#ccsantafe

¡Hola muchachos!

It’s been quite a while since another big post, but well, here I am again - “Yaaaaay :3”! I’ve returned from Santa Marta, where I spent 10 days doing thesis research. And last week I’ve been working a lot in the lab, processing all the samples we got from during the excursion. But before talking a bit about that, I still owe you peeps something. Yup, that’s right, a post about the Festival of the Flowers that was held in Medellín from the 1st until the 10th of August!

"La Feria de las Flores" is thé event here in Medellín! For 10 consecutive days there’s a lot to see and visit in the different districts of Medellín, muy bacano (very nice)!

So, on the 1st of August - yup, tried to take full profit of the fact that I was there at that time :P - Claudia and I went to Plaza Mayor. It’s one of the most important plazas in Medellín where a lot of expositions are regularly being held, and “la Feria” wasn’t any exception :) There, it was possible to attend a showcase of Gigantes de Flores (Flower Giants). It was really amazing! As you can see in the picture, a lot of work is being done on making these beautiful pieces of work. It was possible to see some animals (not alive, but nevertheless beautiful) that are indigenous to Colombia: an armadillo, a bird (of the family Tángaras, you should check it out, really pretty birds!), a dragonfly, a toad, a jaguar and finally an iguana.

As the people there were still perfecting their sculptures, others were handing out flowers for free to everybody…it gave me a real “peace, love and flowers”-feeling :D

Afterwards we went on to the shopping center San Diego, because everyone was giving it their best during this special time of the year. Every year it’s possible to see then a big collection of bonsai trees, and also buy if you’re interested in taking one to home. Some are 150 years old!

We then finally ended the day by going to a bar called “Las 3 Cordilleras”. I’m already some time away from Belgium, but that was a place where you could have some artisanal beers. It was a pleasant surprise to get to taste some that are brewn here, the main technique of creating different beers is by mixing really distinct ingredients, rather than playing with the grains and fermentation. And while dreaming away with a good, cold beer in the hand, thinking back on the nice day it was, a band was giving a small concert in the bar, in other words: perfect ending for a perfect day :D

On monday I went to the shopping center Los Molinos, close to my place here. There was an exposition being held about artisanal products from Colombia: all sorts of sweets, fruits, products derived from the leaves of coca (yes, this is legal :P) and also - how could it be otherwise in Colombia ;) - products derived from coffee beans.

But it didn’t just end there! There was also an exposition on miniature antique cars over there to which I also paid a visit :) The real deal then, a defile of antique cars, was driving around in the city on Thursday. However, I don’t have any pictures of it because on Thursday I was in Santa Elena, another district of Medellin. But more about that a little bit further down ;)

On tuesday I went for a stroll throughout Medellin. First I walked to the University of Medellin where some paintings about the Festival of the Flowers were being showcased, made by adults and children. At that time, I already got to enter and see the National University, but I definitely wanted to check that one out as well :) Both are public universities and both aren’t as expensive as the private ones. And for a lot of students, it’s really a difference between being able to do higher studies or not. Since it’s with an entrance exam, there’s only a lucky few of all the applying students that gets to enter the university. It’s certainly not uncommon on global scale, but in Belgium this still isn’t the case.

After having some lunch at the university, I continued my journey with the Metroplus (a bus service that goes to the metrostations), the metro and a taxi - the only thing I haven’t tried here yet are the city bikes - to the shopping center Santafe. Yea, I definitely got to pinpoint the shopping centers of Medellin on the map :P

The picture above was taken at the shopping center Santafe where a huge flower carpet was made on the ground floor, muy bonita! :D

And the fun just kept on going! :) The next day, on Wednesday, the event at the botanical garden in Medellin started and lasted until the rest of the festival. It was all about flowers, orchids and birds. Absolutely amazing!! Really, if you’re a fan of flowers and orchids in particular, you have to go at least one time, it’s sooo beautiful! For the people who adore orchids, fun fact: the national flower of Colombia is the orchid Cattleya trianae, really pretty! :D

Thursday was then the last day that I could go visit some events of “la Feria”. On Friday at 4 a.m. I was already going to make my way to Santa Marta. So thursday I went with some people from the appartement I live in to Santa Elena, a district of Medellín.

Some fincas (definiton: see a previous post) were made available for public and you could see how the people there were busy making their "silletas". These are wooden structures in the shape of a big disc that they decorate with flowers according to their own creativity! Eventually, they - called "los silleteros" - carry these on their backs during a parade that took place on Sunday (which I unfortunately couldn't attend). This flower parade symbolizes the end of slavery in Colombia when instead of flowers slaves carried men and women on their backs up steep hills. At the end of the parade, awards are being handed out according to all sorts of categories. It can feel a bit like carnaval, but then with a different history and touch to it.

But nevertheless that they were still working on it, I still had a great time in Santa Elena. Indeed, ingredients for having fun as a Colombian: - Sombrero vueltiao? Check! - Rum and empanadas? Check! - Chiva? Check! - Great atmosphere? Absolutely!