Medellin or on Pablos tracks

As there wasn't that much to see in Cartagena I went on to Medellin. A name that is immediately associated with drugs and the drug baron of the 80s and 90s, Pablo Escobar.

Pablo is still revered by many of the poorer people of Medellin because with his drug money he built whole communities, hospitals and schools for the poor. However, one shouldn't forget that all this came with certain "obligations" sooner or later.

The new mayor of Medellin isn't too happy about Pablos heritage and is about to tear down all remaining buildings associated with Pablo.

Here's Pablos mansion in which he and his bodyguards lived. It's currently being prepared for demolition so we weren't able to see the inside.
In the basement were prison cells and a countless number of Pablo's enemies were executed, many by himself.

It's worth mentioning that many of the tours are held by former convicts, drug trafficers, killers, etc. Our guides name was Wilson and he'd sold drugs for Pablo in the USA. He's been deported some 8 years ago and lives in Columbia since.

After Pablos mansion we drove out of the city to Pablos prison, La Catedral. Pablo was so influencial that the government allowed him to build his own prison to serve his 5 year sentence. Even many of the prison guards were Pablos bodyguards!

The grounds are now owned by a priest who runs a retirement home.

Even a helicopter landing pad was part of the compound. In the mist below is Medellin. Pablo had a scope with which he was able to see what was happening in the city.

Here's a guard tower of the prison. This is where place where Pablo escaped because the piece of wall there was built without concrete...

Here in this house he was hiding after his escape. When he was found out he tried to flee over the roof of the house behind this building.

On the roof of this house he was cornered by the police and lost his life.

But because the owner doesn't much like the topic of Pablo the producers of the series "Narcos" had to use the house of the neighbor for the takes...

Afterwards we drove to the cemetary to have a look at Pablos grave. There we met another tour group who was guided by Jhon Jairo Velásquez, aka Popeye. He was Pablos head Sicario, hitman!

After 23 years in prison he now guides tourists through Medellin, sells his book, t-shirts and stickers.

After the Pablo Tour we went to district Comuna 13. In the years 2000-2002 the murder rate was about 20 murders a day!!! Comuna 13 was the run by the terror group FARC.
Nowadays the district has been "cleaned" of these elements and is on the up and comming due to tourism.

The trademark of the district is its outdoor moving stairs, the biggest in the world. Ok, it's not one, there are many moving stairs.

And of course the graffity in the district, as so often in problem districts in South America.

But the views from the houses are great :) However, the higher up your house is the poorer you are. In the districts where the money is it is exactly the opposite.