Medellin panorama photo

Day 244 – November 1st, 2014.

The drive from Medellin to Mariquita is about 6 hours and leaving the city you pass under this pendulum which hangs over the road and is to mark the centre of Medellin.

The pendulum is the center marker of Medellin Colombia

“Driving out of Medellin”

The traffic today was heavy as it was the beginning of the long weekend. In these photos you can clearly see the pueblos that make up so much of the city of Medellin.

Driving out of Medellin

“Christmas illuminations in Medellin”

Along the river they continue set up the lights for the famous Christmas illuminations in Medellin and today we can see the big colourful statues that will decorate the area. Just a shame that we will be gone by the time they turn them on.

Christmas decorations being set up in Medellin for the famous river lights

The drive was long and the roads went from three lanes each direction to two and then to one as we wound our way up and down the mountains in the rain, stopping three-quarters of the way for a coffee and an arepa at a roadside parilla.

“Hotel Miguel in Mariquita”

Around midnight we pulled in to Mariquita and found a hotel for the two nights.

Our double room in Hotel Miguel in Mariquita

“Eating from the street kitchens after midnight”

We parked the car in a protected car park before walking the streets for a while we decide to have a late meal and a beer. The streets were full of locals eating, singing and having a great time enjoying the outside life in a perfect temperature.

Street vendor kitchens in Colombia

There were a few of the roadside street vendors but this one took the prize for the most pots and choice, each one getting kept hot in rotation.

Our first street vendor experience at nearly 1am in Colombia, sat with a few strange characters even though they were very polite, oh and the TWO blokes yes two, who fell off their motorbikes, he was drunk as a skunks right in front of us and got back up and circled around spoke some words to us and then slowly rode off.

Experiences like that you just can’t buy.