Perched above Medellin
Kickin it in Medellin, one of the largest cities in Colombia. I'm couchsurfing with a really nice couple who live outside the city way up high in the mountains that flank the valley that the city is nestled in. It's incredible up here. So tranquil, so beautiful, and pretty much the most perfect climate I've been in yet.
To get to their house, I took the very impressive transit system from the bus terminal - the first place I've been with good public transport linked to where the buses come in! I didn't have to pay $10 in a cab to get to somewhere useful! Took the spacious, clean metro to a transfer station where I switched to a 'cable car' route in which I sat with 5 other people in a little cage on a cable that went up up up the flanks of the mountains. Then I switched to another cable route that carried me for many kilometers over the treetops of a huge natural park at the top of the mountain. I gazed at butterflies and birds and trails among the trees for about 10 minutes, flying above it all. It was great. Their house is in a cute little town perched on top of the mountain, and I've got my own room and feel perfectly fine passing the afternoon reading on the front patio with a cuppa coffee.
Metro-cable up the flanks of the mountains, above Medellin
Today I went down into the city to wander. It was cool. Looked at a lot of fat-people sculptures and went to an independent cinema where I watched a Colombian movie that was very strange. I didn't really understand it, but I think even if it was in English, it wouldn't have really made sense to me.
Haven't been feeling very hungry lately, and my energy has been very low as a result. Today while I was wandering, I knew I needed to eat something but there was really nothing in the world that I could think of that sounded appetizing. The closest I could dream of that sounded decent was American Dream pizza. So I committed to a pizza. Wasn't very good, but it gave me enough energy for the day (along with a few fresh-squeezed juices, which are everywhere and extremely delicious), but I really hope I feel more of an appetite soon. I don't like feeling tired all the time.
Posted by Whitney 07/23/2011, revised 08/15/2011 by Whitney