Monday, February 20, 2017

Happy Presidents Day! 

Donald Trump has been president for a month.  How’s that workin' out for ya?

I forgot to mention when Jim arrived he brought me some things I requested.  Things I can’t find, or haven’t found, here in Medellin.  This trip it was small individual tubes of superglue, Scotch packing tape, Denman hairbrush, lint roller, Excedrin Migraine tablets, Tylenol, English toffee, salted-in-the-shell peanuts and Fritos.

I watched the Today show until 11am and then left for the gym.  On my way I saw the apartment for rent that I first noticed when my brother and I were walking to Otraparte.  It appears to be on the 4^th floor.  I wouldn’t want to go any higher than that without a working elevator.  (Notice I said “working”.  We’ve looked at apartments here before with broken elevators and were told it will be fixed mañana.  Yeah, right!)

The gym wasn’t very busy, 3 of the machines weren’t working, and I was done after an hour.  I weighed in at 79 ½ kilos.

After lunch I walked to $efecty where I paid the Une bill of 72mil, took an Envigado bus to MBE where I picked up my package (a small Shedrain manual umbrella), paid 16mil for it, and paid about 50,000 pesos for March’s rent.  I only had to wait about 5 minutes for a Sabaneta bus but traffic was getting heavy (3:30pm) and it took a while to get back to the apt.

While my brother was here we used Uber possibly more often than we used taxis.  Here are some thoughts on my new experience.

Pros:

ü   Uber cars all seem to be new or newer.

ü   The price seems to be about 2,000 pesos less than taxi meter rates.

ü   For an extra charge you can request an English speaking driver.

Cons:

ü   Drivers often seem to have difficulty finding your exact location.

ü   It’s a little discouraging to see empty taxis go by while you’re waiting for your Uber car to arrive.

ü   You have to pay a fee if you cancel your Uber request even though the driver seems unable to find you or it appears to be driving in circles.

T-shirt of the day: Youth and talent are no match for age and treachery.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

I got up at 7am and Teresa and I left the apt at 8:15, quickly caught a taxi that took us to Hotel Dann Carlton Bilfort.  (Ciclovia was going on in the southbound lanes of Avenida Poblado.)  At the garage level we saw 2 attractive very fit ladies as we got on the elevator.  At the main desk I asked the clerk to call my brother.  He soon came down and while waiting I found a 3-bedroom apt listing in the Sunday newspaper they had.  A couple of very fit guys walked by, one without a shirt displaying all his muscles.  We had a nice breakfast for 27,000 pesos each (about $9).  They had juices, fresh fruits, cereals, waffles, rice with beans, scrambled eggs, etc.)  There was also a woman making eggs to order.  The waitresses (sisters) were very attentive and refilled our coffee cups often.

Teresa and I took a look downstairs where they have a small gym and steam bath.

We met a sales rep from Panama that was in town marketing a workout recovery drink called Kill Cliff.  He didn’t know why it had such a strange name.

Jim’s airport ride was supposed to arrive at 11:30 but Jim texted and asked him to come at noon instead.  Better to wait in the hotel than the airport.  But the driver arrived at 11am so I got Teresa a taxi back to the apt and Jim and I left with the driver.  It’s called Medellin Airport Transfer for a set price of $32 and it includes a 1-hour stop if you wish.  Jim had him stop for a few minutes at an overlook where we had a beautiful view of Medellin. 

We arrived at the airport by 12:20, Jim checked his bags and we went upstairs where we shared a pizza at Piccolo’s.  Jim told them the oven they were using Middleby “something” was made in the town we were born in and that he was a cheese representative. 

We said our goodbyes and Jim started through the ATS check at 2:15, an hour before his flight.

I went downstairs and outside and a bus was just leaving.  I waited about 5 minutes for another one to arrive and another 15 minutes for it to leave.  I got off at the San Diego mall, walked through to the other side and across the street.  A Sabaneta bus was just leaving.  I skipped 2 Envigado buses but the next Sabaneta bus turned down the street just before me.  What?  I waited a few more minutes and this time it stopped at my bus stop.  I paid my 2,000 pesos in cash and had pretty much my choice of seats.

I was back at the apt by 4pm.

I googled “Teatro Pablo Tobon Uribe” and found www.TeatroPabloTobon.com and learned they have chess Tuesday afternoons from 2-8pm.  I’ll probably go this Tuesday by taxi and then when I learn exactly where it is, in the future I can take a bus and walk.

T-shirt of the day: Science doesn’t care what you believe in.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Besides getting up twice during the night, I was awakened by the leaf blower at 7am and a cramp in my right calf at 8am.  I decided this wasn’t my morning and it was time to get up.

Jim came over and we walked to Avenida Poblado where we barely caught a Sabaneta bus.  I probably should have checked the stops on the front windshield but we barely caught up with it at a red light.  It left Avenida Pablado and headed west.  It stopped briefly at Mayorca mall, circled the mall and headed south again.  It then headed west again and I went up to the bus driver and asked directly if it stops at Parque Sabaneta and he said yes.  A few blocks from the park he turned again and that’s when several people told us we should get off here to go to the park.  (People are so helpful and nice here!)

We walked a coupe blocks to the park and found a table in the shade where Jim had a beer and I had an iced tea.  Jim mentioned that there’s some type of fitness convention going on because he saw several very fit men and women in his hotel.

A little while later we walked a few blocks back down Avenida Poblado to a butcher shop/restaurant called Porci Carnes.  Jim ordered ribs and I a hamburger and I was a little surprised while eating it to find that it was pork instead of beef.

Afterwards, after getting directions from a local, we walked down to the Sabaneta metro station.  Jim continued on the metro to the Poblado Station and I got off at Envigado.  I didn’t see Herman at the orange juice stand so I just got on the first bus to the park.  Passing by the corner store I didn’t see anyone there but a woman where we had played chess the other day. 

The Colombian Peso closed at 2,886 to the US Dollar.

Somewhere I saw that the Teatro Pablo Tobon Uribe has chess on Tuesday afternoons.  On the map I see it’s a little east of Avenida Poblado near downtown.

One of my readers mentioned that my cramps are due to a lack of potassium.  I knew that I just haven’t done anything about it.  Lol.  Teresa told me she’s going to Mayorista with her mother early Monday morning and she’ll buy some bananas for me then.

About 7:30 Teresa and I walked to Otraparte to meet Jim for dinner.  We found the main gate locked so we walked to the street and followed it to the entrance to their parking lot.  We quickly got a table; good thing too because later there was a waiting line.  Jim arrived a few minutes later.

We ordered drinks and I ordered a plate of mozzarella sticks to share.  Teresa and I shared a plate of pasta and afterwards an ice cream sundae.

Jim caught an Uber taxi (first time with a female driver) and we started back to the apt.  At one spot we saw an “alley” with other restaurants so we took a walk down and I discovered Classic Diner which looked like an American diner complete with a table inside a convertible.  I checked their menu and it was mainly burgers, hotdogs, and ribs.  It was quite noisy so we soon left; we’ll return at a quieter time.

T-shirt of the day: Pretty sure I’m going to be one of those senior citizens that bites everyone.

Friday, February 17, 2017

New US movie releases I’d like to see are The Great Wall (6.3), A Cure for Wellness (6.8), and Land of Mine (7.8).  Locally, I’d like to see A Cure for Wellness (6.8) playing in Oviedo & Santafe and Hidden Figures (7.3) playing in Oviedo.

I called Herman in the morning and arranged to meet him to go to Pueblito Paisa.  A few minutes later he called back to tell me he forgot he had an important appointment at 1pm today.  I informed Jim and he asked me to meet him at the hotel and we would leave from there.

I made a stop at the bank and picked up some cash, added 50mil to our cell phone, bought the Friday Q’hubo newspaper for Chuck, bought a bottle of Coke at the corner store and returned to the apt.

I dropped off the newspaper and Coke and headed back downtown where I immediately caught a bus to El Poblado.  I wasn’t exactly sure where to get off the bus to get to Jim’s hotel but I guessed right and the driver dropped me off right in front of the road leading to the hotel.

After looking at some tourist information we went outside to catch an Uber car.  We had trouble getting one, the driver eventually cancelled, and we ended up catching a taxi instead.

At Pueblito Paisa we each had a large glass of orange juice (for twice the price that Herman charges).  It took about 5 minutes to look at the village.  Up on the rooftop Jim was impressed with the view of Medellin.  Then we went into the city museum where we saw a bas-relief sculpture of Medellin.  They also had photos of how the city has changed over time.

It was getting a little windy and Jim’s smart phone was predicting rain so we left and immediately caught a taxi to Botero Plaza.  Outside the Museo de Antioquia we found an empty table.  Taking our time, Jim had a beer, I had an iced tea and we each had an onion soup.  Then he had the house salad and I had their meatball plate.

Then we went over to the other side of the museum entrance to their coffee laboratory.  We had the same cute waitress as last time we were there.  Jim had a coffee, I had a café con leche, and we shared a slice of tiramisu.

Then we took the metro, Jim got off at the Poblado station, and I continued on to Envigado.  Coming out of the station it was raining lightly.  I immediately was on a bus to Parque Envigado.  When I got off the bus the light rain had diminished to a light mist.

At 7pm I called Jim using my magicJack and we agreed to meet at Wilson’s Bocados Bar at 8:15.

Jim arrived about 5 minutes after we did.  I was expecting Wilson’s TV to be tuned, as usual, to some soccer game.  Instead there were a couple young men in the “kitchen” area searching through Youtube for 80’s American songs they liked.  After a couple drinks we decided to move.

We walked a few blocks away to La Ultima Estacion (The last station).  Besides drinks all they serve are small empanadas and chicken shish kebabs wrapped in bacon.  After we finished eating Laura showed up.  She had a little something to eat and then we all left.

T-shirt of the day: If I’m ever on Life Support, Unplug Me.  Then plug me back in.  See if that works.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

I woke up in the middle of the night with a cramp in my left calf but I was able to quickly work it out.

I woke/got up at 6am, showered and Jim and I left the apt at 6:45.  We walked a few blocks to Las Chichas (sp?) where he introduced me to a hot arepa relleno de queso.  The young man who works there speaks English.  Then we walked across the walkway from city hall where we had a couple cups of coffee.

We stopped at the corner store where I picked up a couple bags of milk and dropped them off at the apt.

We walked down to Exito where Jim bought a bottle of Medellin Rum to take back with him.

We stopped at Herman’s orange juice stand where we each had a medium-sized cup for 2,000 pesos each.  Jim also had a bag of fresh potato chips.  Talking to Herman I think he might join us tomorrow at Pueblito Paisa and afterwards for lunch at the museum.  He mentioned he knows an English speaking lawyer who lives in Envigado and I asked him to get me his business card next time he sees him.

We took a bus up to the park and then walked down Carrera 43 until it ran into Carrera 43A (aka Avenida Poblado).  A few more blocks (2 ½ blocks from La Mesa) and we were at the Otraparte museum and café that Chuck had recommended to me.  We got a quick tour of the famous author’s (Fernando Gonzalez) house and then went out back to their café - a nice shady outdoor spot with umbrella tables.  We arrived at 11:45 so we had to wait 15 minutes until they opened at noon.

I had a strawberry juice and broccoli soup and Jim had a bottle of water and blue cheese tapas for a total of 25,800 (about $9).

We walked back to the apt where Jim packed his suitcase and caught a Uber car to the Dann Carlton Bilfort hotel.  We’re going to meet him at the Bogota Beer Company tonight at 7pm.

I got an email from Jim.  He loves the hotel and he said he was heading down to the pool.

I checked the MBE website in Miami and it appears my Shedrain umbrella is on the way.

Teresa and I left the apt at 6:35, caught a taxi after a 5 minute wait, and arrived at Bogota Beer Company (Carrera 34 #7-165) in El Poblado just after 7pm where we found Jim sitting at the bar.  We each had a drink and then we moved to a small table closer to outside where we shared fried chicken strips and fries.

We walked around the park and finally settled on J&C Delicias for dinner because it was quieter but still overlooked the park.  Jim had a vegetarian arepa and 2 rum and waters, while Teresa and I shared an order of penne pasta and I had a limonada de coco and Teresa had a mango juice.  The total bill including tax and tip was 79,500 (about $27).

About 10 pm Jim caught a Uber car back to the hotel and we caught a taxi back to the apt.

Laura finished the leftovers from our penne pasta.

T-shirt of the day: You know that little thing inside your head that keeps you from saying things you shouldn’t?  Yeah, I don’t have one of those.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

At 5:20 I was awakened by the sound of a leaf blower outside so I got up and closed the window and blinds.  I woke/got up at 8:15.

Jim and I arrived at the Afro Soul t-shirt store at 10am but found it doesn’t open until 11am.  We walked over to Home Center where we bought a knife, a knife sharpener and a cutting board.  Next door at Exito we bought some garlic powder, a loaf of fresh bread and fresh vegetables.

Back at the apt Jim showed Teresa how to make omelets.

I finally received an email from Shedrain with my purchase invoice.  I emailed it to the address given to me my Miami customs so hopefully it’s soon on its way.

About 1:30 we walked down to the garage restaurant where we had lunch for 11,000 pesos each and I learned that its real name is Deli Hoy (deli today).  I’ll try to remember that.

Teresa returned to the apt and on our way back to Exito we made a quick stop at a local Tienda D1 store where we were soon surprised by Wilson doing some shopping.

We walked to Exito where we finally hunted down some pizza sauce but didn’t luck out on finding a baking sheet.

We walked to the Afro Soul store but I guess Jim wasn’t impressed as we soon left.  Walking back to the apt, as we passed a small corner store, Jim pointed out a chess set.  A man was sitting there alone and I understood he was playing the store owner who was busy at that time.  He invited me to sit down and take his place which I did.  I didn’t have a favorable position but I managed to hold it and get an advantage but then I hung a rook and soon lost.  I told him I would like to come back and play him again another day.

We walked back to the apt, we all took a nap and then Jim made pizza bread.  Delish!  And Teresa was very happy.  (I think she wants to open another restaurant.  Lol.)

We took an Uber car to the Cuban restaurant where they had live guitar music accompanied by bongo drums.

We took an Uber car to Wilson’s bar where Laura soon joined us.  She had dinner and the rest of us had drinks and we chatted and watched a futból game on TV.

T-shirt of the day: I’m not saying I’m Superman.  I’m just saying nobody has ever seen me and Superman in a room together.

Comprehensive Guide to the Medellin Metro - Medellin Living

Comprehensive Guide to the Medellín Metro – Colombia’s Only Metro System

FEBRUARY 13, 2017 BY JEFF3 COMMENTS

The Medellín Metro is the only rail-based mass transportation system in Colombia. But it’s much more than a rail-based system.

It’s a comprehensive mass transportation system in the city that integrates two Metro rail lines, four Metrocable cable-car lines, two Metroplús elongated bus lines, a Tranvía tramcar line and even feeder Metro buses.

The Metro guide on this website is out-of-date and incomplete. In addition, I haven’t seen a complete, accurate and up-to-date guide to the Medellín Metro in English anywhere else.  Some readers also asked for an update.  As a result I wrote this article.

The Medellín Metro System

The Medellín Metro system consists of:

• Two rail lines – Line A (North to South) and Line B (Center to West) with a total of 27 stations.
• Four Metrocable cable car lines – Line H, Line J, Line K and Line L with a total of 12 stations.
• Two Metroplús elongated bus lines – Line 1 and Line 2 with a total of 27 stations.
• One Tranvía tramcar line – line T-A with 11 stations.
• Well over 200 white Metro feeder buses that take you to/from Metro stations with routes to neighborhoods all over the city.

A current map of the Medellín Metro system that can be printed out can be found here.

Traveling on the Metro is generally very safe. However be careful of pickpockets during rush hour or any other time the metro cars are crammed full of people.

The worst time to use the metro is during the evening rush hour on Monday to Friday. So try to avoid this evening rush hour. During this time it may take two to three trains to get on, particular from busy stations like Poblado and San Antonio.

Tranvía tramcar line T-A

History of the Medellín Metro

In 1980, the Medellín Metro project was presented to the Colombian National Government by the city of Medellín. And the National Counsel of Economical and Social Policies approved the project in 1982.

The Metro was envisioned as a massive urban transport system for the worker classes of the city.  Furthermore it was also seen as an important cultural symbol that would also help to develop marginalized and some of the poorest areas of the city.

The construction project was contracted to German and Spanish firms. The first journey on Line A of the Metro was on November 30, 1995 between Niquia and Poblado stations.

Later Line B was added and Line A was expanded south to La Estrella. In 2004, 2008 and 2009, the initial three Metrocable routes come into operation. In 2015, the tranvía tramline T-A was added with a $300 million investment. And in 2016, the Metrocable line H was added.

In 2012, the Medellín Metro system was named one of the top transport systems in the world by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), a global consortium of organizations founded to promote sustainable transportation worldwide.

Most noteworthy the Medellín Metro system now transports well over 160 million passengers per year. The clean and efficient system saves over 178,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year while also greatly reducing accidents and traffic in the city.

Civica card – photo courtesy of Metro de Medellín

Civica Card

The Civica card is a rechargeable card for using the Medellín Metro system. With the card you can avoid the long ticket lines plus your fare will be cheaper.

I have had a Civica card for over 7 years. And it has saved me so much time plus saved some money.

It doesn’t cost anything to get a Civica card. You just need to show an ID like a cedula or passport. And it won’t have any value when you initially receive it.

You can get a Civica card at the Niquía, San Antonio, Itagüí y San Javier metro stations. The small offices at these stations are open Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., or Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

You can charge a Civica card standing in ticket lines at each metro station. And there are recharging machines in some Metro stations.

There are also nearly 600 additional places around the city where you can recharge a Civica card – a complete list is found here. You can also recharge at some of the Gana locations in Envigado and Sabaneta – here’s a list.

In addition, a Civica card provides discounts at several places. For example, it provides a 10% discount at Óptica Santa Lucía, 15% discount at Divercity, 20% discount at Dunkin Donuts and several discounts at the Sonría dental chain. A complete list of discounts is found here.

Metro feeder buses at Itagüí station – now with Civica card readers

The Civica card can also be used on most of the white Metro feeder buses that are being set up with Civica card readers. It can also be used in the Encicla system of public bicycles. See here how to sign up for the Encicla.

I can’t understand why anyone would stand in long lines each time to buy tickets to use the metro. A Civica card is easy to get and so much more convenient.  I recharge my card when the ticket lines are short so I can skip the long ticket lines.

Metro Fares

The current standard Medellín Metro fare with a Civica card is 2,000 pesos ($0.70). But the fare can go as high as 3,260 pesos, in example, if you used a Metrocable with Metro train plus two feeder buses

The standard metro fare if you don’t have a Civica card is 2,300 pesos ($0.81). So you save 300 pesos (13%) per standard trip with a Civica card.  As a result of having a Civica card I estimate I save over $50 per year with lower fares.

The Metrocable line to Parque Arvi has a separate fare of 5,200 pesos unless you can show you live in an Estrato 1, 2 or 3 neighborhood, which will result in a lower fare.

The following is a table of 2017 Metro fares courtesy of Metro de Medellín. Note the Frequente row is the fare for most people using the Metro.

2017 Metro fares courtesy of Metro de Medellín

Discounted fares are available as shown in the table for those over 60 years old (Adulto Mayor), students (Estudiantial), people with reduced mobility (PMR) and carriers (Al Portador). The discounted fares are established when you sign up for your Civica card.

Hours

The Medellín Metro is open from Monday to Saturday from 4:30 am until 11 pm for all lines except for Line L to Parque Arvi. On Sundays and holidays the hours are from 5 am to 10 pm. And 8:30 am to 10 pm on Line K and 9 am to 10 pm on Lines H and J.

Line L to Parque Arvi is closed on Mondays and runs from 9 am to 6 pm on Tuesday to Saturday. On Sunday and holidays Line L runs from 8:30 am to 6 pm.

During peak hours (from 5 to 8 am and 3:30 to 7:30 pm), on the main Line A, about every 4 minutes there is a train. During the other hours it is reduced to about every 6 to 8 minutes.

Avri Metrocable station

Using the Metro as a Tourist

It is possible to use the Metro system to get to many of the popular tourist locations in Medellín. The following is a list of several Metro stations and key tourist sites that are located near each station:

• Arví – Parque Arví
• Universidad – Parque Explora, Jardín Botánico, Parque Norte
• Industriales – Museo de Arte Moderno
• Parque Berrio – Museo de Antioquia, Iglesia de La Candelaria
• Prado –Catedral Basílica Metropolitana
• Sabaneta – Iglesia Santa Ana and Parque Sabaneta
• Santo Domingo – Biblioteca España

Metro de Medellín even offers a tourist guide (in Spanish) found here that shows many more tourist sites that are easy to get to via the Metro system.

In addition we previously provided an article with our top five churches in Medellín with a suggested way to see them using the Metro.

Also six of the malls in Medellín are conveniently located within a block or a few blocks from a Metro station:

• Bello station – Puerta del Norte Mall
• Los Alpes station – Los Molinos Mall
• Industriales station – Premium Plaza Mall and Punto Clave Mall
• Itagüí station – Mayorca Mall
• Poblado station – Monterrey Mall

Villa Sierra station on the new Metrocable Line H

Medellín Metro Master Plan – The Future

The Medellín Metro has a Master Plan covering the period from 2006 to 2030. In this master plan are many expansions to the metro system.

The tranvía line T-A (Corredor Ayacucho) opened in 2015.  And the new Metrocable line H opened in 2016.  Both of these expansion were part of this master plan. Due to capacity issues additional train-sets were added to the main Line A last year, which was also part of this master plan.

Nearer term Metro expansions planned in the 2017 to 2020 timeframe include:

• Complete the Metrocable line M in 2017.
• Expand the Poblado station.
• Add new Metroplús line between Envigado and Itagüí.
• New metro station between Industriales and Poblado stations.
• New metro station between Envigado and Itagüí stations.
• 13.5 km tranvía line along Avenida 80 running from Aguacatala station to Caribe station (this line is in design).

Further out expansions in the Master Plan in the 2021 to 2030 timeframe include:

• Mini-metro line from El Poblado to the South Bus Terminal.
• Tranvía line to Rio Negro and the José María Córdova international airport.
• Cable car system in Itagüí.
• Tranvía line in Sabaneta.

So you will see many more expansions coming to the Medellín Metro system over the next several years. More tranvía lines, more cable cars, and more metro lines are planned as well as a regional train system.

Metroplús bus at Parque Belén station

The Bottom Line

A well-designed mass transportation systems is about more than just getting people around in a more environmentally friendly way.  As Medellín demonstrates, such systems can also be positive drivers for social and economic change.

Medellín has operated its comprehensive metro system for over 20 years with regular expansions. Seems like Bogotá has been talking about a metro for decades and still has nothing but a plan and it’s overcrowded TransMilenio bus system.

With the inexpensive Metro system in Medellín, extensive bus routes in the city with inexpensive fares as well as inexpensive taxis it is very possible to live in the city without a car.

Our Medellín Living reader survey in December last year found that 81.6% of expats living in the city don’t have a car.

And for expats moving to the city, 48.3% cited “public transportation including the Metro system” as the third primary reason they were attracted to Medellín (after low cost of living and the climate).

Reminder: Don’t forget to join our February Medellín Living Meetup on February 23. If you’re new to the city, this is a great chance to ask questions and provide observations. And you can meet other travelers as well as several expats living in the city.