In recent history, Medellín was one of the worlds most murderous cities. Today it is one of the most innovative and transformed places. Pablo Escobar and his drug cartel terrorized the city in the 80s and 90s. Today, visitors flock to the museums, boutique restaurants, and yoga studios using The Metro, a super clean and cheap rail line that runs the entire length of the city. There is even a system of cable cars that connect the slums on the outskirts of town. We were super impressed with this city and its people. We took the one-of-a-kind Pablo Escobar tour, run by two locals that lived through Pablo's reign of terror and even lost friends and loved ones in the senseless killings and bombings that plagued their home-town. The tour guide, Paola, was unapologetic in the way she described the toll Escobar and cocaine has had on her city and country.
After Medellín, we went to Salento, gateway to the Valle de Cocora. The valley is home to the national tree of Colombia, the Wax Palm. These are Dr. Suess-esque trees that stand nearly 200 feet, with slender trunks and no branches except for the palms at the very top. The following day we toured a nature preserve called Kasaguadua. It is owned and managed by two Colombian guys, Carlos and Nicholas, with a lot of passion for their project. They are experimenting with natural methods for reclaiming their land from its former use as a mono-cultured grassland for grazing livestock. They are also building an eco lodge using Colombian bamboo called guadua. We learned on the tour that the Wax Palms in the Valle de Cocora will likely be gone within the next 20 years or so and will never return because the grasslands that humans have replaced their former habit with are not conducive to the natural regrowth of new trees. Very sad stuff, but encouraging to meet people like Carlos and Nicholas who are working toward better understanding our environment so we can avoid the same mistakes.
This evening we will take a short domestic flight to Bogota where we will meet up with Jenn´s mom and spend the holidays with the Colombian fam. Feliz navidad!
Jenn standing at the base of a Wax Palm.
Wax palm selfie
This valley used to be a forest full of bio diversity. 150 years ago the entire valley was logged. The only reason the Wax Palms remained is because they are useless as timbers because their trunks are fibrous.
Eco lodge hut at Kasaguadua made of Colombian bamboo, The joints are made of recyled plastic bottles and bags.
After Medellín, we went to Salento, gateway to the Valle de Cocora. The valley is home to the national tree of Colombia, the Wax Palm. These are Dr. Suess-esque trees that stand nearly 200 feet, with slender trunks and no branches except for the palms at the very top. The following day we toured a nature preserve called Kasaguadua. It is owned and managed by two Colombian guys, Carlos and Nicholas, with a lot of passion for their project. They are experimenting with natural methods for reclaiming their land from its former use as a mono-cultured grassland for grazing livestock. They are also building an eco lodge using Colombian bamboo called guadua. We learned on the tour that the Wax Palms in the Valle de Cocora will likely be gone within the next 20 years or so and will never return because the grasslands that humans have replaced their former habit with are not conducive to the natural regrowth of new trees. Very sad stuff, but encouraging to meet people like Carlos and Nicholas who are working toward better understanding our environment so we can avoid the same mistakes.
This evening we will take a short domestic flight to Bogota where we will meet up with Jenn´s mom and spend the holidays with the Colombian fam. Feliz navidad!
Cable car in Medellin
Colombian civil war museum (consider it a living monument because the peace accords have not been finalized yet).
Former headquarter of Pablos drug cartel. Now it has a restaurant on the first floor.
Jenn standing at the base of a Wax Palm.
Wax palm selfie
This valley used to be a forest full of bio diversity. 150 years ago the entire valley was logged. The only reason the Wax Palms remained is because they are useless as timbers because their trunks are fibrous.
Eco lodge hut at Kasaguadua made of Colombian bamboo, The joints are made of recyled plastic bottles and bags.
