Christmas in Medellin 2013...

From our friend Lee Harrison...

Dear Live and Invest Overseas Reader,

I've been spending Christmas abroad since 2001 and have come to love the traditions and celebrations that take place throughout Latin America. But Christmas in Medellín is the most impressive extravaganza I've experienced.

My first half-dozen Christmases overseas were in Ecuador and were the most enjoyable Christmas experience I'd had in many years...probably since childhood. My home city of Cuenca was not exactly a small town but celebrating Christmas there certainly had a small-town feel. It was the first time I'd experienced all the events, parties, camaraderie, and celebrations of Christmas without the Black Friday woes, gift-buying frenzy, and deluge of forecasts for the economic outcome of the Christmas season.

In Uruguay, Christmas occurs in mid-summer and is the unofficial kickoff for the beach season. Punta del Este, which is a world-famous beach resort, was probably the least-Christmassy place I've been. Everyone's focus was on sun, sand, and barbeque. The professional fireworks that every home seemed to have, however, were impressive...especially at New Year's, when gunpowder hung in the air like a thick fog.

Here in Medellín, things are different. There's a full agenda of exhibits, cultural exhibitions, shows, and celebrations. But what sets the city apart this time of year are the lights.

The city--led by the local utility, EPM--uses thousands of temporary workers over a period of months to decorate downtown with millions of lights in preparation for the grand lighting on the first of December. The event is called EL Alumbrado, literally “the lighting.”

The celebration is a tremendous source of pride among the people of Medellín and enjoys broad public participation and support. Everybody gets out and enjoys the festivities.

El Alumbrado started in 1955, sponsored by EPM and the local municipality. It was a modest celebration in the early years but has steadily progressed to become the extravaganza it is today, drawing visitors from around the world.

El Alumbrado's traditional kickoff date was Dec. 7, a Colombian holiday called Día de las Velitas (Day of the Little Candles), held on the eve of Immaculate Conception. But, since 2011, the “lighting” has gradually crept back to Dec. 1, to accommodate the large tourism influx into the city for the occasion.

This year they've installed a jaw-dropping 475 miles of light strings with more than 27 million bulbs at a cost of around US$9 million. The effect is amazing. Have a look at these few random shots of Medellín's Christmas lights

A great way to see the Christmas lights on foot (I don't own a car) is to start at Plaza Botero with its landmark sculptures and the Antioquia museum with its impressive display of Fernando Botero's paintings. These are worthwhile stops on any trip to Medellín, and you can visit them while it's still daylight...then have a drink or snack on the veranda while you wait until it gets dark enough to appreciate the lights (just after 6 p.m.).

From Plaza Botero, take the Carabobo pedestrian walkway south until you get to the antique train station (you can't miss this). From there, turn right to see Parque de las Luces (Park of Lights) in the same block. If you continue this way, you'll eventually make your way to the river and some of the biggest displays along its banks.

If you're up for another Christmas walk, try going the other way from Plaza Botero and work your way along Avenida La Playa, one of Medellín's most-decorated avenues and a magnet for the region's photographers.

I'd say there's no better time to visit Medellín than right now. It's downright Christmassy, despite the invitingly warm weather. With the abundance of events and festive Christmas atmosphere, I can't think of a better place to be celebrating the season.

Lee Harrison

A Great Voice...

My Spanish Professor Jorge competing on The Voice Colombia. He is Fantastic!
Click and listen (first wait through the commercial)...

Mi profesor de Español Jorge compitiendo en la voz de Colombia. ¡ Es fantástico!
Pincha y escucha (primera espera a través de la publicidad).

View the video clip HERE

More on Medellin...

More on Medellin...

Medellin Is More Than Pablo Escobar

Friday, 01 November 2013

Garin Etcheberry–On my last day in Medellin, on a recent trip to Colombia, I experienced a wild juxtaposition that seemed to perfectly summarize the excitement and energy of daily life in that wonderful country.

That morning my girlfriend and I took a guided tour based on the life of infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. We drove around the city and saw sites like his fortified home/compound, the hideout where he was killed, and his grave.

Our guide actually knew Pablo and his stories were riveting. He told us how his ex-wife and daughter had fled the country to Switzerland, but he tearfully refused because “good men needed to stay behind and save the city.” (Sounds like a line from Batman!). As a Red Cross volunteer his hands were full cleaning up the aftermath of the incredible drug violence.

He explained how difficult life used to be in Medellin. “Ten years ago this was the worst city in the world.” He told us. “It was hell on Earth. People were terrified to even leave their homes.”

But as his story progressed closer to the present day his gloomy expression began to lift. He explained how things were gradually getting better, improving one step at a time, until finally, beaming with pride, he exclaimed “...and this year we were voted by Forbes magazine as the most innovative city in the whole world!” You could tell that it was profound pride and joy from a man who had sacrificed so much, held out hope for so long, and finally was seeing the fruits.

Afterwards we visited Parque Lleras, a popular hub in the chic El Poblado neighborhood. I had heard about a coworking space just off of the main square and I wanted to check it out. We found the office building and took the elevator up to the eighth floor. There we found an open office space with huge windows giving a striking vista of the whole valley below. In the office was probably a dozen young entrepreneurs, each quietly building their businesses on their laptops and creating the future of this city. These were people who had come to Medellin from all over the world to find opportunity and success.

Later that day, as my girlfriend and I sat in a restaurant on the bustling Carerra 70 in the Salsa dancing heart of the city, eating the delicious and always cheap menu del dia, watching the lively sidewalks flow past, we reflected on the amazing paradox that we had witnessed in one day. Ten years ago this city was gripped with fear and death, but today it stood for hope and optimism. And you could feel it.

Everywhere we went there was an excitement in the air, a palpable energy. You could see it in the faces of the people we met in the streets. In fact, many times people would eagerly come up to us when they heard us speaking English and say “Medellin, number one!”

All across the city there were symbols of progress and hope. Plaza Mayor, the open square right across from the mayor’s office, used to be infested with drugs and crime. Today it’s home to an enormous library and The Forest of Light, dozens of spires that light up the plaza at night. The whole place was meant as a figurative and literal sign that education is the light that drives out the darkness.

At the north end of the city is the famous new gondola which connects the impoverished hillside neighborhoods with the fantastic and cheap metro system at the bottom of the valley. The city built the tram to reduce commute times so that parents could spend more time with their kids. Once again, at the top of the cable line is an enormous library, because the people firmly believe that education is the only way to truly change their country.

These projects represented a mentality that permeated the rest of the society. Just walking around you got the feeling that this was a place that was moving up and getting better. People were excited to be along for the ride and to be a part of the momentum.  

That for me was the most enchanting aspect of Colombia. Sure the prices are cheap, the food is delicious, the lifestyle is beautiful, and the people are friendly. But for me the happiness and optimism is what will bring me back.

My girlfriend and I initially went because we’re interested in spending some time in a growing economy ripe with opportunities. We’re also interested in going somewhere where we can take a break from the seemingly constant stream of revelations of disappearing civil liberties in the United States. My dad also traveled with us, and his motivation was locating the perfect retirement spot in Latin America (he’s already been to Ecuador, Chile, Belize, Costa Rica, and Panama).

For all three of us, on all counts, Medellin passed with flying colors. It’s a fantastic place that we hope to relocate to soon, and we can’t recommend it highly enough to all Live and Invest Overseas readers. I hope our story is helpful to you!

“Vine” Vi…Y Me Quede” (“Came…I Saw… And I Stayed”)

Why Nancy Kiernan Chose Medellin

Waking up to a view...

This is the view that we will be waking up to everyday from our new home in Medellin, Colombia.

Buying Furniture for our new home in Colombia

One of the more enjoyable things about starting a life in a new country is living the experience one often watches on "House Hunters International". The excitement of comparing, contrasting and visualizing your new life in a new country as it is manifested in the purchase of a new home.

One discovery we made early on was that it would not be cost-effective to move our furniture and belongings from the United States to Colombia. It simply cost too much vs cost of buying new furniture and household items in our new home country.

After completing the purchase of our new home in Medellin, a beautifully located apartment with expansive outdoor terrazzas with a view over the Aburra Valley, we have begun an extensive renovation with the goal of creating an "oasis" in our beautiful new city.

A happy accident for us is that Colombia has many excellent craftsman and a population that takes pride in their work and produce outstanding products of all kinds. Furniture is a speciality of the El Retiro area just an hour outside of Medellin. We are fortunate to have found new friends who were happy to introduce us to some of the many furniture makers in the El Retiro area. We found a small furniture making company that makes just the kind of Japanese influenced minimalist, but high quality furniture we most enjoy. We could not have been more pleased to find the combination of quality, style and value we found at the Muebles de Oriente shop. An extra bonus for us is the ability to order just what we want as they are most accomodating in making design changes to dimensions, finishes, fabircs, and other features that allow a buyer to put their own "stamp" on the furniture.

Here is a LINK to some photos of the furniture we are having made for us: Photos of some of our new furniture

We are even able to visit the shop and see our furniture make its way through the custom building process!

We just can't wait for the finished product to arrive at our newly renovated home here in about a month.

Hasta Luego