Pro tip:
When one of the Venezuelan street vendors near your home asks why you look so tired, don't tell them you just walked over 28 km across town - unless you're ready for them to casually remind you that they walked 20 days from Venezuela to Medellín, day and night with children, while finishing shoe repair for someone in a nearby building.
🙃 Just say you're fine.
Because we're here and that's enough.
Here's some #Music from when I passed through Parque de Berrío:
https://youtu.be/X8lY4BuGCUI
Sorry, for the delete and redraft, @ceorl! I had written "talking photos" instead of "taking photos", and I'm pretty sure a talking photo is a movie!
I do want to call attention to the pigeon in this one, though. When I saw the murals, I came up to snap them, but the pigeon was just staring at the wall, and only turned its head a bit on my approach. I don't *really* think it understood the imagery on the mural, but the idea of a pigeon contemplating animal kin in far-off spaces was ridiculously endearing to me all the same.
@MLClark Thank you for taking us with you on your walkabout.
@MLClark No blisters? A good experience?
Ha I was smiling and waiting for it to reappear. :)
@MLClark Thank you for sharing. I will be discreet and not question the scientific accuracy of the boy astronaut eating bananas in space. 🤐
I took that one thinking of you, Stephen!
It's across the street from the planetarium, which unfortunately I couldn't take good photos of because of some schoolbuses and kids in the vicinity.
That part of the city is also home to Medellín's science museum/interactive learning center, and Medellín's botanical garden, on the *other* side of the column. It's a joyous district, which also recently held the city's massive annual book festival.
@MLClark I would love to see that science museum/interactive learning center. As you know, that was my niche for ten years at KSC.
This might interest you ... It's a free online course in doing interpretive tours. It hit home with me because it's basically storytelling instead of dry stats and trivia.
Interpretative tours began with the National Park Service. We adapted it for space topics.
https://provalenslearning.com/course-catalog/national-park-service/foundations-of-interpretation
The word that comes to mind looking at these photos is 'colour'. So much vibrant colour and art. I loved the video. Thanks for sharing.
SO much colour! Thank you for skipping through my day with me! And voluntarily!
Back in the 80s and 90s, we'd have to kidnap people and hold them hostage in our basements with a slide projector filled with vacation snaps. 🙃 This is much more pleasant for all involved.
Oh, but these aren't vacation snaps, lol! Let's face it: chances are I'll never visit Medellín, and this way, I get to see it through the eyes of someone who knows and loves it. 🧡
Oh, Lise...
The photos didn't come out, but on the other side of that square with the musical performance, there are posters celebrating the everyday workers--real people--of the barrio.
One includes the group I was listening to. Another is a street-coffee vendor. Another shines shoes. Another sells watches. Another, lottery tickets.
That region is *notorious* for sex work, which is sad, because the district has SO much heart on offer, too. Thank you for seeing it through my eyes. :)
@MLClark Aw, it's a shame those didn't come out. Maybe next time you need a long walk to shake things up? 😉 Kudos to the artists who made the posters that reflect the lives of the local people. It made me think of those 'people's museums' they have in the UK. A people's gallery.
In my mind I titled that one Pigeon enjoying Mural ;)
OH GOOD, I'm not the only one. :)
And, of course, I have photos.
Easier just to share the album link - but there's lots of #Graffiti here, as well some nature shots, snaps of the hustle and bustle of life in Centro, cemetery shots and Boteros.
Closer to the north, I stopped taking photos, because that enters far less touristy "barrios populares" & I have a standing rule about not taking photos of people living in poverty, or treating their homes as such.
But feel free to ask if you have any questions!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NxYSbGdR3C95w5ah7