Ash Wednesday in Medellin

A station of the Medellin Metro. All the stations were immaculate and clean, and fares were about 75 cents.

Hello all,
This morning I was determined to get out and see the sights in Medellin.  From my hotel it is a 15 block walk to the closest Metro station.  I have walked it every time so far, but I wanted to figure out the bus situation to prove I could do it.  I walked over to Calle 10a, the closest main road that heads west and waited until the first bus came along.  There was a sign that actually said Estacion Poblano on the front.  That was easy, and I made note of the number for the return trip.  The cost for the bus was about $0.57.

I grabbed the metro and headed towards the city center.  I got off of the metro at the Parque Berrio stop.  I headed west and ran smack into the Plazoleta de las Esculturas.

This is the Palacio de la Cultura building. It isn’t particularly old or notable, but it is neat looking.

Jet Blue Adds 17th Destination From Orlando:

Nonstop Service to Cancun Beginfs in March

By MexicoPremiere News Staff

Muy Caliente Fares Start At Just US$49(a) Each Way!
More International Destinations Planned for Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) — JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq:JBLU) will add its 17th nonstop destination from Orlando International Airport with the launch of daily nonstop service to Cancun, Mexico on March 13, 2008*. The award-winning low-fare airline will offer the only daily nonstop service between Central Florida and Mexico’s famed Yucatan region with fares starting at just US$49(a) each way. (more…)

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COLOMBIA: Would you take the risk?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgW8Y7F8DN8&rel=1]

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MedellÃnSihanoukvilleColPas (Picture “Medellin downtown in the night” by Wooden). Things like these were unthinkable ten years ago. Tourist guides used to put aside Colombia in the Latin America destinations. It was too risky. But now, National Geographic in its National Adventure, features Colombia as one of its six top destinations for 2008. “Discover why these countries garnered our highest praise and then find out how to experience them for yourself“, said the page that points out Colombia as “Mountain: Columbia” beside the other top destinations like Albania, Senegal, Norway, Mongolia and India. Even National Adventure compares the country with its neighbouring Venezuela: “While Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez has been busy stealing headlines, his once crazy Andean neighbor is quietly settling down—and tourism is heating up.”

What is underlined of Colombia to be an ideal destination for one of the most important world magazines is its colonial cities, the whitewashed mountain villages, the mist-laden coffee country and the rapidly developing tourism infrastructure. The recommended cities are Medellín and Cartagena, the ones that have been at the center of the tourism revival of the country in the last decade. While Medellín is an Andean mountain city with a population of about three million inhabitants in its Metropolitan Area, Cartagena de Indias is the queen of the Caribbean Sea with stunning beaches and historical colonial centers. But those two cities are only two within a list of many destinations that go from the coffee fincas along mountainous highways to natural ecology reserves of endemic species.

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Colombia witnesses resurging tourist numbers

Article published by Monsters and Critics.com, WotR Ltd. in “Feature Travel | Lifestyle” on Nov 20, 2007

 

Patio ISS, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia Cartagena, Colombia – Colombia’s tourist industry, long a victim of the nation’s unrest, is beginning to see signs of life again as visitors return to discover the nation’s cities and lush countryside.

A yard in the historical Cartagena, picture by Hernando Palacio.

Nowadays, tourists do not limit themselves to the Caribbean coast, which boasts Cartagena and the islands of San Andres and Providencia. Cities like Bogota, Cali and Medellin are seeing more foreign visitors, with a noticeable hike in the proportion of tourists to businessmen.

Cartagena’s alleys are still full of people. Once the midday heat subsides, locals and gringos throng the streets between the city walls to visit churches and museums. (more…)

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244 municipalities in high risk for elections 

03.08.2010 Ombudsman said that 244 municipalities of Colombia are at high risk for the coming elections. They could face constraint to the voter, disruption of the electoral contest, threats, restrictions on mobility and suffragan corruption, warns the office. The threats come from the Farc guerrillas and the new armed groups, especially in the northern coast and the southwest of Colombia. General Freddy Padilla declared to the press that the security forces will be alert in all the national territory to guarantee safety during the elections.
 

Colombia helps Chile 

The Chilean Embassy in Colombia opened an account for donations for humanitarian help. I do not publish numbers here to avoid missuses of information by online thieves. You are welcome to donate to any well known international foundation like the Red Cross or the Chilean Embassy. Please support Chile to recover.

http://www.chilesomostodos.gov.cl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=769&Itemid=7

 

Can you support the studies of a kid? 

Don Bosco Children Fund Sihanoukville. Fighting poverty through education in Cambodia! Donate now. We hope to find the way to do it in Colombia soon!

 

Colombian exports rose 15,3 % 

The Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) declared that exports increased in Colombia 15,3 % in January. The first seller of Colombian production is US.
 

The Most Complete Electronic Guide to Colombia! 

Shakira was honored by the UN 

The Colombian artist and founder of the Barefoot Foundation got a medal for her philanthropy. Only in Colombia, the Grammy winner is responsible for the attention of more than 6 thousand children from poverty.
 
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Last! 

CAMILO VILLEGAS: The best Colombian golfer is leading the Honda Classic with 199 hits, 67 impacts - NASA: The earthquake of Chile changed the rotation of the earth and shortened the duration of the day in 1 microsecond - JUSTICE: A judge sentenced a guerrilla group of Farc for its responsibility in the killing of more than 100 persons who took refuge in the church of Bojayá - Chocó during a battle between guerrillas and paramilitary groups on May 2, 2002. - COLOMBIAN SOCCER (last updated on Sunday, March 07): Santa Fe 3, Tolima 2 - Medellín 1, Junior 1 - Caldas 0, Cali 3; TODAY SUNDAY: Cúcuta, Quindío - Chicó, Nacional - América, La Equidad - Cortuluá, Pereira - Cartagena, Envigado - Huila, Millonarios - You are in Colombia Passport! - TERRORIST PLAN: The Ministry of Defense, Gabriel Silva Luján, said that there are not evidences of a possible terrorist attack against the Supreme Court, but he said that the security has been reinforced to avoid any possible violence. - BOGOTÁ TRANSPORT STRIKE IS FINISHED: The transports and the city government reached an agreement in 1,8. - SPAIN AND VELEZUELA: Madrid asked information from Caracas, no explanations, in the possible implication of the Venezuelan government between the relations Farc-ETA, said Moratinos. - CHILE: The reconstruction of the country will take three or four years, said President Bachillet. - REFERENDUM: The promoters of the referendum law for a third presidential period of Uribe could face disciplinary prosecutions and even political dead, predicts Semana magazine.

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