Colombia Passport

ยินดีต้อนรับสู่ Medellin!

Going around modern Bangkok you never finish to amaze if you like big cities and Asia. However Bangkok can be crowed and many other visitors prefer other places of amazing Thailand. I was talking about how beautiful and friendly was the city with that German lady I was guiding. Then she asked for my country. “I’m from Colombia,” I said looking to her eyes with an Asian smile. She smiled too and I am pretty sure she made the classical association when her mind went to the other side of the planet. “I have been in Buenos Aires… It is also amazing. I love it. What is your city in Colombia?” Then I said in the same friendly tone “I am from a city named Medellín.”

Again she thought for a while looking to me while the shuttle brought us to the Royal Palace. “And how Medellín looks like?” I brought out of my bag the album with some of my favorite pictures and I said in my poor German: “Ja, die Dame, ich werde Ihnen zeigen, Medellín, während wir Bangkok“. She laughed and said in her poor Spanish: “Bien señor, veo“

My city is located exactly in this place!

This is the EEPP Library. You can call it in English the Library of the Municipality, but we use to say EEPP. I use to visit the place very often, not always for reading, but also to sit down under this hall with my friends and talk.

If you like plants and flowers, Medellín is the right place. Colombia has some of the most beautiful botanical gardens of the world in Bogotá, Medellín, Pereira… That is the land of José Celestino Mutis and one of your countryman, Alexander von Humbolt, personal friend of Mutis, admired the Colmbian ecology. That is why Colombians put a lot attention in the preservation of places like this… I hope all! This picture is of the botanical garden. Its architecture has been of international admiration. Japanese visitors have taken thousand of pictures in this huge garden just at the middle of the metropolis.

This is an aerial picture of Medellín downtown.

If you like urban night pictures, I recommend you Medellín. It is a special view of colors, hills and avenues. You will enjoy it very much.

This old tower became the symbol of the city. It was built in the 1960s. It is known as the Coltejer Tower and was built by the textile industrialists. It is also the tallest tower in the city, so far…

Well, you should know that Medellín is an international plaza for congresses, seminars, summits, meetings in Latin America. This is the place where those kind of events have place, in Plaza Mayor.

Yes! Then you guest… December is the funniest month to visit Medellín. These pictures are of my last Christmass there. The city has been named the Colombian Capital of Light!

Day and night, it is a city where a camera must be with you all the time. These two pictures are of downtown.

My city has been also admired for its order, avenues, bridges… You will find it tider than many other cities around the globe.

As I told you before, Medellín is the international capital of flowers. Its climate and land make the wonders for the nature. Please, come in August and enjoy the Flowers Festival. I hope to be there this year if I can find a good prize ticket Bangkok-Madrid-Bogotá-Medellín.

The city is located in a valley of the nothern ranges of the South American Andes. It is crossed by this river, the Medellín River. Mountains and city made an amazing view.

And one thing that can not be missed: The Metro of Medellín. I was a kid when it was inaugurated in 1991 and I can tell you that is one the most clean and beautiful metros of the world… I can tell you it, because I know the metro of Rome, Manila, New York…

And this is my Chava, my little cousin… Im joking! This is other reason to make my city famous: its women. Well, as you are a woman, you will find very kind and fresh gentleman as well… like me

Yes, this is Botero. We have the biggest Botero Plaza of the world, because Medellín is the Fernando Botero´s home town.

If you like bullfighting, this is the place for it: La Macarena Plaza. Medellín is a Spaniard city, do not forget.

This is the Paisa Town, a cute park on the Nutibara Hill.

This is Barrio Santo Domingo, another hill. You would not believe, this place was considered one of the most dangerous of the city some years ago… now it is a place visited by tourists.

Our three soccer teams: Nacional, Envigado and Medellín.

This is all! Next time let me be your guide in Medellín, my city!

Wie schön, ich danke Ihnen sehr

ด้วยความยินดี De nada

Photos by Alcaldía de Medellín, 2009.