Page 71 - April 2017 Life In Naplles Magazine

Medellin with the help of the Ronald
Reagan administration performed a
dreamlike job of ridding itself of Pablo
Escobar and his murderous cartel. The
next successful chapter of events was to
bring home almost all of the young cartel
gorillas from the mountains. Finally in
2016, the Colombian government and
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC guerrillas) have declared the final
day of one of the world’s oldest wars with
the signing of a ceasefire agreement to end
more than 50 years of bloodshed.
Two events lured me to Medellin.
In August, La Feria de Los Flores (The
Flower Festival) takes place. Secondly,
December marks the beginning of
the annual Medellin Christmas lights
display that is known as El Alumbrado.
Unfortunately, the tragic plane crash on
November 29th of the Brazilian soccer
team postponed the lighting of the city
until after I left. Both of these events
attracts visitors from all over the world.
The La Feria de Los Flores weekend
involves two parades. Saturday is an old
car parade, and Sunday is the main event
with five hundred people carrying flower
arrangements (called silleteros) on their
backs for about two miles. Everyone from
little kids to women and men in their 60s
and even older can be seen carrying the
flowers. The weight some silleteros carry
is approaching two hundred pounds. The
crowds were so immense I had to buy
a ticket from a scalper to get into the
bleachers to view the parade.
In closing, I would
recommend visiting
Medellin to experience
all it has to offer. The
sidewalk cafes, the
nightlife, the metro
cable car and so much
more awaits you. Also,
the people are some of
the kindest you will find
anywhere.

Life in Naples | April 2017 71