Medellin, Colombia

Martin McDonald

English 101

Amy Riddle

April 27, 2005

Medellin was founded in 1616 in the scenic AburrÐ"ÐŽ valley, but remained small until the coffee boom. Medellin now has a population of almost 3 million people, with an area of 362 kilometers squared, and an average temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Medellin is widely regarded in Colombia as a clean, well-organized and economically vibrant community. Its people are hard-working and industrious. Major industries include coffee and flower export, information technology and hotel services. It is also the fashion capital of Colombia. Each year the "Feria de Las Flores" (Flower Festival) attracts visitors from all over South America for parades and conventions. The city's fast and efficient metro is the only public transit subway system in Colombia. In culinary delights, Medellin is said to have created Colombia's unique "arepa" - a bread and corn patty stuffed with cheese which I enjoy very much, but both of my parents hate.

The Medellin Lady, affectionately called Paisa, is seen by many as the most beautiful of the Colombian Latinas. A famous Colombian saying goes: "If you want a pretty mistress, go to Cali, but if you want a beautiful wife, go to Medellin."

Medellin is considered by many outside of South America to be the most dangerous city in the world, Medellin, Colombia is internationally renowned as the home of Colombian icon Pablo Escobar, a drug lord. During the Pablo Escobar time, people were scared to roam the streets in fear for their lives. It was said that Pablo Escobar owned a lot of the government and that because of him the police department was a corrupted one.

After Pablo Escobar's capture in 1982, a prison was built specifically for him the man who was known as "the billionaire godfather of international cocaine trafficking." This prison, however, actually looked more like a three- or four-star hotel. In July 1992, Escobar escaped, and was killed in a dramatic rooftop shooting. However, some believe he is still alive. With the death of Pablo Escobar, MedellÐ"­n is slowly recovering, but is not yet a full-fledged tourist destination. However, there is plenty to do and see in the city itself and the scenic surroundings.

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