Before experiencing Medellin and environs, we first had to get there – and find places to camp! After our little adventure in Florián, we had a long drive, not so much in miles as in time and bad roads.
“Isn’t Colombia famous for its toll roads,” you ask. I would think so, based on the number of them – and they’re pricey relative to local standards. Yet, nobody talks about them. The main reason I mention toll roads here, however, is because some most of them suck. At least north and east of Medellin. They contain potholes, speed bumps, shifted tarmac, wide cracks, dips, and gaps – and you have the privilege to pay for hitting the obstacles. Hard. Because, you know, the speed limit is all of a sudden much higher on these “highways.”
That is my long-winded way to say that we hit a pothole really, really badly. Neither of us had seen it – I had my eyes on my tablet writing a message (since we were on a smooth toll road, right?) and Mark was staring at the navigation screen to check a potential turn-off.
At the time, we only discovered that the backside of our camper (a structural problem we thought we’d fixed in the US) had become separated again, something we had to fix ASAP. Later, we discovered other issues with the truck as a result of this mistake and the massive impact of the camper and truck bed colliding. From then on, it has been ALL eyes on the road ALL the time…
It took us two days and a loud night along the “highway,” before we reached Rio Claro. We hoped to relax here for a few days, visit a national park, and enjoy swimming in the clear river as – at this low elevation – it was quite hot and humid. We’d quickly stopped at Hacienda Napoles as well, known from Pablo Escobar movies and documentaries. It was closed that day – and expensive, so we’d pass anyway.
We arrived at a recommended campsite along the Rio Claro river around 5pm and took a refreshing swim and cold outdoor shower. Then, I had a translation job. But the cell service was very hit or miss and it took me hours to make little progress.
That night, a huge thunder and lightning storm arrived (which had Maya hiding behind our pillows again). In the morning, the river had turned brown and the internet remained elusive. We drove a few hours to a mirador (viewpoint) in the mountains, where I had to work against the clock to get the assignment finished. Talk about stress. A loud and sleepless night followed.
Our long-anticipated destination
Mark, Maya, and I were excited to finally meet Susan and John in person. It was a long time coming. Expats in Colombia, their lifestyle and travels (in country and abroad) had always intrigued me and I’d been following their blog Latitude Adjustment for many years. When they moved from Medellin to El Retiro a couple of years ago, it all sounded so nice that I wanted to check out their town as well.
The three of us ended up spending five days with and without our new friends, camped by a lovely park in town. It was a relaxing place to be, we enjoyed socializing at their place or at a restaurant, and we even met other friends of theirs, Nicky and Ian, who run the excellent blog Above Us Only Skies. I knew the couple from their newsletters and Facebook page. A fun time was had by all!
We found El Retiro a bit busier and less cute than many of the other historic towns we visited over the past five months. Positives were the yummy bakery, riverside path, fancy shopping mall nearby and sturdy, attractive furniture. If we ever “settle” in Colombia, we know where to obtain high-quality wooden furniture!
I have since become acquainted with Jayson, who runs an attractive, peaceful, and comfortable Eco-lodge/Airbnb in the mountains near El Retiro. His place is called Finca Las Cordilleras and you can find more information about it on Facebook and Instagram. If you ever decide to stay there, the code LC-ROAMINGABOUT gives you a 10% discount. 😊
Camping Al Bosque, home for almost a week
It was becoming more and more pressing that we completed a few projects on Thirsty Bella, so we decided to stay at a real campground in Santa Elena, for almost a week. We usually avoid this, because it costs money and we don’t have need for facilities. Although a real, hot, pressurized shower is always nice! We fixed the separation issue after taking our camper off, Mark made granola in the communal oven, and we finished a few other projects related to our fridge and catalytic heater.
One day, since the truck was available by itself and it would be easier to take Maya, we drove into Medellin. Bad idea! Google sent us through narrow, windy, steep barrio (neighborhood) roads. We soon realized that just our monster F350 truck is still too big for Colombian cities.
We were on a schedule as we had booked a “free” (tips are expected) walking tour with Real City Tours, which would start at 9:30am. Luckily, we managed to find an affordable parqueadero (parking lot) close to the meeting point. Discovering that we had to leave our keys – cars are stacked against each other – caused a tad more stress, as much of the back seat contained valuable belongings, like tools and spare parts…
Our guide Germán was amazing and we learned a lot about the painful narco history of Medellin, the hardships and pride of the Paisa people (people from Antioquia), and the city’s remarkable recovery. Colombia and its inhabitants have come a long way.
We visited the center of town on foot. Our favorite places became Botero Square and an attractive art gallery, but we soon realized that Medellin doesn’t have any notable architecture. It had been an interesting three-hour tour but we were ready for the peace of our campground.
When the work was finished on our camper and the water tanks filled, we set off towards Guatapé, known for its embalse (reservoir), attractive buildings, and massive rock you can climb. We found a decent spot to camp for a few nights, but I did have an interesting encounter with a neighbor.
Mark and I always pick up Maya’s poop in public places. In Colombia, however, it can be hard to find trash cans. On the day of garbage pick-up, everyone lines the sidewalks with their big trash bags. Imagine how the stray and loose dogs adore that!
Garbage pickup
Anyway, I had a filled poop bag and of course there was no trash can near the park we were walking. But a garbage bag had been deposited near a store – must be garbage day soon – and I was finagling the poopie bag into its bigger brother, when the store owner told me I couldn’t do that. I was supposed to walk the trash to town, ten minutes away. That’s where the closest garbage cans were… No wonder there is dog poop everywhere on the grass and sidewalks in this country!
The town, while extremely overrun by tourists, is worth a couple of hours of strolling. The bottom part of the houses is adorned with painted scenes in bas-relief, often related to the function of that building. It’s very colorful and photogenic!
Plus, Guatapé has a decent bakery that sells baguettes, stray dogs are well-fed and loved, and the fresh produce is super affordable!
On the day we left town, we stopped at Piedra El Peñol, early enough to beat the crowds. Just. Maya was not allowed, so she stayed in the camper while Mark and I climbed the 675 steps for a good view over the island-dotted reservoir. The area was more built-up than I anticipated.
Along the way back to Medellin, we also checked out a reproduction of the village center of El Peñol, which had been flooded and covered when the lake became a reservoir. It was cute but nothing more.
To our pleasant surprise, the parking spot we had found in iOverlander, on the northern edge of Medellin, worked out well. We slept in a relatively quiet neighborhood and felt safe enough to go into town three times.
Once to take the metro to Comuna 13 for another “free” walking tour with Zippy Tours (Maya was allowed to join but stayed home because she had lost a toenail and we didn’t want her to walk much), once to meet other friends by taxi in El Poblano (Maya came), and once to walk back to Botero Plaza and potentially visit Museo Casa de La Memoria. The route was grimy, busy, loud, and too long, so we returned home after revisiting Botero’s statues. It was too much for Maya’s paw.
Our visit to Comuna 13, once the most dangerous barrio in Medellin, was something I had looked forward to, based on travelers’ reports. Our guide, who grew up there, was knowledgeable and the street art was colorful and attractive, but the area near the stairs/escalators (put in place many years ago, so residents could reach their homes in the hills – and the town center – easier) has turned into a tourist mob scene. The metro system, however, is a work of art, convenience, and efficiency!
There is a lot to say about Medellin and its history and we have heaps of respect for how far the city has come and progressed. Yet, we are not clear as to why most visitors – or people who haven’t been – rave about this particular city in Colombia. While we don’t regret our explorations here – and, really, three days is about enough – we definitely would not call it a highlight in this country. For what it’s worth. 😊
Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs, check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir:
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April 27, 2023 at 19:13
I love the colors in Guatapé! And that rock. I hope there are first aid stations along the climb. I’m not sureci could do it anymore but I’d give it a try. The view is amazing!
What are the stairs/escalators in Comuna 13? I know nothing about this neighborhood.
I like hearing that the city has progressed. Have you seen any hippos? They have been in the news lately.
Great pictures. I hope all of your camper problems are behind you and Maya’s toe has healed.
April 27, 2023 at 20:19
I do remember seeing one first-aid nook and person on the climb up. It’s not too hard, as long as you take your time. I had to stop after every 75 steps or so.
Thanks for your comment about the stairs. I added a short description in the post. The addition of escalators in Comuna 13 was a game changer for the locals there as they now had easier and faster access to town, to find jobs and go to work. It was a very innovating things to do two decades or so ago.
We didn’t see any hippos, even though we have driven along and across the brown and hot Magdalena River a few times now. Our Canadian friends saw Pablo’s hippos at Hacienda Napoles.
We have some work to do on the truck (another oil change, replacing the bearings hub, dealing with the punctured tire), but I think our camper is all good at the moment. Always something, right?
April 27, 2023 at 19:15
Medellin is one of those words that brings fear to mind (like ‘Chicago’ in the US), but you seem to have done great. Loved seeing Maya with the cows. What a fun companion.
April 27, 2023 at 20:21
Hi Jacqui,
Yes, Maya has been more fun than trouble and scaredness the last couple of months. It’s enjoyable to have her with us. She has her moments. 🙂 And we have been seeing – and surrounded by – so many (baby) cows that Mark is enamored by them and wants one, haha.
April 27, 2023 at 21:42
Well, every stop can’t be a winner. There were enough good things mixed in so that it wasn’t unpleasant. Our dog (Lulu) is similar to Maya in that she freaks out with loud noises. 4th of July is my least favorite holiday for that reason, and thunder and lightning scare her too.
April 30, 2023 at 12:51
Poor Lulu! Luckily, the fireworks have “lightened up”. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs while in Colombia, Pete. So much has happened the last few months that I feel like I can’t do any of our observations justice in posts like these. Traveling the way we do offers a totally different experience, immersion, and “reality” of the country than flying in and just doing tourists stuff. It’s hard to explain. And, of course, every place has its positives and negatives. Happy to report that we do have some Colombian favorites by now. 🙂
April 28, 2023 at 06:36
Did your guide explain how the city overcame its violent drug situation? It’s crazy to think how bad Medellin was at one point and how it’s now… fine. To go from violent haven of drug lords to tourist hotspot in just a few decades is incredible. I’d love to hear what it was the government did, or what other things happened, to help turn the situation around. Interesting stuff.
April 29, 2023 at 19:41
I thought John had already commented on your post, and he thought I was going to do it. So here I am 🙂 Thanks so much for the mention and backlinks. It was such a pleasure to meet and spend time with all three of you. We’re glad we got to show you around our little pueblo, and it was even better when Ian and Nicky showed up!
I’m sad you didn’t get a better impression of Medellin. It really is a spectacular city, but I can see how it wasn’t the best experience if you were short on time, stressed with camper repair issues, and having to drive around in your truck (driving in Medellin is an exercise in courage, most of the time!). I wish you had had more time and could have taken advantage of the public transportation/ridden the cable cars, etc. We could have shown you some cool stuff. Oh well, maybe next time 🙂
Noticed you know Jayson of Finca Las Cordilleras. We recently got acquainted with him and we’re looking forward to going down there one of these days. Or did you tell us about him?
– Susan
April 30, 2023 at 13:13
Hi Susan,
It’s not that we have a bad impression about Medellin. We are in awe of its accomplishments (including the metro) and enjoyed learning more about its past and its barrios. Equally, we loved Botero Plaza and the murals in Comuna 13.
It was just hard to grasp the hype around this big, busy, and loud city as one of Colombian’s highlights. Of course, we are spoiled now after immersing ourselves in many (outlying) parts of the country these six months. And, I agree, being able to stay inside the city for a few nights might have offered us a slightly different perspective. Maybe we can do a house sit in Medellin in the future. 🙂
I didn’t tell you about Jayson, but I told him about you. Jayson then wrote me that he had found your website on Instagram in the last and that he loves following your stories. Also, he asked me to say “hi” next time I saw you. I was hoping you’d make it up to his finca one of these days (they offer food). He looks forward meeting you and I’m looking forward to hearing all about that. We wished we knew about him when we were in El Retiro, but he only contacted us after we’d left.
April 29, 2023 at 19:45
Spot on – as former residents of Medellin (we now live outside the city in a smaller town), we are in awe of the city’s transformation over the past couple of decades. One of the former mayors, Sergio Fajardo, had a lot to do with it – he initiated programs that helped barrios like Moravia take back their neighborhood and become a model community. Here’s a cool article about it, if you’re interested: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/medellin-moravia-landfill-neighborhood-colombia/index.html.
April 30, 2023 at 13:15
Thanks for the insights, Susan. It’s a complicated history and so much progress has been made. It’s amazing. “A positive and incredible transformation” is the best way to describe it!
April 30, 2023 at 13:03
Hi Laura,
The guides didn’t really get into too much of the drug history and PB. Colombians are very touchy about their past, particularly that subject, and love to forget. Our guide does not want to forget and told us about three groups of people regarding the way they thought about the drug trafficking, based on their personal experiences and their age group. There is so much to get into, which I didn’t want to do in this already long post.
Mark and I have watched A LOT of documentaries and series about PB and narco trafficking. As far as I understand it, after the government (with the help of the US) finally tracked down and killed PB, the Medellin cartel shattered. Other cartels thrived – and drug trafficking is still an issue in this country, but it is more “out of view” and, obviously and fortunately, less violent.
Once Medellin became more breathable, the people in charge managed to clean the town up a bit and offered a lot of initiatives and programs (they still do) to involve the communities and especially the (poorer) youth.
In Comuna 13, multiple violent police raids took place over the years with mixed succes, but eventually, the bad apples were removed, so here a cleanup and revitalization could start as well. Again, there are still gangs, but when everyone sticks to the “unspoken rules,” life seems to be under control.
The history is fascinating and we are in awe about Medellin from that perspective. We just don’t think there is that much to see and do. Maybe it’s different when you stay within the center of town…
April 29, 2023 at 14:03
Those steps up the rock! I’d love to do it for the view, but it would half kill me.
April 30, 2023 at 13:05
Haha, Anabel! There is one thing that I love about our lifestyle, including climbing stairs: we have time. When you can take your time, everything becomes more manageable. 🙂
April 30, 2023 at 22:59
I’d be climbing up that Piedra for sure! Great views from up there. I have only been to Bogota and Cartagena in Colombia, but I believe Medellin is popular for its weather and for a couple of things you guys don’t really take advantage of that much: trendy restaurants and bars! And maybe coffeeshops, too.
May 4, 2023 at 21:10
Hi Lexie,
You’ve been everywhere! 🙂
Our experiences are always very different than the ones from the “usual airplane tourist,” who is most likely on vacation, in a positive, relaxed mood, and staying at accommodations in the center of towns. With the smaller pueblos, we can often park on the edge of town and feel like we are doing something similar. That’s when we have been able to eat out and walk to the produce markets. We like it, but those nights are loud.
May 1, 2023 at 18:30
I have heard of Medellin, with glowing reports from your friends, but they moved saying it got too noisy during the pandemic. At least you got to spend time there and draw your own conclusions, Liesbet. Plenty of natural and man-made sights to see. Sorry to hear about the toll roads being so horrible. Some things just do not change. I enjoyed looking at your maps.
May 4, 2023 at 21:14
Hi Terri,
Yes, people have their own opinions about the places they visit or live in. And we all have different tolerance levels.
I’m all about going everywhere myself and creating my own opinions. So much depends on the weather, how long you stay, your budget, what you like, what your mood is, and what you can compare it to. 🙂
Big cities are not our thing, especially not while living this overlanding lifestyle. Yet, there’s often beauty to be found in many places.
May 1, 2023 at 21:27
Wow! Thanks for the tour. How wonderful that you travel around the world and run into friends. What fun! But kind of gross with the dog poo and garbage. In Puerto Vallarta, they pile their garbage in the middle of the road on side streets, not even the sidewalk, lol. 🙂 <3
May 4, 2023 at 21:16
Hi Debby,
So in PV, cars have to drive around all the garbage bags on trash pickup day? And the scrounging strays will end up in the middle of the roads and get hit!
Between the people we have met traveling and the ones I met virtually through social media or blogs, there are few countries where we don’t have friends. I love it! 🙂
May 5, 2023 at 11:12
I don’t know what happens with that street garbage but I only saw it on side streets walking to restaurants in evening. Not high traffic, but it could be because the sidewalks are so narrow, and some streets, non existent. 🙂
May 5, 2023 at 15:06
🙂
May 2, 2023 at 13:10
I’m enjoying your reports and appreciating the chance to learn more about South America… and in the process, confirming that I never actually want to go there! I don’t particularly enjoy traveling in the first place; and traveling with so many difficulties would be far too stressful for me. But hooray for you and your adventurous spirit! 🙂
May 4, 2023 at 21:18
I’m so happy that you are still traveling virtually with me, Diane! This lifestyle certainly is not for everyone. It’s extremely challenging and one needs a lot of patience, tolerance, and endurance. At times. Colombia has been great in many ways, but it has worn us out. We need a vacation! 🙂
May 3, 2023 at 14:06
Hi, Liesbet – Yuk about the potholes but wonderful that you were able to hang out with Susan and John. Amazing how much Medellin has transformed. Still, like a few others, I think I will confine my travels to Columbia to be virtual ones from my couch! So glad that Maya is doing well too!
May 4, 2023 at 21:20
Hi Donna,
Maya has been doing great lately. She’s a happy girl, especially when there’s grass around. She gets very frisky and energetic then – and loves to eat it.
While initially, we could only see the positives about Colombia, after six months we have experienced and realized the country is still a bit “rough around the edges.” But, tourism is growing, the people are amazing, and there is enough to see and do to spend years here!
May 5, 2023 at 00:00
Thank you for sharing your travel adventures in Medellin and Columbia. We may not be able to travel so freely as we once were able, but these pictures took me right back to the days when we stood in awe before houses painted with those vivid murals, the open air markets, the bustling (and terrifying) street traffic! Looking forward to more!
May 5, 2023 at 15:00
Welcome back, Beth! 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed our Medellin experiences. I didn’t know you two visited in the past as well. It’s an intriguing city, but stay tuned for our all-time favorite Colombian town soon.
May 5, 2023 at 07:44
So sorry to hear about the damage that pothole caused to Thirsty Bella. You guys must save a lot of money with Mark doing the repairs.
And those steps at Piedra El Peñol look amazing to climb, but I’d have to stop at least a few times for a beverage.
Poor Maya with another toenail lost. Is it the poor repairs of the pavements, sidewalks and roads causing her to lose toenails?
And as for healthy and safety – that car with all those mattress on top of it. I’d be afraid to have followed it’ Liesbet.
May 5, 2023 at 15:06
Hi Hugh,
We collected quite the experiences during our six months in Colombia – and Maya as well. She only lost one toenail, but I’m a bit behind with my posts and definitely mentioned this episode a few times, so you might have thought she’d lost two.
We think she lost it when riding on an escalator during the first walking tour we did in Medellin. It healed okay, until it didn’t. Then, we took her to the vet, who needed to perform a small procedure, which reset the clock for the healing process. Happy to report she’s all fine now. 🙂
Yes, about us saving a lot of money by doing the work ourselves. I think we save the most money on 1) Mark’s shopping abilities online and our patience to wait until needed parts/items are low in price or he finds deals 2) the fact that we do most if not all the required projects, improvements, and repairs on our truck and camper ourselves, and 3) rarely paying for accommodation by wild camping everywhere (which is often not the most attractive or quiet location).