The OG Paisa of Caldas

 I’m a big cycling enthusiast, so every Sunday, when the Medellín Ciclovia closes the main highway in addition to several important thoroughfares downtown, I’m on my bike. Riding with the general public is fun enough, but the real challenges begin in riding with the weekend warrior clans.
Clad in matching lycra outfits, these titans of vertical cycling are hill conquerors in the mold of local Cochise Rodriguez (of Tour de France fame).  Sometimes you can spot them on the flats, but these guys crave the burn and subsequent release of grinding their way up the steep slopes of the hills going out of Medellín and cruising back down in a quarter of the time. Yesterday I found a pack of semi-weekend warriors headed to Caldas and tagged along for the ride.

 The city of Caldas is about 20 miles from Medellín, on a windy mountain road. It’s a gradual climb for about 45 minutes with a couple big hills. But the main traffic and buses that whisk around corners are few and infrequent on Sundays. I’d previously been to Caldas to purchase furniture and ceramics for the hostel, but as every trip by car, you end up missing the details of the journey, especially the sights and sounds. 

Caldas’ main square was moving at half-speed as the whole town lazily enjoyed a Sunday afternoon. And it was then that I saw him: Moustachioed wrinkled face, as well worn as the cowboy hat he was wearing, a freshly washed pancho slung over his shoulder and a big gold belt buckle catching the suns’ rays. This man was the OG Paisa. He was flanked by an entourage of similar-looking gentlemen with freshly ironed shirts, nice boots and panchos, but his moustache, hat, and demeanor demonstrated that he was the true leader of the pack.

As locals sauntered by, he quipped small jokes about women and the weather and the afternoon seemed to roll on, with every man over the age of forty-five dropping by OG Paisa’s bench. Backing up the whole scene was a troupe of local musicians, cranking out one classic after another and dueling with a duet of indigenous women singing ‘musica folklorica.’ The whole scene was indicative of many of the smaller towns outside of Medellín, but the accessibility by bike is what made it such a great experience to take in; that and the OG Paisa, who I may have to talk to the next time I’m there.

Beer Glorious Beer

Those of you who know me well know that I am quite the fan of microbrews, of which there are very few in Latin America. The best beer scene I've experienced was at the Largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany in Villa General Belgrano, Argentina. Througout my travels in L. Am, I've noticed a direct correlation between light beers and hot climates. I mean, when it's 90 degrees out with 90% humidity, a Stout or Porter isn't really your go-to beverage.


That being said, the lighter pilsner-style lagers that are ubiquitous in Colombia (and the rest of near-Equator countries) all begin to taste the same after a while. In Bogota, a BJ's Brewhouse-type restaurant has sprung up recently called "Bogota Beer Company." Their house beers are quite delicious, as well as having an impressive selection of European imports. 4 years ago, Medellín made its foray into the world of "cerveza artesanal" (microbrews) with the beginning of the 3 Cordilleras Brewery. These guys have quite an impact on the tourist-frequented areas, with most places having taps for the 3 types: a hefewiesen, a pale ale and an amber ale. As you can see below, we're putting the finishing touches on The Wandering Paisa bar and last week, were able to get 3 Cordilleras on tap:

The First Arrivals

 It all started with a phone call in mid-December. Manuel, the general manger of Palm Tree Hostel (the first hostel in Medellín) called to inquire of the status of The Wandering Paisa. I told him we had mattresses in the beds and a few other amenities but were still fixing things and with that, we began to collect the overflow of visitors from the surrounding hostels.

Our first official guest was Luis, a businessman from Bogota who was looking for an alternative to the pricey hotels on La 70. He had stayed in hostels before, but what sent him in our direction was our statement on “drugs in Colombia” Luis only stayed the weekend, but has since, referred other Bogotanos as well as returned for a 2^nd visit.

Our first group of visitors that we recieved had just finished an 8-day sailing trip from Panama to Colombia. The trip was only supposed to last 4 days, but bad weather had them stuck on an island for an extra 4, with no clean clothes and running out of food. The creature comforts of The Wandering Paisa were put to the test immediately upon their arrival. The group was initially a bit awestruck, having spent most of their time in Central American hostels, which are generally held to different standards than those of South America. We overhead exclamations such as: “Hot water! Oh my god!”, “They have hammocks!”, and my personal favorite: “Pillows!” (to whichever hostel in Central America that is depriving their guests of pillows).

Having arrived just before Christmas, these guests took initiative in putting together an Xmas party in our half complete bar, including a Secret Santa competition and a huge potluck dinner. And even a month later, I'm getting referrals from this original group (thanks Laura!)