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17th July 2025 at 13:02 - Damian

Cable management. Ecuador style.
Cable management. Ecuador style.

17th July 2025 at 08:57 - Damian

The Quito Metro is only 1.5 years old. For US$0.45 you can go anywhere in the 22km system. It's new and shiny.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quito_

The entry to the Metro at San Francisco station.
The entry to the Metro at San Francisco station.

17th July 2025 at 01:59 - Damian

On the topic of Botero, this is a sculpture that was used to conceal a backpack of explosives at a concert in 1995. The blast killed 30 and injured over 200.

The city wanted to throw the wrecked sculpture out but Botero insisted on making a new one and having them side-by-side so as never to forget.

atlasobscura.com/places/the-bi

Two Botero sculptures of birds.
Two Botero sculptures of birds.

17th July 2025 at 01:52 - Damian

A bit out of sequence. This is a sculpture by Botero. Lots of these in Medellín as he insisted that they be displayed free of charge.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernan

Sally in front of a sculpture of a horse and rider with disproportionate heads.
Sally in front of a sculpture of a horse and rider with disproportionate heads.

17th July 2025 at 01:47 - Damian

Last night with our dinner we had chicha which is a fermented corn-based drink similar to kombucha. It was around 4% alcohol, slightly sour with fruity flavours. Refreshing.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicha

Two wine glasses of chicha. The red one was made with purple corn.
Two wine glasses of chicha. The red one was made with purple corn.

17th July 2025 at 01:41 - Damian

We're in Quito, Ecuador. A lazy day yesterday with a wander around the old town getting adjusted to the altitude (2850m) which makes you breathe a little harder with the slightest climb.

Basílica del Voto Nacional
Basílica del Voto Nacional

16th July 2025 at 06:41 - Damian

Ajíaco. Chicken and potato soup with half a cob of corn in it. It comes with a side of avocado, capers, herbs and cream which you garnish it with.

There were bananas also on the side so I sliced them in, too, and it actually tasted pretty good despite being a little unconventional.

Loco gringo!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajiaco. A good gluten-free option. Bananas optional.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajiaco. A good gluten-free option. Bananas optional.

16th July 2025 at 06:21 - Damian

Yesterday was our last day in Medellín. We went on a walking tour of Comuna 13 [1] which is emerging from a horrifically violent past. Really good to see how they're turning their energies to the arts and improvement.

1. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comuna

The memories of the disappeared are held by the mothers.
The memories of the disappeared are held by the mothers.

14th July 2025 at 12:59 - Damian

Aphelandra. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/184152-Aphelandra
Aphelandra. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/184152-Aphelandra
Christmas lichen. Perhaps.
Christmas lichen. Perhaps.
Scaphosepalum. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/140390-Scaphosepalum
Scaphosepalum. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/140390-Scaphosepalum
I don't know what these are but they look fake.
I don't know what these are but they look fake.

14th July 2025 at 12:54 - Damian

Sally and fox(?) statue in Parque Arví.
Sally and fox(?) statue in Parque Arví.

14th July 2025 at 10:26 - Damian

Grumpy-looking tiny frog in a bromelia. Might be a member of the Rain or Robber Frog (Pristimantis) genus. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/64811-Pristimantis
Grumpy-looking tiny frog in a bromelia. Might be a member of the Rain or Robber Frog (Pristimantis) genus. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/64811-Pristimantis

14th July 2025 at 10:18 - Damian

Some butterflies. It would really help to have better than a phone camera at times like these!

Epiphile epimenes. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/487403-Epiphile-epimenes
Epiphile epimenes. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/487403-Epiphile-epimenes
Cloud-forest catone. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/513824-Catonephele-chromis
Cloud-forest catone. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/513824-Catonephele-chromis
Another Cloud-forest catone. Apparently. Looks quite different to the previous one.
Another Cloud-forest catone. Apparently. Looks quite different to the previous one.
Graphita. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/607229-Graphita
Graphita. https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/607229-Graphita

14th July 2025 at 10:00 - Damian

Today we took a couple of gondolas up to Parque Arví which is to the north and east of Medellín.

We didn't have high hopes but got to see a lot of nature. I need to submit a heap of photos to iNaturalist to see if I can get some identifications but will follow this up with a bunch of nature pics.

A black caterpillar. Running. (I'll give its proper name when I find out. A variety of Hypercompe, perhaps? https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/63030-Hypercompe)

13th July 2025 at 08:10 - Damian

The Metro [1] system which opened in 1995 in the midst of the cartel troubles is the pride of Medellín. Not a single bit of graffiti or litter.

There are two lines and they're well used with 210 million rides per year. We purchased casual travel cards and a trip anywhere on the metro costs NZ$1.60 regardless of where you get off. It's cheaper if you have a personal card. Really easy to use.

You can also use your card to pay for bike hire and at supermarkets, etc.

The metro connects with busses as well as a series of cable cars and gondolas (these were critical to inclusion for the poorer neighbourhoods on the hills). We're going to use these tomorrow when we visit Parque Arví.

1. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medell

At the end of the B Line at San Antonio everyone disembarks one side of the train while the other side embarks for a quick turnaround. It's efficient!
At the end of the B Line at San Antonio everyone disembarks one side of the train while the other side embarks for a quick turnaround. It's efficient!

13th July 2025 at 07:55 - Damian

A note about Pablo Escobar. It's not easy to discuss the topic in Medellín as there are too many strong feelings about him. It's still too raw.

It seems anyone who lived through the time absolutely hates him and everything he stood for. They hate the destruction he brought and many people were personally affected by the huge number of murders and collateral damage.

There is a younger generation that have only been exposed to the 'history' of it through Netflix and see him as a bit of a cool renegade. This isn't helped by the fact that it's a bit of a taboo topic so they only get the Holywood version.


13th July 2025 at 07:46 - Damian

This morning we went on a walking tour of the centre of Medellín [1]. Really excellent information on the history (generally negative) and future (generally positive) of the city and region.

Some interesting lessons on the unintended consequences of prohibition and economic protectionism and the dangers of both the extreme left (FARC) and extreme right (paramilitary).

Also super interesting how good transport infrastructure can make a city more inclusive to the poorer communities on the outskirts and how a focus on education and civic spaces for everyone has a massive effect on reducing crime.

1. realcitytours.com/free-walking

The interior of the Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional. The place has a heap of galleries and knock-off sports clothing and shoe shops.
The interior of the Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional. The place has a heap of galleries and knock-off sports clothing and shoe shops.
Handmade passionfruit and mango ice cream (left) and my personal favourite, sweetened avocado ice cream (right).
Handmade passionfruit and mango ice cream (left) and my personal favourite, sweetened avocado ice cream (right).
Sculptures in Plaza Cisneros. Once a derelict part of town, now a bright square with huge community library and the headquarters of the education department.
Sculptures in Plaza Cisneros. Once a derelict part of town, now a bright square with huge community library and the headquarters of the education department.
A living building in the administrative area.
A living building in the administrative area.

13th July 2025 at 00:53 - Damian

A video slideshow generated by the cycle tour company. If you're ever in Medellín we recommend Turibike E-bike Tours. US$44pp all-inclusive.

13th July 2025 at 00:49 - Damian

After the wedding up in Guatapé we relocated to a hotel/apartment in Medellín in the Laureles district.

Very impressed with Medellín so far. It's got a real up-and-coming vibe to it and feels safer than many US cities we visited last year.

Yesterday we did a 4-hour guided e-bike tour along with Richard and Krista and two others. We got to learn a lot about the history of the place and ate fresh fruits as well as a bunch of different styles of fried foods and breads.

Waiting at traffic lights on the cycle tour.
Waiting at traffic lights on the cycle tour.

12th July 2025 at 01:54 - Damian

Colombian coffee plus empanada for NZD$3.10 (7500 COP)

Half-consumed coffee and empanada
Half-consumed coffee and empanada

11th July 2025 at 09:16 - Damian

On Tuesday (the day before the wedding) we took a taxi into Guatapé where we poked around and had lunch with a few of our fellow guests.

From there we hired a couple of tuktuks to visit La Piedra/El Peñol[1] which is a giant rock with stairs. 700ish steps made slightly harder by the thinner air at 2000m.

Richard and Krista had brought their own climbing gear from NZ and climbed the other side of the rock earlier that morning. It took them about two hours. They thought it was all ok to climb but found fresh razor wire at the top and were detained by police after being ushered back down the steps. No charges laid. They're nuts.

I managed to catch a cold at some point during our flights and it had kicked in on this day with lots of sneezing and insta-drip nose.

1. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Pe%

The 200 year old church in the centre of Guatapé
The 200 year old church in the centre of Guatapé
Umbrella street
Umbrella street
The rock from the car park
The rock from the car park
There are separate stairs for up and down traffic.  They follow a crack in the rock.
There are separate stairs for up and down traffic. They follow a crack in the rock.

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