As it was cheaper to fly from Lisbon to Medellín, rather than to Panama City, we decided to spend a month in Colombia. Robin was still healing her broken wrist, so we kept a relaxed schedule, yet full of fun adventures. Our driver and tour guide, Juan, picked us up from the airport and took us on 2 tours later in the month. We met a man in the immigration line, Kristofer, from Texas, who we connected with for a few outings. We met locals, Michelangelo and his wife, Carolina,on an airport bus in Rome and they were kind enough to show us their hometown of Sabaneta, Colombia. We met new friends and Senior Nomads (Facebook group) Kenny and Wendy, who brought another friend, Bruce, and late in the month we reconnected with Rose and Bob (also Senior Nomads), who we first met in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
The view from our 6th floor unit was outstanding both day and night.
We were centrally located with a pharmacy on the ground floor, an ice cream store next door, Chinese food and barber shop across the street and grocery stores all around.
The La Floresta Park with Silletero statue and a Spot Breasted Woodpecker at our window.
La Floresta Park was a few blocks away, with numerous cafes surrounding it.
Piso 10 rooftop bar (above and below) was a short Uber ride away. Great drinks and a scenic view.
Flower Festival Vintage Car Parade
The flower festival in Medellín has its full parade on Sunday, but on Thursday, we went to the car parade. It was a fun event which lasted for hours. It was a short and cheap Uber ride to the route. We purchased 2 small stools for $4 USD which made watching the parade far more comfortable.
Fidelina’s, our favorite meetup spot
We first discovered Fidelina’s over a year ago on our first visit to Medellín, when David and Valerie took us there for Sangria. Since then we have met up with other Senior Nomads as it is a fun and comfortable venue to have a drink and get acquainted.
We first met Rose and Bob in San Miguel de Allende 3 years ago.
A lovely evening with Kenny and Wendy, who brought Bruce along. Followed by a lovely dinner at La Pampa Argentine Grille across the street.
Flower Farms and Silletero Tour
Our driver and tour guide, Juan, took us to Santa Elena to see a flower farm and meet a Silletero. A silletero is a craftsman and bearer of a floral chair, a structure carried on the back with flower arrangements. It is a cultural symbol and heritage of the Antioquia region in Colombia. Every year, they participate in the iconic Silleteros parade in Medellín during the Flower Festival. We enjoyed the informative tour and a typical lunch.
Juan plans multiple stops in his tour, to pause and try a local drink and snack.
The front of the farm and house and the ribbons won over the years.
Santa Fe Mall Displays
Connections with Kristofer
We met Kristofer in the immigration line when we landed in Medellín. He was from Lubbock, Texas, but was spending a few months in Colombia. We walked through Comuna 13 one day together and Laureles on another.
Tour to Guatapé and El Peñol
Juan took us on an amazing tour to Guatapé. He likes to stop and show us local sights along the way, so the first stop was for strawberries and cream. The next stop was Alto del Chocho, a petting zoo where you can feed llamas, alpacas, sheep, pigs and horses. Finally we made it to El Peñon, an enormous rock (721 ft) with a built in stairway. At 700+ steps, we decided to pass, but enjoyed taking pictures and admire the views. We ended up in Guatapé, a fun, touristy town and took a boat ride around a section of the man made lak, admiring homes previously owned by Escobar and Griselda Blanco.
Michelangelo and Carolina in Sabaneta
We met this couple on an airport shuttle bus in May at the Rome airport as it ferried us to the terminal. Turns out they live in Sabaneta area of Medellin, so we exchanged information and told them we would see them in August. Robin and I took the Metro south to the very last stop. Michelangelo met us and gave us a walking tour. We met up with Carolina a bit later and we all had a delightful lunch at a restaurant on top of a hill overlooking the area.
We really enjoyed Medellín again and plan on returning in the future. Our Airbnb in La Floresta really worked for us with its location and view. We love the zoo, the Metro, the dining options, the affordability and Juan, our personal guide. Next time we want to return to the Botanical Garden, Parque Arvi and the Metrocable, Piso 10 and Fidelina’s for drinks. We want to take a tour to both El Retiro and Jardin (an overnight). We need to visit Envigado on a day trip as well as visit the Casa de Memoria, a museum dedicated to the victims of Colombia’s armed conflict. We also look forward to spending a week or so in Sabaneta, to visit our new friends and to explore.
Randy and Robin's Roving Retirement 