Setting the record straight

"We want to go forward, but which way are we facing?" -John Lennon

     I think the native American's had a saying that went something like "never judge a man until you have spent a moon in his moccasins".  I won't try and defend the dark and corrupt past that Colombia has suffered in recent years, but as far as I'm concerned the people of Colombia are some of the nicest on Earth.  Quick to help out and so incredibly laid back.

     Medellin itself is a fantastic city.  Nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, it covers nearly 445 square miles and is the second largest city in Colombia with 2.3 million residents.  Our hostel (The Tiger Paw) is absolutely amazing!  If you travel to Medellin, which I highly recommend, stay at this hostel.  9-10 pm every night is happy our (2 for 1 drinks).  The people you meet at hostels make the experience that much richer.  Two Australian guys I am rooming with are on the first leg of what will turn into an incredibly long bicycle trek from Bogota, Colombia to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil by way of travelling southwest.  They are writing a book about the trip which will be called "Bicycle Diaries".  A play off the book and film called "Motorcycle Diaries".

     We spent the first two nights going to various clubs, which usually have a cover charge but then offer free drinks inside (girls are free).  I think it is necessary to devote at least an entire paragraph to the women of Colombia.  They are simply beautiful.  They have mastered the art of dressing sexy but not slutty.  And when they dance.... ay dios mio!  The dancing in clubs is not as barbaric as in the US but just as seductive.  It's like a mix of salsa and hip hop.  Obviously I can't keep up.

     Drugs, mostly cocaine, are easily accessible.  The seller on our street is Carlos.  He is relentless with his sales pitch too.  Didn't take no for an answer until I told him I had no money.  Even after that though he stuck around and had a friendly conversation.  Colombian's are just that way.  There are certain areas of Medellin, like most cities, that are a poverty stricken.  Walking to the metro yesterday I saw a child, couldn't have been older than 5, sleeping in the park with a jar out for donations.  It's things like this that make you truly thankful for everything you have in life.  So far I have had no problems with police, although on the way to the metro we passed a few guards with shotguns.

     I apologize for the length of this blog post.  So much has happened in the last 48 hours and I can only share so much.  We leave Medellin tomorrow, going further into this brand new world.  Bogota will be our next stop, but most everything after this is still up in the air.  The feeling of not knowing what is next is just unreal.  This is surely the way life is supposed to be lived!