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“You’d never make it across the road in Egypt!”, my friend Hossam laughed as I scurried behind him, wincing, my insides squirming at my negligence of the safe cross code that had been etched in my brain as Gospel. Apparently, if you were to wait for a complete standstill of traffic in Medellín as well as in Cairo, you might resemble a cadaver! Making it to the other side, despite struggling to keep up with Hossam’s fast-paced steps (he was after all a basketball referee, his brisk stride confirming his aptitude for the role) I smiled in relief. We were off for a daytrip to Guatapé, but not before a quick stop off at the Botanical gardens -my favourite ice-cream spot in the city. Air conditioned and cool, I perused my options with care, finally deciding on a scoop of ‘ron y uvas’ (rum and raison) and another (‘moras’ -blackberry) for good measure-it was after all an hour and a half trip and it served me well to have a cool head, and mood sweetened by my favourite indulgence. After two rich and creamy Colombian espressos for the road, we pottered back to the metro station to catch the next train to the main northbound bus station, where we could get our coach onward to the Andean resort town, famed for its houses decorated with colourful bas-reliefs. Scanning our metro cards we weren’t waiting long before the train whizzed to a stop, a busy Saturday mid-morning, we squeezed ourselves in like sardines, reluctant to wait for the next train, eager to be off on our adventure. Despite Colombia being generally regarded as a developing country, the Metroplús public transport system in Medellín is second-to-none, the beneficiary of the 2012 Sustainable Transport Award. Onward bound, we linger outside the doorway of the central station for all northbound journeys. We take a break from the vendors inside all trying to lure us in for custom with their particular coach company. We have settled on one now though, and our tickets are tucked firmly into our pockets; we leave from exit 13, where Hossam is now puffing a cigarette with lazy abandon. I run in to Dunkin’ Donuts to grab us some snacks, the familiarity of its brand strangely alluring and comforting amid the hectic chaos and general bustle. When we arrive in Guatapé it appears we still have a way to go before we reach the central hub where we can climb El Peñol; a rock structure whose 740 steps bring you up 200 meters to give the weary climber an epic 360 degree view of the spectacular 500km hydroelectric shore-perimeter dam. So we begin our meander in its direction, the day hot and sticky in this City of Eternal Spring- being from Ireland I roll my eyes and smile at this –being as hot as any summer’s day we’ve ever experienced. When we arrive we marvel at this great rock- come-national-monument that boldly juts out into the skyline demanding our attention. I can’t help but see its criss-crossed steps oddly resembling a corset, but there has been no eroding away at the waistline of this giant granitic structure, resisting weathering and erosion, and standing tall at 2,135 meters above sea level at its peak. After gasping my way up its many, jagged steps, urging Hossam to ‘please slow down’ I gladly reach the top and bask in the beauty that surrounds us.^ Later, while sipping ice-cold “micheladas” (essentially like a margarita, but made with beer instead of tequila!) we check out the little stands selling souvenirs, keen to “gringo-price” me for all I’m worth! However this small annoyance pales in comparison to the Colombian hospitality that we have received overall during our stay- volunteering for the Ministry of Education in their highschools, who have afforded us a priceless insight into a beautiful country and culture that is only now beginning to come into full bloom. ^Pictures available to enhance & bring to life the visual