TRAVEL: Medellín, Colombia
In what was formerly known as the most dangerous city in the world, I encountered not drugs and violence, but zen followers, reinvented slums and party-hard Paisas.
Nearly two decades since Colombia’s drug nightmare reached its climax, Medellín is still struggling to shake off its dark reputation. The twist is that the city – Colombia’s second-most populated after capital Bogotá – could have been a travel agent’s dream. Its oft-forgotten merits include year-round spring weather and remarkable botany; wondrous colonial architecture; a thriving fashion trade and the unmistakeable warmth of its people.
Charmaine is an editor, food writer, and full-time eater. She also likes to take on the role of the flâneur when the mood strikes. Coffee drinker when out, but a tea sipper in the home. Currently based in Hong Kong but a Londoner at heart.
