The last time I went to Colombia was 2 years and 3 months ago, and boy, I was missing the country, the family, the friends, the food and the weather! So I decided to travel to Colombia from March 19-30. Only 11 days to enjoy all the little pleasures that this paradise can offer. Yes I know, I’m being a bit dramatic here… if you are annoyed just jump to the pictures and have a nice day!

Vaaaaamooooos! vamos mi verde!… que esta nooooche!!!… tenemos que ganar!

The crowd was cheering, jumping and screaming! It was crazy! it was beautiful… I was back at the Atanasio Girardot stadium getting ready to watch Atlético Nacional vs DIM, the two local teams…the classic match! the “derby”… the best game you can watch in Medellín!

Last time I saw a soccer match was before moving to the USA, more than 3 years ago. I was so excited.

And things couldn’t have been better for me: my beloved team Nacional beat DIM 4-0. A Sunday evening that I won’t forget… and neither DIM fan’s 🙂

That next Monday, grandma and my aunts went to my house and we had a great BBQ.

Cartagena de Indias

It was Tuesday 22nd of March around 4am and I was on a cab with the beautiful Catalina Escobar on my way to Cartagena, the same city that recently gave its symbolic keys to Diego Armando Maradona. Last time I went to Cartagena I was 2 years old and all I remember are 3 images that barely flash in my head: being next to a canyon in the old wall, being in the house of Alonso Velez parents and being in the sea with my mom and my sister.

I loved visiting Cartagena. I stayed at the Caribe Hotel, visited the old city (downtown) with Cata, ate really good Caribbean food (including arepa de huevo at the “Narcobollo”) and enjoyed an awesome massage at Cata’s mom’s spa. But the most important thing was to see Cata again after 3 years and spend a “Muy Delicioso” time with her. She is moving to Buenos Aires soon, so it was great that I have the chance to see her.

Medellín: eterna primavera

Back in Medellín I was able to meet with my friend Julio who is working in Bogotá. We went a couple of times to the Lleras Park looking for some “cuquilamosas” but everyone in Medellín was somewhere else. On Saturday we went to San Pedro town to Daniel Monsalve’s girlfriend’s family’s ranch. Over there we went to a pound to fish some trout and back in the ranch we ate the most delicious BBQ I have eaten in a long time.

Then we came back to Medellín and I took a cab to Llanogrande to meet with my college friends. We went to a very nice “fonda” (bar) called “La lucha” and listened to great live music and had a lot of Rum and “guaro”. I was able to see Jose Restrepo and his fiancé Lina, Felipe Garcia y Maria, Bonaice, Michell and Alvaro with his girlfriend. We stayed at a ranch that Alvaro rented and it was very nice to wake up in the morning and smell nature. I even took a picture of the ranch donkeys.

I came back to Medellín and met with Alelo Velez and Steve at “El Tesoro” mall, and that night my old friends from high school went to my house: Alelo, Santiago Duque and his girlfriend, Checho Molina and his girlfriend and Carlos Perez (Buho – Owl) and girlfriend. We had a couple of Pilsen beers and talked about the old times.

The last things I did on my trip to Colombia, was riding the “Metro Cable” which is a cabin pulled by a cable built in a very complex (and violent) part of Medellín, visited my University (EAFIT) and talked with teachers I took classes with, had lunch with John Jairo (el negro!), visited the Antioquia Museum where there is a lot of Fernando Botero’s work and had a delicious hamburger at Hamburguesas El Corral with Alelo, Olguita, Maritza Roldan and Monica Contreras.

200% Alegría

All I can say is that I feel really happy about this trip to Colombia and I made my self a promise to return soon. I loved seeing my parents, my relatives, my friends and my country.

Let the pictures speak.