The new replacement vehicle for the "cocheros" in Medellin.
The “cocheros" continue to contest the new law which will prohibit animals from being used for transportation of goods on the streets in Medellin.
Today, the Secretary of Transportation presented the new vehicle which is being made available to “chocheros” as a replacement for horse drawn carts.
Mayor of Medellin, Alfonso Salazaar, has been working with about 228 “cocheros” for about a year to help make the transition as smooth as possible. The mayor’s focus has been to try to make the new vehicles available at discounted prices as well as securing financing for those who want to continue in the transportation business in Medellin.
The new law goes into affect on July 15 prohibiting all “ccoheros” from delivering goods throughout the city, but a request for an extension has been submitted to push back the date in order to allow everyone ample time to make the transition.
I will surely miss seeing the horse drawn carts on the streets once they are gone for good.
Discover The Transformation of Medellin, Colombia (click here)
The godfather of house music, live in Medellin, Colombia!
Derrick May, also known as Mayday and Rhythim is Rhythim, is an electronic musician from Belleville, Michigan U.S.A. He was born an only child in Detroit in 1963 and began to explore electronic music early in his life. Along with his Belleville, Michigan high school friends Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, commonly known as the Belleville Three, May is credited with developing the futuristic variation on house music that would be dubbed "techno" by Atkins.
May's career started in 1987 with the release of a record called "Nude Photo" (co-written by Thomas Barnett), which helped kickstart the Detroit techno music scene. A year later he was following it with what was to become one of techno's classic anthems, the seminal track "Strings of Life," which was named by Frankie Knuckles.
May has not released any original solo recordings since 1993, but has also produced numerous remixes and has re-worked his older material for video game and movie soundtracks, including, most recently, music for the new film of the popular combat video game Tekken.
For one year, in 2003, he was given control of Detroit's popular annual electronic music festival, originally conceived by Carl Craig, now operated by Paxahau. He named his event Movement, replacing the Detroit Electronic Music Festival along the city's riverfront.
Derrick May continues to maintain a steady performance schedule, performing again in Medellin, Colombia Saturday May, 30th.
Discover The Transformation of Medellin, Colombia (click here.)
Big Five Tours & Expeditions is pleased to announce the launch of its new collection of luxury tours to Colombia, one of South America’s most rapidly emerging destinations.
“Colombia is undergoing a renaissance, and now offers a wealth of cultural and historic attractions,” states Ashish Sanghrajka, president of Big Five. “And, some superb boutique hotels and historic homes have opened their doors. We are delighted to be able to include Colombia tours in our portfolio of destinations.”
Big Five has developed three programs, ranging from eight to 13 days that delve into the country’s rich culture and the traditions around Colombia’s renowned coffee. Colombia was originally inhabited by indigenous people, hunters or nomadic farmers, long before the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. The country’s Spanish colonial legacy is found in the art and architecture of its principal cities such as Bogota, Cartagena, and Medellin. Bogotá has lovely parks and more than 40 museums as well as shopping malls, restaurants and the old historic center of the city, La Canberra. Medellin, founded in 1616, is now a dynamic and growing city known for arts, literature and education, while Cartagena’s historic area of the old Walled City have been declared both Mankind’s Heritage and Colombian National Heritage by UNESCO.
Colombia also has wonderful natural landscapes such as in the area of Pereira, where travelers visit a plantation to learn about the entire process from the seed to the end product – a steaming cup of the finest Colombian coffee. The peaceful Tyrona National Park on the Atlantic Coast offers an ideal escape to quiet beaches and secluded bays, where guests enjoy water sports, nature treks, or simply relaxing. Big Five’s eight-day “Colombia’s Coffee and Culture” starts at $2450 per person, land only, double occupancy, and includes accommodations, most meals, touring and entry fees as per itinerary, and much more.
Discover Colombia
With more than 35 years experience, Big Five Tours & Expeditions is a premier luxury travel and tour company specializing in individualized vacations worldwide; from custom-designed, private vacations to fully-escorted, special-interest groups to destinations that span Africa, South and Central America (including the Galapagos Islands), Asia and The Orient, South Pacific, Antarctica and The Arctic.
“Expedition Condor” Tours in Medellin, Antioquia - Colombia
A great video from previous tours throughout Colombia
“The Expedition Condor” tours in Colombia is designed to give participants a wide variety of adventurous activities along with a special attention to cultural integration for travelers to learn about the towns they visit along the tour routes.
NEXT EVENT: “Vive tu propia Expedición, Toda una Aventura.....!!" What: The Expedition Condor Tour Group. Host: Expedicion Condor de los Andes Start Time: Saturday, June 20 at 7:30am End Time: Monday, June 22 at 5:30pm Location: Medellin, Antioquia.- Colombia Tour Fee: $360.000. Colombian Pesos Contact: Juan Felipe Meneses Email: hastaelimite @ hotmail com
Tour Fee includes: transportation, meals, accommodations, equipment, professional and knowledgeable tour guides.
The tour is limited to the first 20 people who sign up.
La Expedición Cóndor de los Andes, como preámbulo a lo que será su travesía por 17 departamentos de nuestro país y respondiendo a los múltiples mensajes de las personas que integran nuestro grupo en facebook, a decidido programar esta aventura llena de adrenalina, en la cual podrás vivir al mejor estilo de la expedición, el vértigo y emoción que produce la practica de los deportes extremos.
Tu aventura incluye la práctica de deportes de aventura:
• Almuerzo y refrigerio y comida del primer día • Desayuno, almuerzo y refrigerio y comida del segundo día • Desayuno, almuerzo y refrigerio del tercer día
- Incluye Además:
• Alojamiento del primer y segundo día. • El transporte a cada uno de los destinos en los cuales se realizaran las actividades. • Instrucción y préstamo de equipo para el desarrollo de cada actividad. • Seguro de accidentes. • Acompañamiento y asistencia en primeros auxilios. • Guía acompañante • CD con fotografías exclusivas de la Aventura
El valor de la inversión para un fin de semana inolvidable, lleno de aventura y adrenalina al mejor estilo de la Expedición Cóndor de los Andes, es de $360.000.
Los interesados deberán hacer consignación en la cuenta ahorros de Bancolombia No. 292 282 673 07 a nombre de Juan Felipe Meneses y hacer confirmación con sus datos personales al correo electrónico, hastaelimite@hotmail.com
Las primeras 20 personas en confirmar su asistencia y realizar la respectiva consignación, recibirán como regalo la camiseta oficial de la Expedición Cóndor de los Andes.
Recuerda que es Cupo Limitado......Te Esperamos....!!!
Podcast During his tenure as mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, Enrique Peñalosa was both revered and scorned for his urban planning and transportation policies. His public works projects, which largely favored the pedestrian experience, were unlike anything previously built in Bogotá. Peñalosa describes the environmental and social importance of minimizing automobile culture.
As few as 10 years ago Bogotá, Colombia, was characterized by narco groups, senseless violence and a 30-year civil war. Every three hours someone was kidnapped. Every 15 minutes someone was killed. At one point there was not an upper- or middle-class Colombian family that did not know somebody who had been abducted. As you move around the city today, you will see mega-libraries, greenways, 1,000 parks, over 70,000 trees and a state-of-the art transportation system called the transMilenio, which translates "transcending the millennium."
The TransMilenio is an alternative to the chaotic, independently operated bus service that dominated the city in the past. Along with this infrastructure, you'll see people from all walks of life who are out of their cars and enjoying the city: parents strolling with kids, co-workers eating lunch outside, neighbors meeting and talking with one another.
Cyclovia en Bogota, Colombia
How did this remarkable transition happen to Bogotá? It came out of the vision that Enrique Peñalosa, Bogotá's mayor from 1997 through 2000, had for his city. He wanted to reverse the decades-long norm of poverty, drug cartels and violence, and make citizens proud of the metropolis in which they lived. Peñalosa believed that cities should encourage walking and biking, which would in turn promote community and make the streets safer for children. With these ideas in mind he reformed public transportation, added greenways, built mega-libraries and created the longest stretch of bike-only lanes in the world. Peñalosa's commitment to reducing automobile usage even led to a program called the "pico y placa" ("peak times and license plates"), which greatly restricts the use of private automobiles at peak times.
The documentary highlights the story of how one man's vision transformed one of the most chaotic cities in the world into a shining model of urban planning, community development and public transportation. Although by Peñalosa's own admission there is more work to be done, the transformation thus far is remarkable and has been lauded as an example for the world to follow.
A great documentary on the transformation of the capital of Colombia, Bogotá
This 1930’s Gothic-inspired Castle whose beautiful French style gardens consists of sweeping lawns and magnificent flower beds, was once home to a powerful Medellin family. The patriarch, Diego R. Echavarria, travelled the world amassing a great collection of art, along with an interesting array of home furnishing to decorate the home, all which are now on display at Castillo Museo to all visitors alike. The home was donated to the state of Antioquia by the Echavarria family after Diego's death, who wanted not just to preserve the home, but offer the public an opportunity to view his vast collection of art and antiques.
I would love to tell you the whole story behind the family’s tragic end, but feel it’s better for visitors to learn about the history during a visit to Castillo Museo.
TIP: An English tour guide is highly recommended, since the Castillo Tour Guides do not speak English. It’s definitely worth a visit.
Museo de Antioquia in Plaza Botero.
The wonderful city of Medellin is celebrating "International Day of Museums" where addmssion will be free at 21 museums throughout the city on Saturday, 16 of May.
The following list of museums are those participating in free addmision this Saturday in Medellin.
• Museo de Antioquia. • Fundación Casa Museo Maestro Pedro Nel Gómez. • Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín MAMM. • Museo Universitario Universidad de Antioquia MUUA. • Museo Interactivo EPM. • Museo Temático del Planetario. • Colección Filatélica Banco de la República. • Museo El Castillo. • Museo Cementerio de San Pedro. • Museo Etnográfico Miguel Ángel Builes. • Casa Museo y Zoológico Santa Fe. • Museo Etnográfico Madre Laura. • Museo Entomológico y Mariposario Piedras Blancas. • Casa Museo Gardeliana. • Sala Museo Rafael Uribe Uribe. • Parque Explora. • Museo Herbario Gabriel Gutiérrez V. • Museo de Entomología Francisco Luís Gallego. U. N. • Casa Museo Otraparte. • Museo Arqueológico del Municipio de Envigado. • Casa Natal de Marco Fidel Suárez. Bello.
Discover The Transformation of Medellin, Colombia (click here)
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"The Teddy Bears are purchased in the U.S. and are then distributed to the children in Medellin, Colombia.
Send a small gift to a child in South America, spread the joy."
