Parque Arvi

This past Sunday, Lance and I made our second visit to Parque Arvi.  This time, we went with the intention of taking a guided hike on one of the many trails offered at this beautiful park. 

Parque Arvi is unique because it is located at the top of a mountain within the city of Medellin.  To reach the park you need to take two cable cars up the mountain.

Riding to the top, you will see some of the poorest neighborhoods in the city.  Despite that, the neighborhoods seemed just as vibrate as many of the other neighborhoods we have seen around here.  As we rode past we witnessed children happily playing on swing sets or riding bikes; women hanging their wash; men working in their gardens; lively music playing loudly from their homes; and neighbors visiting with each other on the streets below us. 

When we arrived at the top there was a booth for tourists with English speaking workers who offered information about the park and provided us with a map of the area.  There was also a variety of markets that offered food and hand made crafts including jewelry and decorative wood carvings.  At 10:00 we joined our group and began our hike. 

Above is a picture of our park guide.  Below is  a photo of a young lady from another
city in Colombia who befriended us and acted as an interpreter during our hike.  

As we hiked along, a light rain began to fall, but luckily we had packed our rain coats.  It was an enjoyable day despite the rainy weather.  

One amazing thing about Medellin..

is how they use any available space to their advantage. Whenever we walk to the mall, we take a route that goes under the highway where there are a variety of restaurants and small businesses.  

One Sunday, we even saw a church service take place below the highway.  The priest was preparing Communion as we passed by.

The photo below is a bar located there that has always intrigued us.  Today, after a visit to the dentist, and a long and hot walk home, we decided to stop and see if they might serve a popular non-alcoholic drink called Limonada de Coco.  

In Lance's best Spanish...(which means no Spanish at all) he asked the bartender if they had this particular drink.  Much to our surprise, this is what we ended up with...

Neither of us are beer drinkers...but we tried to make the best of it.  Such is the life of a traveler in a foreign country.  

I often think to myself that we are the least likely people to be traveling the world.  We don't communicate very well with the locals, and aren't particularly brave...but yet we seem to somehow get by...mostly through the kindness of strangers.  Everyday we venture out and stubble through our day trying our best to figure things out.  Surprisingly, we do a pretty good job...all things considered.  

Our time in Medellin is almost coming to an end.  Soon we will be moving on for a few days in Bogota, then, back to Quito, Ecuador for a little more than a month.  We have truly enjoyed our time here, and would encourage any of you who enjoy life in a big, modern city to come here for a visit.  I don't think you would be disappointed.      

Colorful Jardin and Beautiful Hotel Finca Las Arrayanes

Jardin is a charming pubelo located about three and a half hours south of Medellin.  This past week, Lance and I hopped a bus and went there for a mini vacation.  It is a lovely little town painted in bright, cheerful colors and lovingly cared for by it's residents.     

Lance and I had read about a brand new hotel that had recently opened up in Jardin.  We were lucky enough to spend a night there before departing for our next destination.  If you want to splurge on yourself, consider booking a room at Casa Passiflora Hotel Boutique.  According to the English speaking manager, it is the first of its kind in Jardin.  It is a delightful place, with an attentive staff and a wonderful restaurant that offers delicious food.  In fact, a full breakfast is included in the price of your room.   

This is a view of Casa Passiflora Hotel from the outside.

A hot tub is located at the back of the building.

All this breakfast food was laid out for just the two of us.
We were also offered several hot items that the chef cooked for us.

The next day we took a van and taxi to Hotel Finca Las Arrayanes.  One year ago, Lance had read an article in The New York Times about this place.  It is a combination Coffee Farm and Hotel/Resort.  Since arriving in South America, Lance has always wanted to tour a Coffee Farm and this was his chance to see one.  

The trip to the coffee farm only took us about 30 minutes from Jardin.  We arrived at noon and were greeted warmly by the owner of the property.  Although she and her husband only speak Spanish...we were able to communicate well enough to get by.  The price of our room  included lunch, supper, and breakfast the following day.  The rooms are simple and clean, and the grounds are filled with flowers and well cared for by a staff of gardeners.  Our entire overnight stay with meals and coffee tour came to less than $100.00.  Check out the photos below to see for yourself the beautiful setting for this family owned operation.

Above is an overview of the property from the top of a nearby hill.

This large porch is attached to the front of their home.
You can sit here to relax and view the spectacular scenery that surrounds their home.

A small river runs through their property.
The water is used to irrigate their plants and to help produce their coffee crops.    

If you enjoy watching birds...this is the place for you.
You can sit on the front porch and watch a variety of wild birds put on a show for you all day long.

Here is a picture of Lance demonstrating one of the many jobs that need to
be done when you are producing coffee.  The man beside him is the owner of the farm.

We had a great time, and would encourage anyone who wants to learn more about coffee...or simply want to relax in a gorgeous setting to come and visit Hotel Finca Las Arrayanes.  I promise you will not be disappointed.

Below is the link to The New York Times article if you want to learn more about this lovely place.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/travel/colombia-coffee-country-andes-mountains.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share