Arrival

After an uneventful but very long, 18hr trip, I arrived in Medellín this afternoon. After being ushered through customs I was greeted at the airport by a lovely friend-of-a-friend who has very generously taken me under her wing and determined to make my introduction to Colombia as wonderful as possible. Apparently the Colombian's reputation for generosity and hospitality are not unfounded, as even our taxi driver wished to make my trip as pleasant as possible, to the point of purchasing a large crispy cookie-like crepe for me from a roadside-seller and insisting that I consume all of it while he pointed out the sites on our way into the city.

Getting dropped off in a neighborhood of lush gardens and well kept brick apartments of 4-6 stories, my host took me to her home and made sure I was comfortable while she called around to make arrangements for a late lunch. Shortly thereafter I was hustled out the door and across the shaded pedestrian walkways that crisscross the neighborhood. We arrived a friend's house who immediately placed piles of food on the table and kept up a constant stream of chatter as we consumed a delicious meal of cous cous chicken stew (or something like that).

As I glanced across the apartment, I was stunned by the panoramic view of the mountains that opened up from her balcony. Below was an open courtyard with apartments on all 4 sides, but none taller than those we were in, which faced the best views up the surrounding mountains. In case you can't tell by the description, I was impressed!

A much-needed cup of coffee later, my new friend took me back across the a few short blocks to collect my luggage before chaperoning me to a different friend's house where I will be staying for at least the near future (possibly longer depending on the commute). Here, I met a lovely young lady who is studying anthropology and whose current work coinsides quite beautifully with some of the the work i believe I'll be doing during my stay here. I will elaborate on all of that later, but for now, my new bed is looking far too inviting. Incredibly exhausted but happy and excited, I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring!