La Feria De Las Flores In Medellin

La Feria de las Flores festival in Medellin, Colombia.

Medellin's annual flower festival, or Feria de las Flores, is the city's cultural highlight of the year. Once the festival arrives it is difficult to figure out what of the million possibilities to choose from. Here's a little guide to help you out.

From July 29 until August 9 there are a number of things happening on a daily basis and a number of things that happen on one day specifically.

All days of the festival
Bonsai exposition - San Diego shopping center (all day)

Classic cars exposition - Premium Plaza shopping center (all day)
San Alejo folkloric market - Parque Simon Bolivar (all day)
Display of flowers - Pueblito Paisa (all day)
Flower and butterfly exposition - Plazoleta shopping center (all day)
Decorarte | decorative art exhibition - Museum El Castillo(9AM - 6PM)
Folkloric fair - Unicentro shopping center (all day)
Towns of Antioquia present themselves (the highway below Pueblito Paisa)

Friday July 31

Flower growers explain the silletas or flower arrangements - Los Molinos shopping center (12AM - 6PM)

Official inauguration of the flower festival - governmental district Alpujarra (6PM - 1AM)
Flower festival super concert with Silvestre Dangond, Iván Villazón, Felipe Peláez, Son de Cali, Maelo Ruíz and Grupo Galé - Atanasio football stadium (6PM - late)
Fireworks - governmental district Alpujarra (8PM)


The orchid exhibit takes place at Jardin Botanico.

Saturday August 1

Children's parade of flower arrangements - Carrera 82, La Floresta (10AM)
Zona Que Suena, local bands perform - outside Parque Explora (10AM - 7PM)
Cabalgata (horses to participate are for rent) - Carrefour Las Vegas (1PM)

Marching band festival - Southern Bus terminal (1PM - 9PM)
4th International Women's Soccer Tournament (4PM - 9PM)
Concert Colonbeat - Parque Norte (8PM - late)
Concert Rachael Starr & Nadia Ali - Forum even center (9PM)

Sunday August 2

Flower tour on San Pedro cemetary (8AM - 7PM)
Cross country motor race - Pueblito Paisa ( 9AM - )
Children's Cabalgata - Parque Pies Descalzos (2PM)
Marching band festival - Southern Bus terminal (1PM - 9PM)
Popular Music Festival (Los Visconti de Argentina, Arelys Henao, Los Relicarios, El Duelo Revelación, Otto Bermúdez & Jhon Castillo - Carlos Vieco Theater (2PM - 9PM)
Music festival with Carajo, Cadena Perpetua, Tr3sdecorazón, Don Tetto, Johnie All Stars - Club Palmahia (3PM - 8PM)

Monday August 3

Classical music and dance - Parque de los Pies Descalzos (6PM - 12PM)
Salsa party - Carrera 70a / Calle 43 (7PM)

Tuesday August 4

Jazz performances - Parque de los Pies Descalzos (6PM - 12PM)
Salsa party - Carrera 70a / Calle 43 (7PM)


Take a ride on a chiva bus during the "Feria de las Flores."

Wednesday August 5

Fauna photography competition - Santa Fe zoo (9AM - 5PM)

Folkloric jewelry exhibition - El Tesoro shopping center (11AM - 9:30PM)
Colombian music - Parque de los Pies Descalzos (6PM - 12PM)
Orchid, flower and parrot exhibition - Botanic Garden (7PM - )
Tango performance - Medellin University Theater (8PM)

Thursday August 6

Horse exhibition - Aurelia Mejía Colliseum (10AM - 12PM)
Music festival with Claudia Diez, Tono 40, Luisito Muñoz, Los Corraleros del Majagual - Pueblito Paisa ( 4PM - 12PM)
Fashion show - Junin shopping street 5PM - 6PM)
Salsa concert - Parque Juan Pablo II (8PM)
Tango concert - Hotel Nutibara (9PM)


Desfile de carros classicos y antiguos en la "Feria de las Flores."

Friday August 7

Downhill motor race - Cerro de las Tres Cruces (9AM - )
National car tuning festival - Parque Juan Pablo II (11AM - 11PM)
52nd flower arrangers parade (all day, all over)

Bullshit and lies festival (serious!) - Monterrey shopping center (7PM - )
Vallenato festival with Peter Manjarres, Silvestre Dangond, Pipe Peláez, Jorge Celedón & José Luis Rodríguez - La Macarena (7:30PM)
Bailoteca (cumbia and porro) with Billo´s Caracas Boy & Los Melódicos - Parque Juan Pablo II (8PM)
Viejoteca (cumbia and porro) - Club Palmahia (8PM - late)
Exhibition of winning flower arrangements - Plaza Mayor (6PM - late)

Saturday August 8

Exhibition of winning flower arrangements - Plaza Mayor (all day)
National car tuning festival - Parque Juan Pablo II (11AM - 11PM)
Local bands perform - Carlos Vieco Theater (12AM - 9PM)
Classic cars parade (all day, all over)
Cheerleading competition - National University (all day)

Dance performance - Lido Theater (7PM)
Vallenato party with Silvestre Dangond, Jorge Celedón, Los Gigantes del Vallenato & Pipe Peláez - Parque Juan Pablo II (8PM)
Flower festival party with Silvestre Dangond, Iván Villazón & Felipe Peláez - Pabellón Amarillo exhibition center (8PM)

Sunday August 9

Marching band competition - Parque de la Floresta (9AM - 8PM)
Chivas y flores (decorated traditional buses) - (all day, all over)
National car tuning festival - Parque Juan Pablo II (11AM - 11PM)
Gospel festival - Parque de los Deseos (1PM - 10PM)
Cultural displays of Antioquia culture - Los Molinos shopping center (2PM - )
Orchest festival - border Medellin / Enigado (3PM - 9PM)

Colombia Reports.

COLOMBIANMODA: Live From Medellin

COLOMBIANMODA in Medellin, Colombia.

A taste of Colombiamoda for those of us who are not lucky enough to attend the event in person to witness the true beauty of Colombia.



Colombiamoda celebrates 20 years in Medellin ! !

PEQUEÑAS VOCES, Directed By Jairo Carillo.

PEQUEÑAS VOCES aka "Born Under Fire."

PEQUEÑAS VOCES is a unique and powerful hybrid documentary with computer animation which tells the real life stories and experiences of displaced children in Colombia.

PEQUEÑAS VOCES is an animated documentary based on interviews and drawing workshops with a new generation of children (8 to 13 years old) who have grown up in middle of violence and chaos in Colombia; the interviews show how they perceive their reality. Those stories are illustrated and animated using the original drawings by the children.

Animated Documentary
75 minutes
Computer animation

Director:
Jairo Eduardo Carrillo
Language: Spanish

The film is set for a 2010 release.



En Colombia hay mas de un million de ninos desplazados por la violencia.

Pequenas Voces, Una Historia contada por los ninos que viven la guerra, dibujado por ellos…narrado por ellos…ellos lo tenian todo…y lo perdieron…

Trailer de la película Colombiana PEQUEÑAS VOCES, del director Jairo Carillo.

Safety Belt Law In Medellin: BUCKLE UP!

Medellin, Colombia a New Seat Belt Law Effective August 6th, 2009

Effective Aug. 6th, 2009 all passenger vehicles 2004 and newer will be requiered to wear seat belts when travelling on the road.

All passengers in the vehicle will be required to wear a seat belt. All children 5 years or less require a car seat when travelling in a vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle can be fined $75 dollars per each passenger not wearing a seat belt.

BUCKLE UP, IT SAVES LIVES ! !

COLOMBIAMODA: Fashion Show In Medellin

COLOMBIAMODA 2009 Fashion Week in Medellin, Colombia

Today Medellin is not only one of the safest cities in Colombia but in all of Latin America as the transformation of the city continues, offering investors and the business world from around the globe a viable destination for trade shows and conventions in Colombia.

Medellin is Colombia's most important business sector as its central hub for commerical, industrial, technological development centers, textile industry, which generates over 50% of employement in Antioquia, making Medellin the fashion center of Latin America.


Colombiamoda is one of the most important annual fashion event in South America for trade professionals. Around 450 Colombian and international exhibitors converge on the Centro Internacional de Convenciones Plaza Mayor in Medellín.

Colombiamoda, organised by fashion promoter Inexmoda, has taken place every year since 1990. Products are shown for men, women, teens and children in formal, casual, underwear, sportswear and swimwear, as well as supplies for fashion dealers, machinery and all the other services related to the sector. A host of related events take place alongside the fair, including daily catwalk shows.


EVENT PROFILE
New concepts and ideas from small and medium companies and the tradition of the big brands join in the 20th version of Colombiamoda, the most important fashion trade show in Colombia. Which will gather once again the best of the business world, with the best of fashion, in a scenario that has won the recognition of important buyers, visitors and journalist all over the world.

VISITOR'S PROFILE
Trade Visitors - importers & exporters of Footwear, chain stores, department stores, boutiques and distributors, Handbags, Travel ware & luggage, Leather garments, Fashion Accessories & other related products & General Public are the target visitors.

EXHIBITOR'S PROFILES
Profile for exhibit includes Products Shown: Men, Women, Junior and Kids Clothes: in Formal, Casual, Underwear, Sportswear, Bathing suits, Home textiles, Full Package, Sourcing services, Supplies for the fashion dealers and for the point of purchase and all the other services related to the sector.


COLOMBIAMODA
July 29 - July 30
Plaza Mayor Convention Center
Calle 41 N° 55-80
Tel: +57 (4) 2617200



Colombiamoda 2008 In Medellin, Colombia

The Charlee Boutique Hotel In Medellin

Desires Hotels Adds New Modern Boutique Hotel in Medellin.

The Charlee Is The First Addition To Desires Hotels International.

New York, NY – Miami Based, Desires Hotels announces the latest addition to their modern boutique collection, The Charlee in Medellin, Colombia. The Charlee outshines its Colombian hospitality counterparts by offering services and facilities unrivaled in the country. The 44-room hotel also features the first rooftop pool bar and VIP Ultra Lounge in the country. Guest facilities at The Charlee include a five-star restaurant, a 2,150 square feet state of the art health club, 24-hour room service, and a fully equipped spa. Guest room and suite amenities include iPod docking stations and 42-inch plasma televisions.

Known as the city of “Eternal Spring,” Medellin’s average temperature is a perfect 72 degrees and is a perfect business or leisure destination. Colombia also boasts both Atlantic and Pacific coastline and is experiencing one of the highest tourism growth rates in the world.


The Charlee represents the first Desires Hotels International property, the division of the collection that was launched in June 2009 signifying the company’s expansion into foreign borders. Located in the fashionable Parque Lleras, The Charlee is Colombia’s first boutique hotel property and is scheduled to open its doors in the Summer of 2010.

Coupled with the leading hotel management company of Desires Hotels, The Charlee will be able to showcase its innovative, groundbreaking style in an advantageous manner. “Desires Hotels, while continuing delivering unexpected amenities in stylish settings, looks beyond current limitations to set a precedent of redefining international travel trends,” says Raul Leal President/Partner of Desires Hotels.

Desires Hotels offers complete hotel management solutions and an established infrastructure in order to provide greater exposure in the global marketplace. Named the “Best Hotel Management Company” by Lodging Hospitality Magazine in 2008, the modern boutique hotel collection has created a sustainable business model that not only weathers the current economic climate but will transfer to international destinations.

Through a variety of strategic partnerships, an innovative website, and loyalty program, owners and developers are able to take advantage of the well established benchmarks of other properties within the collection. “Based on the success of the Desires Hotel collection in the US, the interest from international hotel owners has been overwhelming,” says Gary L. Sims Executive VP/Partner of Desires Hotels International, “Our ability to bring the full spectrum of brand and management expertise to virtually any worldwide location has positioned Desires Hotels as a very unique option for these owners.”
Additional projects in the pipeline for Desires Hotels and Desires Hotels International include properties in Portugal, Belize, Dominican Republic, Cape Verde Islands, Montenegro and Argentina.


About Desires Hotels

From the neon lights of Ocean Drive in South Beach to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, from the iconic Delmar Loop in St. Louis to the cobbled adoquine streets of Old San Juan, or right in the heart of Times Square, Desires Hotels is a unique collection of independently created modern boutique hotels. High in style, distinct and creative, each of these lifestyle hotels have one-of-a-kind architecture and interior design, allowing guests to expect just as much from their hotel as they do from their destination. Savvy travelers seeking a lifestyle-oriented experience will appreciate the “Your Desires” program that tailors a unique experience to every guest. Desires Hotels deliver unexpected amenities in stylish settings.

For more information about The Charlee, Desires Hotels, and their locations, call 866-593-4330 or visit www.desireshotels.com

Discover Medellin, Colombia (click here)

Únase A La Causa Para La Familia Rivera

Los cinco angelitos que hechizaron a Alexa y Gustavo

GLORIA HERRERA Y sus cinco hijos Geraldine, Luisa Johanna, Tania Andrea, Alfredo y Carmen Lucía, son desplazados de Urrao y viven en la absoluta pobreza, pero hay una causa social para regalarles una casa.

El día que los violentos expulsaron a Gloria Herrera Flórez de su rancho en Urrao, sin duda la mandaron a luchar la vida, a sufrir, como le pasa a todo desarraigado, pero sin darse cuenta también la enviaron a que se cumpliera un designio del destino: que se cruzara, en algún momento, con Alexandra Hidalgo, una mujer que casualmente había nacido el mismo día que ella, aunque a muchos kilómetros de distancia.

Ocurrió el año pasado, precisamente en el momento cuando ella más sufría y más pasaba penurias: la había abandonado su esposo y padre de sus cinco hijos a los que intentaba criar sola y, sobre todo, defender de tantos peligros de la vida.

Después de rodar por muchas partes, hace dos años Gloria fijó estación en Blanquizal, un barrio popular y habitado por personas de estratos bajos en la zona de Robledo, en donde una señora, conmovida por su lamentable situación, le abrió espacio para que levantara un humilde rancho con palos y costales y como pudiera se lo fuera pagando.

Pero eso no era suficiente y Gloria seguía sufriendo lo indecible con sus pequeñas Geraldine, Luisa, Tania, Alfredo y Carmen, todos entre 10 años y 20 meses, que es la edad de la última bebita.

"No tenía servicios, tuve que sacar a las mayorcitas (Geraldine y Luisa) del colegio porque no tenía cómo darles estudio", relata Gloria.

Y llegó la luz

En ese panorama de luchas y dificultades, el año pasado, por intermedio de los padrinos de su bebita Carmen, Gloria se topó con dos ángeles como enviados por Dios que han ido cambiando el rumbo de sus vidas.

Uno es Gustavo Calle, un joven de algo así como 25 años y quien tiene una de las filosofías de vida más bellas y admirables que he conocido en alguien de su edad: "si uno tuvo un origen humilde y pudo salir adelante, no puede ser egoísta, hay que ayudar a otros que sufren como uno sufrió".

Gustavo, al conocer el drama de los pequeños Rivera-Herrera, decidió meter sus energías para darles ayuda. Y aliado con Alexandra Hidalgo, una joven diseñadora gráfica de un inmenso corazón, adoptaron a esta familia como si fuera propia.

"Cuando los conocí, por todas las dificultades que pasaban, me dije que había que hacer algo por ellos. Y empezamos a ayudarles, primero traje a Gustavo a que los conociera y luego fui regando la historia con todos mis amigos y eso creció como una bola de nieve", narra Alexandra.

El resultado de tantos buenos corazones juntos fue que la vida les cambió a Gloria y sus pequeños. Sólo van diez meses desde ese encuentro y ya los niños han gozado cosas que en su vida nunca habían tenido y ni habían imaginado que existieran: han ido a cine, visitado parques, paseado en fincas, gozado una Navidad, tener regalos, comer a veces bien, vestirse a la moda y hasta posar para revistas.

Al tiempo, Geraldine y sus hermanitos se han dejado ayudar. Sus buenos modales saltan a la vista ante los desconocidos. Lo primero que ofrecen es una sonrisa, luego un saludo afectuoso y después una amistad desprevenida y sin prejuicios. ¡Ah!, y el hechizo de sus miradas.

Alexandra y Gustavo, aprovechando algunos contactos en agencias de publicidad, han logrado que los tengan en cuenta en campañas para marcas de ropa y con eso la familia se ha ayudado un poco. También les han donado mercados y les han dotado un poco el rancho, pero tienen una meta más grande: darles una casa.

El viernes, en la discoteca Circus, varios artistas ofrecieron un espectáculo para obtener fondos y apoyar la causa. Toda la boletería se vendió. Ni el dueño de Circus ni los artistas cobraron los servicios y todo lo recaudado conformará el primer paquete de dinero para donarles la casa.

"Hay que sacarlos de este barrio, donde están expuestos a muchos peligros. Ya han intentado llevárselos, aprovechando que son muy lindos, y uno no sabe para qué", explica Alexandra.

A ella, los niños ya la llaman Paloma, según Tania, "porque es muy tierna y nos quiere mucho". Geraldine dice sonriente que "ella es nuestra segunda mamá".

Una dulzura que nació el 13 de junio de 1982 en un hospital de Medellín, a 162 kilómetros de Urrao, el mismo día y horas en las que nacía Gloria, la que trajo al mundo a los cinco angelitos de ojos verdes de los que ella se enamoró hace diez meses, cuando la vida se los puso en el camino.

Únase a la causa: casa para los Rivera

A pesar del apoyo recibido, Gloria sigue habitando un rancho de palos y costales a tres metros de una quebrada en Blanquizal. Allí intenta sacar a sus hijos adelante, pero con mucho sacrificio. Los domingos estudia todo el día para terminar el bachillerato. Aún carecen de casi todo, intentan ver televisión en un viejo aparato de perillas y duermen en camarotes metálicos de colchones acabados y muy duros.

En suma, aún lo necesitan todo. Por eso, Gustavo y Alexandra quieren que más personas se unan a esta causa.

Teléfono 301 457 2331 se pueden hacer los contactos.