Wow, so much happened in the last few weeks I find it hard to sort out where to begin. I went on a journey to Medellin, Columbia with my brothers, Gary and Rick, and close friend, Dr. Gary Jones. I promised myself to write everyday but that turned out to be a big lie. It takes a great deal of self-discipline to be serious in the midst of fun and frivolity. I obviously don’t have any, self-discipline that is!! We did have plenty of fun and frivolity.

This was my third trip to the city of “Eternal Spring” in as many years. It is a city in transformation. Twenty years ago you would not want to go there due to the fear and violence that permeated the city. The Pablo Escobar Drug Cartel, the FARC revolution, and the ineffectiveness of the elected government made for a very “troubled” time. In the last decade great strides have been made in the reduction of crime, improvement in human rights, reduction of poverty, and growth in tourism. The Medellin government boasts the slogan “Medellín: Adelante y Sin Reversa”, which translates to moving ahead without looking back.

Getting there from the U.S. is not an easy task as most airlines stop somewhere before getting you to José María Córdova International Airport (MDE). Over the years I have found that flying Jet Blue from Fort Lauderdale, Florida works best for me. They have a direct flight at a decent hour and decent price and even in coach they have the most legroom and unlimited snacks and drinks. I flew into Fort Lauderdale on Allegiant (More on that later) and we stayed on a yacht, no less.

When I began to look at overnight accommodations in Fort Lauderdale I couldn’t understand why hotel rooms were either sold out or astronomically out of sight. Duh, it was Super Bowl weekend Dummy. In my research I came across the Teak Yacht which sleeps four and proved to be a unique experience. We also had a delicious meal at il Molina, a wonderful and very busy Italian Restaurante.

Travel Tip: Before going, scope out Medellin Guru for everything you wanted to know about Medellin and were about to ask.

My first times in Medellin I chose to stay in up-scale hotels (Binn Hotel and LaQuinta) both very nice properties. However they were both far away from good walking and any of “the action.” This time we chose an AirBnB property.   The location was most excellent. In the past when we stayed in Medellin it was always up the mountain where it is impossible to walk anywhere. This apartment is in a great walking area with nearby amenities including excellent restaurants, Exito Express Mercado, Parque del Rio, and the Modern Art Museum. Industriales and Poblado metro stations are an easy 15-minute walk in either direction, Park Lleras a 25-minute walk, and cabs are easy to catch out front of the complex. 

Our host, Alejandro, graciously allowed us to check in early which was most convenient and appreciated, as we arrived into Medellin at noon. Our host was also good about staying in touch and being concerned about our stay. The security at the complex was excellent and very helpful. The apartment was spotlessly clean. Best of all, the four of us split a tab of $503.54, which comes to $125.89 for 6 nights or $21.00 per night per person. This was perhaps the most inexpensive one week vacation that I have ever taken. I did use points on one of my round trip tickets, but for airlines, our accommodations, food, and activities I spent less than $600.  Again not bad for a one week get-away!!!

Stay tuned, many more chapters to come.