Local market Plaza Minorista, Parque Arvi, the Metrocable – What to do in Medellin #1 (Colombia)

Today we go (by metro + bus) to the local market Plaza Minorista. It is a huge market, where you can find everything. But we go there especially for its fruits and vegetables section

Part 1: Travel Diary Part
2: Practical Tips

Part 1: Travel Diary

Local market Plaza Minorista

How to get there: We recommend that you take the metro to Hospital (line A) and then take bus 1 to the foot of the market at Minorista station (so pay twice as much because the connections aren’t included in the ticket). Google Maps will recommend walking 10 minutes from the metro – but we don’t recommend it because the neighborhood you have to walk through is a bit crappy. As soon as you see people sitting on the sidewalk with a trash bag next to them, change sidewalks.

As soon as we enter the restaurant, we are struck by the multitude of colors, ultra-fresh fruits and vegetables. It doesn’t smell curiously, but when we pass spice vendors… we feel like we are in India.

The vendors next to the entrance have higher prices, don’t hesitate to get lost in the small alleys of this labyrinth, you will get better prices in the hidden corners. Here you can find huge avocados, almost as big as my head. They sell by weight and cost between 4000COP and 5000COP each.

Philippe (JB’s dad) buys 3 huge lawyers. Unfortunately, one of the lawyers exploded in the suitcase and repainted his clothes when he returned to France. So if you plan to bring some back to France, protect them well in a plastic bag, just in case …

Apart from the aesthetic visual aspect, there is also a lot of fruit that isn’t sold at all in our shop. Plantain bananas are sold everywhere, they are huge, it’s hard to find classic bananas.

Onions are sold already peeled. I have the impression that sellers with different products, sell to individuals.

While those who sell only one product (only corn, potatoes or onions…) are a little more isolated. They sell to professionals and deliver very large orders.

We walk to the building opposite and discover a chaotic universe. It seems that this building is dedicated to recycling and the sale of spare parts. We can find there everything: a bicycle tire, microwave parts, a specific remote control or engine, torn TV sets… Between two stores, there are hostess bars. The contrast is quite improbable.

On the sidewalk adjacent to this building are many restaurants / canteens. We opt for a menu del dia at 10,000COP/person, consisting of a huge fish soup, fried fish, rice, salad and fried banana and a drink (lime lemonade, inside yellow, super good). We are very hungry but the portion is so consistent that we have a lot of trouble finishing it.

It made us very sad to see the small vendors offering sweets, garbage bags, socks… Even if they sell all their stock, they will pocket 3€ max (the Colombian minimum wage is 8-9€/day) but they are very hard-working, dignified and want to earn their living honestly. A man goes from one restaurant to another, a lawyer in his hand. For 1000COP (0,25€), he serves us a slice of avocado (huge) directly to improve our plate. In 1 hour, he managed to sell 1.5 avocados, or 6000COP. The lawyer costs him 4000COP (if he pays the “normal” price) => profit 2000COP (0,5€) for 1 hour of work. A new illustration of the immense luck we have

Market => Metro

We walk to the nearest subway, which is a 10 minute walk in the stress. Besides the chaotic side of the neighborhood (traffic, welding on the sidewalk), this little walk seems a bit dangerous at times, with beggars, probably coming from Venezuela. Poor people completely drugged, prostitutes, … We walk fast, change sidewalk when it seems necessary to us and are relieved to finally arrive at the subway.

Metrocable to Parque Arvi

We follow the route recommended by Google Maps and arrive at the Acevedo station (line A), where there is a connection with the Metrocable K.

The Metrocable is a network of cable cars to reach the heights of Medellín. It is a public transport like any other, reserved mainly for locals. Accessible areas mean less poverty.

The Metrocable is a gondola lift system installed by the Colombian Urban Community of Medellín, in addition to the Medellín metro, tramway, and dedicated buses, to provide access to the less developed areas of the municipality. All these means, as well as the classic SITVA buses are integrated (single transportation card and billing). Medellín is a city in the Aburra Valley, surrounded by heights. In these heights there are poor neighborhoods – barrios, even invaded -: the steepness of the slopes, the narrowness and sinuosity of the streets make it difficult to provide land-based public transport, even though busetas (minibuses) are also important.
Source: Wikipedia

In Medellín, which lies at the bottom of an enormous valley, the poorest people live on the higher ground, while the richest live in the lower areas, which are better served by transport.

There are several stops along the way, but you have to stay until the terminus: Santo Domingo.

Colombians are very impressed by the metro and subway system in Medellín. A farmer met in the countryside (Salento) considers that Medellín is 50 years ahead of other cities in Colombia. It was as if, in Paris, people were moving around in autonomous flying cars?

Then we pay another ticket (6000COP) to go to Parque Arvi. This cable car with a special rate is mainly used by tourists because we go into the “forest” /park for 20 minutes, and there are no houses around here.

There isn’thing exceptional about the park(even dangerous if you visit without a guide). The interest of this route is the breathtaking view of Medellín from the cabin. Stop at the handicraft market in front of the station and then turn around.

After a hot chocolate in the park, we take the opposite way and we stop at the Santo Domingo station.

Santo Domingo

The neighborhood (belonging to the 1st district, Comuna 1) is a favela like so many others on the hills in Medellín. The inhabitants don’t even have enough money to have a decent roof (it’s in jail with a few bricks on it so that it doesn’t fly away, the walls aren’t even plastered, hence the beautiful red color of the neighborhood seen from afar).

We first have a limonada at the Cebi y chelas café, with a beautiful view (4000COP, the best in Medellín), before walking down to the Mirador (look for Parquesito de Santo Domingo Savio on maps.me).

From there, we walk down to the Popular station. We do not feel 100% reassured, but the inhabitants, surprised to see us there, were very nice and showed us the way (not always well indicated on Google Maps).

Visit of the favelas

Next to Comuna 1 is Comuna 3. Philippe went there with a French-speaking guide and encourages everyone to go there too. To protect Comuna 3 from being destroyed by the government (because it is too poor and untidy), there are leaders responsible for maintaining the good atmosphere in the area and making the place more pleasant. They rely on the plants and flowers that they regularly plant to protect the area. Philippe was also able to plant a tree there

If you would like to visit Comuna 3 and other places off the beaten track in Medellín with a French-Colombian guide (Sara), contact the agency Tika Travel (200 000COP for a private day tour). WhatsApp +57 301 648 8781.

Vlog

Here is the vlog corresponding to these visits

Part 2: Practical Tips

How to get there?

• Local market Plaza Minorista: Hospital metro station (line A) then a special bus (which looks like a streetcar) to Minorista. Fares: 2 subway tickets or 5100COP
• Parque Arvi: Acevedo metro station (line A) then metro K to Santo Domingo. Fare: 2550COP. Then metro line L to Parque Arvi, special fare: 6000COP.
• Mirador near Santo Domingo: from the Santo Domingo station, walk down, look for Parquesito de Santo Domingo Savio on maps.me

Budget

• 6 subway tickets: 15,300COP
• Ticket for the metro up to Parque Arvi: 6000COP
• Lunch at the market: 10,000COP + 1000COP avocado supplement
• Purchase of fruits :
  • 4000COP for a huge lawyer
  • carambolas : 1500COP the tray
  • guavas: 2000COP for 1.5kg
• Limonada: 4000COP
• Hot chocolate at the park: 4500COP

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