Public Art for All
6 September 2005 (Tuesday) – Santa Elena / Medellin, Colombia
I slept very late last night coz I was chatting with 2 tourists. So, this morning, it was super difficult to get my ass up from the bed. I had to check-out of the hostel and walk over to Claudia’s house to put my things, before she goes to work.
She gave me a little map on what to do when I get to Santa Elena. Santa Elena has a town centre but the houses of the people are spread out all over the mountains with tiny paths everywhere. It would be impossible to locate an address. Hence, I had to call her sister Patricia when I get off the bus and her sister would walk from her house to meet me.
The bus to Santa Elena wound up through the mountains, providing a great view of Medellin down at the valley. The air was noticeably cooler and 100% purer and fresher. When I arrived, there was only a little shop which had a public phone. I tried to call Patricia but the phone I was using seemed not to be working well. In Claudia’s map, she had written Tienda de Martica (Martica’s Shop). She had told me to wait for Patricia there. The lady at the shop told me where to walk to try and find this Martica’s Shop.
Wow, the view here was really scenic, with many nice houses and pretty flowers in the gardens. It was utterly tranquil. I had a thought in my head – I am in Colombia! Everyone kept yakking about how dangerous this place is… Not everywhere, please! Look at where I am now, gosh… it could not be more peaceful and pretty.
I meandered down the path and found a couple of old folks chatting. So I asked them about Martica and an old lady took me there. Yep, they had all the time in the world. I explained my situation to Martica, another very sweet little old lady, and thank goodness, she knew Patricia and so, she gave Patricia a call. Oh, great!
Patricia took me walking through the tiny paths, behind people’s house, through the woods, down the muddy paths, etc… to get to her house. She is an artist who makes jewellery, mainly silver. There is a great view of the valley in front of her house. She made a simple lunch and then, we walked through the woods and up more mountain slopes to her friend Angela’s house. Gosh, this one was really isolated. There was only a lonely path in the shaded woods for a long distance. Angela’s house is a little wooden-and-brick house, very very sweet and pretty. Imagine, living in a wooden cabin up in the mountains, thoroughly isolated!!! Carlos, Angela’s friend was there and he was very interested about Asia and he seemed to have read up a lot and so, we had a good time, chatting about everything Asian. It was truly a very nice afternoon up in the mountains. Carlos told me we were at 2500m. Wow, I did not realise that! No wonder I was huffing and puffing a little.
By late evening, I was back in Medellin, feeling a little woozie from the lack of sleep and the windy paths downhill. During my dizzy walk in Medellin’s centre, Carlos pointed out several ‘stars’ on the road. Stars? What were they? Well, apparently, if there had been a fatal accident in a particular spot on the road, the authorities would paint a star with a figure of a man lying there. This was to serve as warning to the pedestrians and drivers. However, everyone seems to disregard the ‘stars’ and crosses the roads and drives around recklessly, as per normal. In my state now, I feared I would become another ‘star’!
Today, Oliver could finally go out of the house. Yep, he was finally released from his self-imposed house arrest, haha! Claudia and her friend Santiago, decided to take us for a short tour around Medellin to see the night sights. Santiago was another amazing person, full of enthusiasm and pride about Medellin, excitingly showing us the interesting architecture, the details above certain door-ways and other sculptures around the city. There was a Parque de Los Luces which had many huge pointy columns that illuminated light accordingly to the phases of the moon! Wow!! However, there was no moon tonight, so none of the columns were illuminated. But imagine, how interested the city is in making such innovative public art and sculptures all over the city to beautify the place. In fact, there is a law that states that every building constructed must come with a sculpture. I already have so many pictures of sculptures here in Medellin and yet, I was still snapping away.
Santiago later brought us to a gem of a nostalgic cafe – Salon Malaga, near the San Antonio metro station. The walls were lined with stars of bygone days, old gramaphones, ancient telephones and other antique items. There were 7 jukebox machines as well. At this moment, the tearful songs of tango were being played. Sigh, how it reminds me of Buenos Aires!
Medellin must be the second city of tango after Buenos Aires. I have already heard tango being played at several places around the city. The reason was because Carlos Gardel, a tango legend from Argentina, died in a airplane crash here in Medellin at the height of his career. Hence, the love of tango just took off in this city as well. Also, strangely or coincidentally, some people here use ‘vos’ to mean ‘you’, like how it is done in Argentina.
Wow, I was really glad I stayed 1 more day here in Medellin and meet all these amazingly friendly and hospitable people. I must stay I truly love the Colombians!
Tags: 06) Colombia Connection, Medellin
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