 2009, I heard Llamado De Emergencia everywhere, and that immediately became the song I associated with the Puerto Rican superstar.

Once that fervor died down, I began to give more attention to his other songs.  This year, my favorite song has been Que Tengo, Que Hacer which coincidentally, receives regular play in all the clubs!

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The annual Colombiamoda show in Medellin ran from July 28th-30th, 2010.  It’s the biggest fashion show of the year for Colombia, with designers locally and from around the world coming together to display their new clothing lines for the season.  I (Troy) covered the event myself and wanted to get some photos of the models.  Entrance was a little high at $80,000 COP ($42.00 USD) but the pass provided you with entry for all 3 days of the event.

Living in Medellin feels like your in a fashion show all the time anyways, as everyone dresses for success here, so not sure it was really worth the extra money.

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Posted by T-roy from FOGG Odyssey.com who is currently living in Medellin.  He does photography work part-time and has his own travel website which hosts more of his photos.  If you have a photography question or want to meet up to shoot pictures while in Medellin, you can contact him through his website.  You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Luckily for me, and my wallet, I learned via Twitter that he’s playing a show in Medellin Saturday, September 11, 2010.

Indeed, I imagine the 10,000-seat Plaza de Toros La Macarena will be off the hook that night, which is exactly why I bought tickets. I’ll be there along with thousands of screaming girls and their boyfriends, brothers, husbands and dates.

Daddy Yankee is clearly the main draw, however a popular Puerto Rican American salsa singer, Victor Manuelle, is also on the bill. In true Colombian style, attendees will get some salsa mixed with their reggaeton. Other opening acts include Pipe Pelaez, Jutha y Small, and Golpe a Golpe.

Tickets are (still) available at 3 price levels:

• 55,000 pesos ($30) = general admission
• 95,000 pesos ($50) = preferred area (in the middle of the stadium)
• 150,000 pesos ($80) = VIP section (closest to the stage)

Tickets can be purchased online via Ticket Express, or in person at several shops and malls around Medellin.  When purchasing the tickets in person, be sure to bring cash unless you have a Colombian debit or credit card.

Doors open at 6pm, and the show starts at 8pm.

I’ll provide a wrap-up of the event next week, however to avoid any trouble with pickpockets, I’ll probably leave my camera and BlackBerry at home.

If I happen to run into Daddy Yankee himself, you’ll just have to trust me.

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This week, the Medellin international jazz festival is in full swing.  Running from September 2-11, musicians from Italy, Cuba, the United States, Holland, and around Colombia are performing in 6 concerts for the city’s jazz aficionados.

The primary location for the headlining acts is El Club de Jazz del Parque Comercial El Tesoro, with other events taking place on Carrera 70 and in the convention center at Plaza Mayor.  (El Tesoro is a modern shopping mall in the Poblado neighborhood.)

Concert Schedule:

8pm, Thursday, September 2, 2010 – Carrera 70, between Calles 46 and 47 (free)

• Big Band Universidad EAFIT (Colombia)
• The Big Bones (Colombia)

8pm, Saturday, September 4, 2010 – Plaza Mayor (free)

• Ialsax Quartet (Italy)
• Green Monkey (Colombia)

9pm, Wednesday, September 8, 2010 – Club de Jazz Parque Comercial El Tesoro (free w/ticket)

• Holambia (Holland and Colombia)

9pm, Thursday, September 9, 2010 – Club de Jazz Parque Comercial El Tesoro (ticket required)

• Spanish Harlem Orquesta (USA)

9pm, Friday, September 10, 2010 – Club de Jazz Parque Comercial El Tesoro (ticket required)

• Chucho Valdes & Los Afrocuban Messengers (Cuba)

9pm, Saturday, September 11, 2010 – Club de Jazz Parque Comercial El Tesoro (ticket required)

• Poncho Sanchez y Su Orquesta (USA)

For additional information, including ticket prices:

• Facebook: Festival de Jazz Medellin 2010
• Call 316-0987
• E-mail medejazz@une.net.co

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I discovered Silvestre Dangond while living in Medellin last year thanks to his super catchy song Me Gusta, Me Gusta.

This year, I’m enamored with Cantinero which I’ve been hearing in the bars.  Silvestre is a vallenato singer, and an easy way to distinguish this distinct style of Colombian music is to listen for the accordion.

Juancho de la Espriella is the accordionist playing with Silvestre in the song.

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Evidently, Seth is kicking off his new position with a multi-month journey from Brazil to New York City, and he made sure to visit a few towns in southern Colombia. I remember being in Cartagena in early July while Seth was tweeting his way into Colombia. He’d already visited the bigger cities, such as Medellin and Cartagena, which is why he was more focused on some of the lesser known areas.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAvFcP2uNZY

______

Written by David Lee

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Carlos Gardel Sign in Buenos Aires. Picture by jglsong. Licenced under Creative Commons

One of the nice things about having traveled through most South American countries, and getting to spend big chunks of time in each one is that you start noticing and recognizing similarities between them. In the 18 months since I left Europe I’ve spent the most time in Argentina and Colombia, two countries that culturally are not that close. Colombia has a much more “latin”, Andean feel whereas Argentina, or Buenos Aires at the very least has a very (Southern) European vibe going on.

Medellin however, does have one very direct link to Argentina and this is Carlos Gardel. If you’re not South American, nor have you spent any length of time in Buenos Aires, then you may be forgiven in not knowing who this is.

Simply put, Carlos Gardel is Tango.

Born in the late 1880s (controversy still rages about whether he was born in Argentina, Uruguay or France)  he grew up in the Absato barrio of Buenos Aires and came to prominence in the early 1920s with his rich baritone interpretations of the tango-canción. Throughout the 20s and 30s Gardel was, to put it simply, a superstar. He toured all over South America, New York, Paris, Barcelona, selling thousands of records and appearing in several early Hollywood movies.

Tragically, however this all came to an end in 1935 when he died in a plane crash in Medellin. Popular there at the time, his death cemented the link between the Paisa people and the boy from Abasto, a link that still lives on to this day. Medellin has a few places where you can enjoy the silky smooth sounds of Gardel and even has a Tango Festival. This page, written by two tango fanatics, gives more details of the places to visit in the Tango scene.

So, when the Salsa and Vallenato all get a bit much, slip on your high heels (the ladies too!), head down to your local milonga and pay tribute to the King, Carlos Gardel.

Tango in Black. Picture by zabara_tango. Licenced under Creative Commons.

Written by Jonathan Evans.

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At its highest part, on the rear (southeast side), it has a height of 2,135 m M.S.L. with an average temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. The “Peñon” has 185 m3 of rock mass and it is 385 m long, with an approximate weight of 10,000,000 tons. It has some rock breaks, one of which was used for the construction of the 644 stairs that can be used to go to the top.

The wide Antioquian rock base, called “batólito Antioqueño”, and the “Peñon” were formed 70 million years ago.
The Tahamies Indians, former habitants of this region, worshiped the rock and called it on their language “mojarrá” o “mujará” (rock or stone). This rock is located in the country area called “La Piedra”, just 5 minutes from Guatape Town, and can be reached by an excellent road.

The rock was climbed on July 1954. History tells that it was climbed by a group of friends, at the invitation of a local priest. Luis Villegas, Pedro Nel Ramírez and Ramón Díaz climbed the rock in a five-day endeavour, using sticks that were fixed against the rock’s wall.[2]

On the top of the rock was found a new species of plant, subsequently named “Pitcairma Heterophila” by a German scientist.

On the top of the rock was built a viewing spot, where it is possible to acquire handcraft products, mail cards, and other local goods. It is possible to see the 500 km shore-perimeter dam.

In the 1940s, the Colombian government declared it a “National Monument”

Music: Nine Inch Nails – La mer

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Welcome to my office!

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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The church across the street from Parque Berrio

…and for something new, we saw this at the Venezuela border:

The fierce border dog.

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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Robin, my friend behind The Arepa, has just begun a new weekly radio show at 101.9 FM, a station run by the University de Antioquia.  It airs on Saturday nights at 9 PM (local time).

Here’s how he describes it:

We are Robin and Jeff, two guys from California living in Medellin making an English magazine called The Arepa (www.thearepa.com) and we make a radio show for the University of Antioquia (101.9 FM) called Prime Cuts. It is a show to play music from Medellin and music from around the world.

You can listen to Robin and Jeff’s first show here.

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From the Parque Berrio Station

I just hope they aren't planning on burning those books.

If you sit on those steps in the distance for long enough, someone will talk to you!

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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The Pond at the Botanical Gardens

Ducks...and the hair of the most beautiful Colombian girl I have ever seen!

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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Near Parque Berrio

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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La Catedral - Photo courtesy of Hans Peter

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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Santa at the Christmas Store

These other pictures I’m posting for their artistic value.  Just a few sweet shots around Santa Elena.  Courtesy of Juan Diego Bautista.

Santa Elena

Santa Elena

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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The Bathroom from My Favorite After Hours Club

I thought I would start of the return with something…real. This is pretty dark compared to next week’s Christmas theme.  This is the ‘nice’ bathroom at my favorite after hours club.  It’s not so much a club than a converted basement apartment, but it is like no other place Colombia. (I’ll bet, anyway.)  This is a place where people do drugs in the corners and have sex in the closets.  It’s in the dirtiest part of the center.  The walls are black with some artwork painted on them, and it is only lit by candles and black light. I could give out the name, but the place is extremely hard to find anyway, as it doesn’t have a sign or anything like that.

Colombians...Should not pour beer.

Just an FYI.  If you’re at all like me, you might want to pour your own.

Sorry these aren’t the best quality.  I don’t like to carry my camera around unless I have my purse, and these were just too interesting to pass up.

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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Robin from The Arepa put together a great video of photos from the past year. If I knew how to edit video, I’d be doing the same!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDnxUpoIbDg

I first saw Artefacto at Altavoz.  I was impressed by the group, overall.  They are a Medellin band lead by Felipe Carmona, 30 (yes, he’s 30…it has been a topic of discussion and jokes ever since I found out.)  Felipe has been very kind to me with offering insights into the Colombian music scene, and I wanted to share this video for him.

I love this video because you can see the Metro running in the background.  I have been using this song to help me learn Spanish.  Here are the lyrics:

DESESPERO

Fue una noche fría y cruel

Cuando me hiciste perder

En tu risa que sabe a miel

Me deleito y luego se fue

Dime porque haces llover

Siempre que te quiero ver

Dame de ti dame de ti

En tus ojos me perdí

A donde vas

Cuando yo pienso en ti

Donde estas cuando muero por ti.

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTh4PjD1WG8

La Dany is a new feature documentary from Julie and Jim Giles of Brother & Sister Productions. Shot on the streets in Medellín, Colombia, it documents the life of transvestite street performer, Dany Castaño Quintero, better known as “la Dany.” For over 20 years, “la Dany” has entertained the crowds gathered in Bolívar Park following Sunday evening mass.  A unique talent among the buskers and indigents, Dany struggles to rise above a grueling day-to-day existence to one day realize her star-filled dreams.

-- La Dany Official Movie Website

For a street performer so easily recognizable, I never saw her during my time in Medellin.

Read the full press release.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Ijcwo2Ciw

Ok, so this is a bad video, but I love the feeling it gives because it was taken right from the pit.

Mojiganga proved to be a local favorite at the recent Altavoz music festival.  Thousands of young Colombians moshing to the Skacore rhythm definitely verified that.  It’s a band that I could easily get into, but not exactly my favorite.  I would see them live again in a heart beat.  Their myspace is here.

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Official Altavoz Promotional Graphic

I am still kind of kicking myself for missing the first day of the event. It was a day of Hard Rock and Metal. The second day was dedicated to Rap/HipHop and Reggae, which I gladly passed up. The third day I finally made it out with my friend Mario, and we had an amazing time. The day was filled with Ska, Electronic, and Alternative Rock. Some of the bands that really stood out to me were Mojiganga, Pornomotora, Tr3sdecorazón, Tom Sawyer, and Artefacto.

Photo Courtesy of Felipe Carmona @ Artefacto

If you’re going to Altavoz in the future, make sure to wear sunscreen, wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, and bring some food and water.  I would skip bringing a belt, as many events make you check it at the door.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpaJPbUgt04

According to Wikipedia “Tecktonik, also known as Electro Dance, Milky Way or Vertigo, is a French style of street dance danced to electro music based on a blend of techno, rave and hip-hop styles -- (late 80s vogue, 90s waving and old school breakdancing, and 70s disco).”

I came across a bunch of these videos from Medellin on YouTube, so it appears to have a following there. The opening shot of this particular video is in front of the intelligence building in the downtown area.

Has anyone ever heard of or seen Tecktonik before?

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=va1TYFeMdeI

Now that I’m back in the US, I can turn on the car radio and hear salsa and reggaeton, but Colombia’s very own genre, vallenato -- not so much.

Carlos Vives is the king of vallenato, and “Carito” is one of his biggest hits.  It’s another case of the music being so catchy, the lyrics don’t matter (to me).

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjNEGeoG0EY

As I was looking for a video to feature today, I realized I’d been posting mp3′s in the past, when I probably could’ve found videos instead, AND been preserving storage space on my web hosting account to boot!  So, I’ll be scouting out music videos and concert performances instead of uploading mp3′s going forward.

This video features concert footage from Daddy Yankee’s show in Medellin during the 2009 Flower Festival.  Finding out I missed seeing him (from amidst a stadium filled with screaming ladies, no doubt) is like the nail in my departure coffin.

I found a fan video from the show of his big hit of the year (and a song I’ll forever associate with my time in Colombia because I heard it everywhere) -- Llamado de Emergencia.  The video quality isn’t that great, but the sound and singing fans comes through loud and clear.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD9cNdFIzQ4

This video seems to be affiliated with EAFIT University.  Regardless, it shows off the best of Medellin so I wanted to share it here.  Enjoy!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgDjXeI1z-o

Getting back to salsa, we have Ojos Chinos by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico

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Me and Camilo, one of the trainers at Dinamo gym

Camilo was not shy about pushing me to work hard at Dinamo, the gym a few blocks from Maira’s apartment in Envigado.  On the other hand, I’ve gotten several compliments since returning home, so apparently all the hard work has made a noticeable difference (at least in my shoulders).

There are two gym chains in Medellin – Bodytech (most expensive) and Forma (slightly less so).  Dinamo, to my knowledge, is just a single location, neighborhood gym.  By the time the Forma opened in Envigado, despite its extra space and new equipment, I was at home at Dinamo.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXCxGixZcbU

Sonohra’s “Besos Faciles” is a feel-good pop song, perfect for Summer, or in Medellin’s case, eternal Spring.  It’s another one of the videos I saw on heavy rotation, thus it became etched into my auditory memory banks.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlx97Bkxj_0

The 2009 Feria De Las Flores (Flower Festival) wraps up tomorrow, so hopefully some good video footage from the last week’s festivities will show up on YouTube.  I think this promo captures what it would like to be in Medellin for the festival, plus it features some very old footage from the early to mid-20th century.  Lots of parades, concerts, horses, antique cars, music, flowers, and people having fun.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsp_8Lm1eSk

When I first arrived in Colombia, Shakira was the only musician I knew from the country (Barranquilla).  I’d always be asking people whether they liked her or not.  Responses varied from yes, to just her old stuff, to she hasn’t given enough back to the country since gaining fame.  I think La Tortura by Shakira, featuring Alejandro Sanz (who I am also a fan of now) is one of the first songs in Spanish where I didn’t understand the lyrics, but enjoyed listening to it nonetheless.

Now, that attitude is the norm for me, and I can appreciate how those around the world who may not speak English, can enjoy all the great music that is made here in the USA.  Michael Jackson’s worldwide fame back in the 80′s is the perfect example of how good music can cross language barriers.

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The pasture opposite Palmanova Apartments - Envigado

Go to Sabaneta on a Friday night and you might run into a few horses tied up on the street outside a bar while their owners enjoy a cold one. Roll past Palmanova Apartments in Envigado where I was living, and you’ll see a pasture with this solitary cow chilling out. And a few chickens. Random, yes, but I always appreciated that little section of preserved greenery and the cow who called it home.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VGZTjoSkLI

When I first moved into Maira’s apartment in Envigado, I would watch the music video channels a lot, which exposed me to a decent amount of popular music.  One of the videos was of an old Mexican singing an understated romantic tune in full sequined costume from sombrero on down.

Turns out that man, Vincente Fernandez, is THE man of Ranchera music, a genre of music originating from Mexico.  This song which broke earlier in the year would have young women singing along in clubs like you wouldn’t believe.  He even headlined the 2009 Carnival in Barranquilla, though I didn’t have the chance to see him perform live.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHjODATMxjY

El lugar donde nací y con mis amigos crecí, la ciudad para mis hijos, donde vivo y trabajo por ti Medellín crece contigo su progreso es para todos Depende también de ti darle amor a Medellín;Caras alegres bajo la luna, niños felices cerca del sol, y en sus Barrios, sus montañas y en sus parques y en sus calles siempre está el amor Depende también de ti darle amor a Medellín. Lindas mujeres que son ejemplo, hombres honestos que trabajan con tesón, ama Colombia cree en Antioquia, nuestro futuro será mejor ,Depende también de ti darle amor a Medellín ¡Quiero a Medellín!

When Lily sent me this video, and I watched it back here in the States, I felt a new level of sadness for not being in Medellin.  It is a city and people on the rise, and this video captures the special paisa pride which I always found akin to that held by New Yorkers.

Two of my favorite cities in the world, each with their own unique identity and energy.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkF2oxaB_ic

Campina by Afro-Cuban Jazz Project is another awesome salsa song which I think I first started hearing in El Eslabon Prendido.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZzRRd3auac

Medellin and Colombia definitely have a skate scene, and like I noticed in New Zealand and many other countries, it is not uncommon to see little skate parks around cities.  This Zoo York* video even features a few spots I recognized.  The guys are doing a lot of flip tricks on a bank formed by the stairway to EAFIT University’s library (at 1:13), and when you see them hitting a gap with lots of tall white polls in the background, that is Parque de las Luces (Park of Lights).

* Zoo York is an American skate company, so this is video of a road trip, not local paisa skaters

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JEdf7XsV5g

Here’s another song I discovered recently, and absolutely love!

I can’t recall exactly where I heard this song first.  Either I downloaded it amongst others for my party last week, or I heard it in one of the salsa clubs, or both.

At any rate, the Buena Visa Social Club was an actual place in Havana, Cuba which held dances and musical activities, and became a popular meeting place for musicians in the 1940′s.  A documentary about it, by the same name, was released in 1999.

Enjoy!

Lyrics (Spanish and English)

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZk_sxJGIGQ

It seems Robin over at The Arepa is a multimedia juggernaut!  Not only is he starting up the city’s only English-language nightlife guide, he’s good with a camera and editing videos!  I’ve taken some shots of graffiti around the city too….but this is a much more comprehensive look at the quality of work on offer in Medellin.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOVg-bqtSsw

I first started hearing Salsa Celtica’s “El Sol De La Noche” at El Eslabon Prendido, and it quickly became the kind of song I’d leap out of my seat to enjoy on the dance floor.  The group is Scottish, and while the song was released in 1993, it must be considered a classic because I hear it regularly in the bars and on the radio.

Grab a partner and enjoy a quick dance wherever you might be listening!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kRgMr3c6E

Time for a little rock, straight from Buenos Aires, Argentina.  This is the first song I heard by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.

They played in Medellin a few months ago, and I remember running into musicians from the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador who had made the journey just to see one of their favorite bands.  Maira also went to the show, as I would’ve done, if I had been more aware back then!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm-0bOtYJCI

“Me Gusta, Me Gusta” is damn catchy, and one of the first songs I started to hear over and over again when I arrived in Medellin.

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The editing and quality are good, but I’d be happier with just a video of the model’s photo shoot.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YlwFBDctrE

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHw4biHIP10

Maira helped me track down this catchy song by Andres Calamaro.  I continue to be surprised by how little the lyrics matter to me in Latin songs.  Whether it’s salsa, merengue, vallanato, cumbia, bolero, reggaeton or pop, the music and rhythmns are what keep me listening and moving. 

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtqZHLLY5dU

Carlos Vives hails from Santa Marta, Colombia on the Caribbean coast.  He was one of the artist’s Maira introduced me to months ago when I first moved in and she helped me download some Latin music.  He is known for popularizing vallenato, a form of Spanish folk music.  Vallenato is especially popular along the Caribbean coast, in places like Barranquilla and Cartagena, however it is also played in the crossover clubs of Medellin, and I’ve even seen a few clubs solely dedicated to the genre.

La Gota Fria is a track off of his breakthrough album, Clásicos de la Provincia.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj7IQDeBNlI

Juan Fernando Fonseca is another Grammy-winning Colombian singer to make it big.  And like Juanes, he hails from Medellin.  El Arroyito is the first song I heard, and I became an instant fan.  The New York Times recently profiled Fonseca in its Music column after a show in NYC.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMIaYXxLnUA

Living in Colombia, Latin music surrounds me everywhere I go -- the buses and taxis, restaurants and bars, the gym and so on.

Juanes, a Grammy-winning Colombian singer, hails from Medellin.  I’ve become a fan of his music, even though I don’t usually understand the lyrics.  This is one of my favorite, and one of his most popular, tracks (A Dios Le Pido).

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Homero restaurant

Colombians love The Simpsons, and I saw this restaurant named after Homero on the bus ride back from paragliding in San Felix.

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Tuesday night at El Eslabon Prendido

I met Martin in Parque Periodista a half block from the bar, and we also bumped into a few couchsurfers hanging out after attending a show at Teatro Lido, in addition to a few heading for the bar.  Arriving around 9 pm, and paying a 4,000 peso cover (about $1.60), we were there early enough to occupy a group of tables near the front of the bar where the band would be playing.  Slowly, people began to file in and the bar filled up as the band began to set up around 10 pm.  Wax candles were lit along the walls, providing  an intimate ambience.

Salsa band

Guiomar (red shirt) asked me to dance while everyone else was still sitting down and chatting.  I quickly found out she was an amazing dancer -- one of the two best I’ve had the pleasure to learn from.  Unfortunately, she didn’t speak much English, which added some humor to her attempts to instruct me verbally.

As the band began to play, more and more people got up to dance.  I was really enjoying the whole atmosphere.  I danced with several people including Ellen, Jesusa, and an Australian girl.  The three and a half hours I was there went by too quick.

By 12:30 am, I was relegated to the sidelines, too tired to keep dancing but not quite ready to leave the bar as the band had begun a second set.  It was fun to watch the most skilled dancers go at it.  It only motivated me to want to get better, faster.  My plan was to ask for Guiomar’s help in that respect.

I hope to find a few people wanting to go out to El Eslabon Prendido every Tuesday, which would give me the chance to immediately practice the new moves I learn in my dance classes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aILh0NlNjjo

El Eslabon Prendido -- Calle 53 #42-55, Centro.  (Maracaibo, a half block above Parque Periodista).  Hosts live bands Tuesday nights.

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Mountain view from my apartment

I look out the windows of my (Maira’s) apartment often.  The weather pattern can be constant for weeks at a time, but within each day, you can have a wide range of conditions.  The last two months have been part of the rainy season.  The day starts out partly sunny, and by mid-afternoon, rains will sweep in to cool everything down for an hour or two.  By the time the rains end, the sun is already low in the sky, or dipping behind the western mountain peaks, thereby ushering in the typically pleasant evening temperatures.  Medellin’s micro-climate continues to fascinate me.

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Things to do in Medellin

There is no shortage of advertising posted around Medellin highlighting upcoming events.  I thought this duo of posters presented the perfect contrast of opportunities:  a youth-oriented Saturday night with classic and contemporary music versus a night of ballet with Medellin’s Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Sushi To Go in Parque Lleras

Since discovering the 12,000 ($5) peso Business Menu at the Sushi To Go location in Parque Lleras, I have been all too happy to stop in for some fresh fish a few times per month.  The deal runs from Monday to Friday, 12-6pm.  I thought it might have been a chain-wide promotion, however the location on Las Vegas Avenue a few blocks from my apartment in Envigado doesn’t feature it.

PS – the tuna in the photo was from a different visit, and is not an option on the Business Menu!

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My office is a laptop

I think this photo sums up my view of the world for 3-4 hours per day, 6 days per week.  It is the fancy, modern laptop I use at the copy shop across the Las Vegas Avenue entrance to EAFIT.  A large screen makes blog design possible, and the touchpad is very responsive.  Even though it costs me about 75 cents per hour to use when there are other places internet access is free, I keep going back.  The laptop station is basically part of the open air design of the whole store, which means I can enjoy the Spring like temperatures.

For the record, trying to earn a living and develop blogs without access to your own computer is doable but not ideal.  My USB stick with portable and customized Firefox, Flickr, and Filezilla (FTP) applications is my best friend in this regard.

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David at Universidad metro station

David’s (Mexico) willingness to forward my teaching advertisement via e-mail to friends and peers lead to my first regular private student.  Just yesterday, he mentioned another person he knows might be calling me soon.

Stadium hot dog

Somewhere under those crushed potato chips and egg lies a lukewarm super hot dog.  I think I will stick with the chicken at my next soccer match!

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekFaaEU8Yuw

I’ve heard this song frequently since my arrival in Colombia, and I finally downloaded it to my mp3 player with Maira’s help.  Consider it your introduction to the genre of reggaeton!

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Restaurant near Universidad de Antioquia

Choosing to end my trip around the world by settling into Medellin means I am going from taking 1,000 photos a month to just a few dozen.  The details of life here, and the urban landscape, continue to emerge for me.  Going forward, I intend to share a photo or two which typify the city, at least from this foreigner’s perspective!

Graffiti near the Universidad de Antioquia

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