Enjoying Parque Botero in downtown Medellín with the woman who has inspired my ambassadorial drive since day one.
Like many visitors to Medellín, my mom found herself a nice girlfriend in one of Botero's smoother works of art
Three months into the grant period, what could a Fulbrighter possibly appreciate more than a meal homecooked by his three mothers? 
Trendy tourists from Brazil and the USA trying to fit in with the locals, riding a buseta, or mini bus, to the Metro...
All visitors to Medellín must visit Papayera in El Centro for Tuesday night salsa. And my fam and I are no different! 
Of course, even roommate, Sean Abu Wilson, Claremont McKenna College class of '07, had to get in on the salsa action!
Showing my family around my office at the University... PAUSE! What's that African American US President doing hiding back there!?
Family meeting some local friends, Carolina Ramirez and Natalia Roldan, and getting lost in the maze of the illuminated bamboo garden at Parque de Pies Descalzos (Park of Uncovered Feet)
Capturing this shot in the fog at Pueblito Paisa of the adjacent Colombian and Antioquian flags was more difficult than I at first believed. One remarkable testament to the extreme regionalism of this country is that if one stands at the precise confronting angle, it is easy to discover that the antioqueño flag (green and white) has been positioned just so that it appears larger than the national one... 
One of my favorite culinary artifacts of Antioquia is its barbecued corn. And my mothers had no problem fitting in. Around here, we don't play when it comes to maíz asado!
Traditional sweets galore at Pueblito Paisa: somebody call the dentist! 
The miniature imitation antioqueño village of Pueblito Paisa... The views of Medallo could have been better on a clear day, but this sufficed just fine!
Even in the city of Eternal Drizzle, there's nothing like strengthening the tripod of development between Colombia, Brazil, and the United States, one vista point at a time! 
And nothing like the best godparents I could have asked for in the universe
Some of the Jardín Botánico's finer tropical vegetation, this time inside the protected butterfly garden. Not bad! 
Observing a wide array of butterfly species in the second most biodiverse country in the world. It's enough to turn someone who doesn't even like the critters into a zoologist!
Plenty of stripes... Now where are the stars? 
Somebody please clarify: is this butterfly sex? 
Styles so various, Colombia's flora knows no barriers
United at Medellín's Jardín Botánico, and not minding the shade...
Wish I was there with you guys! Glad you had a chance to enjoy the family vibe before the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, love the posts and the pictures!