Since we arrived in Colombia, at times it has felt like we've been sprinting from one thing to the next, checking things off a list to prove that we're really here, that were really experiencing Medellin. It's a futile endeavor, as we're both congnizant that a place doesn't get understood by seeing as many things as possible (especially when the things we know about come to us curtesy of Lonely Planet or some other tourist-geared travel guide). But, since we were in a hostel, and had little space of our own anyway, being out was also a better alternative to staying in.
This weekend, our pace has slowed considerably. While we're still very excited to continue exploring the city, we were also quite content to revert to our homebody selves and stay in a lot more too. Our one major outing took us to the Botanical Gardens. We have been wanting to go here since we arrived but hadn't gotten around to it, but after we were told there was also a book fair happening this weekend, we couldn't put it off any longer, which, it turns out, was kind of a mistake. (Note, if you will the absence of plants).
The pictures don't really show it, but we went towards the end of the day on Friday and the place was overrun with children. And while many, like the ones pictured below, were adorable, there were also some larger ones that were less cute and therefore just in the way.
Despite the crowds, both the book fair and the gardens were fun to walk through. The fair itself was huge, incredibly well organized, and had everything from picture books to university publications. Our favorite was a whole section of used books. It was great to see how well attended the fair was (though if the school uniforms were any indication, quite a bit of that attendance might have been mandatory).
After the immensity of the fair, the gardens seemed small in comparison and we strolled through quickly, snapping a few pictures before calling it a day.
On our way home, we finally had our camera with us to take pictures of our neighborhood birds. Our camera has no zoom and they are tiny little things, but the color (for us at least) is the best part.
This weekend, our pace has slowed considerably. While we're still very excited to continue exploring the city, we were also quite content to revert to our homebody selves and stay in a lot more too. Our one major outing took us to the Botanical Gardens. We have been wanting to go here since we arrived but hadn't gotten around to it, but after we were told there was also a book fair happening this weekend, we couldn't put it off any longer, which, it turns out, was kind of a mistake. (Note, if you will the absence of plants).
The pictures don't really show it, but we went towards the end of the day on Friday and the place was overrun with children. And while many, like the ones pictured below, were adorable, there were also some larger ones that were less cute and therefore just in the way.
Despite the crowds, both the book fair and the gardens were fun to walk through. The fair itself was huge, incredibly well organized, and had everything from picture books to university publications. Our favorite was a whole section of used books. It was great to see how well attended the fair was (though if the school uniforms were any indication, quite a bit of that attendance might have been mandatory).
After the immensity of the fair, the gardens seemed small in comparison and we strolled through quickly, snapping a few pictures before calling it a day.
On our way home, we finally had our camera with us to take pictures of our neighborhood birds. Our camera has no zoom and they are tiny little things, but the color (for us at least) is the best part.
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| Saffron Finch |
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| Mystery red bird friend |
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