Parque Biblioteca Leon de Greiff

Last year, on my birthday, my friend invited me to join her and her brother for a trip to Parque Biblioteca Leon de Greiff.

Her brother had to take photos for a school project, and I’m not one to decline an invitation to explore a new part of Medellin.

We met up downtown, and shared a taxi up into Barrio Boston, a neighborhood east of Centro, and up the side of the mountains.

My friend suggested I put my Blackberry away while we were in the taxi, indicating it wasn’t the safest of areas.

Upon arrival, we walked through the library.

The exterior and overall layout was a different design than Biblioteca Espana, however the resources (books, computers, and internet access, especially for children) were similar.

And there was no shortage of kids using the computers while we were there.

I thought the mini laptops were especially cute.

The library is another example of the local government investing in the poorer neighborhoods.

Being a fan of architecture, I also appreciated the building’s design, which offered terrific views of downtown Medellin.

After walking through the library, we went up on the roof of the library, and my friend surprised me with a chocolate and arequipe birthday cake!

Sitting on top of the library, with my friend and her family, devouring a delicious birthday cake with grand views of the city was an experience I’ll always remember.