Who'll Stop the Rain

Two days of rain have put a halt to paragliding bliss in Medellin, and I have been forced to find more history, culture, and amusement in the City while I wait for a change in the weather.  I have arranged to join a paragliding group of four Americans guided by Rubin Montoya, a prominant pioneer of paragliding in the area.  They leave Monday for a 5 or 6 day itinerary in North Central Colombia that include sites that have world-class cross country flying potential...too bad I'm not a world class cross country flyer.  This schedule requires me to hang around in this area for a few more days, rather than move on to Bucaramonga to another flying site; but the wait will be worth it.

The rain allowed me the time to get a haircut, in an effort to become more aerodynamic.  The usual game of Charades allowed the two of us to communicate, and "Raul the Butcher" did his best.  Alas, I still look like an old Gringo...with freshly trimmed eyebrows, I might add.

I set out today to take the Metro to both spurs that transform the train to aerial trams.  The City Planners were wise enough to realize that a metro train running through the middle of the City did little to help the poor who reside on the steep mountains on both sides of the City.  So they extended the public transportation system to include aerial trams that can deliver the people to the other forms of public transportation in the valley...brilliant!

What a delight to find that as I arrived at the top of the mountain where the urban development ended, a new continuation of the tram as been completed that can take one another mile or so over the mountain and through dense highland jungle to Parque Arvi, a national park of about 10,000 hectres (20 acres in a hectre?) .  Lush and beautiful, this natural area is a jewel.  Consistent with my luck, as I embarked on a exploratory hike, it started to rain bucketfuls, and killed all my fantacies of discovering lost civilizations and fighting wild animals with sticks.

The rest of the afternoon was spent riding every inch of the Metro and the other tram, just to say that I have done it.