The best time to see the Festival of Lights is, of course, at night, which gives Christi and I the whole day to explore Medellin. We decide to explore on foot, although whether this is a good idea is debatable. Indeed, few pedestrians are out and about (plenty of traffic, though) as we walk along calle 10 and the Milla de Oro (the Golden Mile – carrera 43a), which is the Rodeo Drive of Medellin. As we look for lunch options among the numerous malls we see plenty of Western-style fast-food options, including Dominos Pizza, KFC, and McCafe (McDonald’s) none of which are particularly appealing. We eventually settle on a sports bar called Bernaveu Brasas Pasion y Futbol, which proudly displays a Chelsea Football Club flag (Chelsea is my team in case I hadn’t mentioned it before).
Medellin is a sufficiently large city to have a metro system (which predominantly runs north-south) and we take a train from Poblado metro station to Industrales one stop to the north. The Lonely Planet is not richly endowed with things to do in Medellin other than the Festival of Lights and shopping, but one place that is mentioned is Cerro Nutibara. This hilltop, located in the center of town, provides grand views of the city and is also home to a replica historical Antioquian village (Medellin is situated in the state of Antioquia) called Pueblito Paisa. The village would not look out-of-place in Disneyland, as historical authenticity plays second fiddle to crass consumerism. In addition to a church and a central plaza with fountain there is a fairly impressive museum, but most of the remaining facades hide a souvenir shop, bar, or restaurant. It’s cold and wet and we drag out our hot chocolate and pastries as long as possible, waiting for sunset when down below us, along the Rio Medellin, the Festival of Lights will magically transform this drab winter’s day (technically most of Colombia and Venezuela are in the Northern Hemisphere) into a kaleidoscope of color.
At 6 pm the Festival of Lights begins and we scurry back down the hill and join the rest of the Medellin folks in marveling at the light show. For more than a mile beside the Rio Medellin themed displays dazzle the route: Santa Claus, lanterns, helicopters, balloons, flying machines, religious scenes, flowers, Christmas trees etc. sparkle in our wandering eyes. Most of Medellin must have been there because the area is packed with excited and enthusiastic Paisas (as the locals are known). Endless food vendors, souvenir stalls, hawkers, and street entertainers ensured there was never a dull or hungry moment. The weather even cooperated so we all stay dry. Christi and I had a magnificent night exploring the magnificent light displays. Thank you, Medellin.
By the way, the answer to yesterday’s cliffhanger is… a Christmas present; several hundred of them, in fact. Apparently the outside world has not forgotten us and decided we sounded so hard up that they clubbed together to give us a little extra cash to upgrade occasionally (and to quit whining, says Christi!).
Blog post by Roderick Phillips, author of Weary Heart – a gut-wrenching, heart-wrenching, laugh-wrenching ride.
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