6 Medellin: Cops, Cathedrals, Cardinals, Christmas (Eve) and Caribbean Music. 12/24/15

Midnight, Christmas Eve, 2015

Headed out to observe Christmas Mass at the oldest cathedral in Medellin; built in 1770s. We were under the impression the mass would start at 7 pm. Came down to the lobby to get a taxi (which was next to impossible because everyone is heading to parties (although very Catholic country, it seems as if parties certainly outweigh mass). Anyway, we confirmed with the front desk who checked and said that old church does not really function, except as a tourist visitor destination. So we opted for the Basilica Metropolitano, built in the 1850s. Initially we were a bit disappointed, but figured we should still go (We’ve seen midnight masses in Guatemala, Ho Chi Minh City, Guadalajara, Quito, Honduras, etc. so figured we’d add this one to the list.)

Finally, a taxi came and the guy (young) didn’t seem to know where the biggest cathedral in the country was located (actually it is the third largest cathedral in the world!). But again, iPhone came in handy. He didn’t recognize the building but understood the address. It’s located on the northern edge of Park Bolivar. As we headed to the church, I googled it and learned that Park Bolivar is considered a very dangerous place, especially at night (muy pelligroso).. but we figured — exaggerations.

As we were driving into an obviously very poor neighborhood (the Villanuevo barrio), we were driving down a small street and from what we could tell — a cop had blocked off the street we were heading to; the driver swerved and turned into another street, and next thing we knew another set of cops were surrounding the taxi… and the driver got out and immediately was frisked including lifting his shirt above his head. The driver said something about having Americans in his car. Mike rolled down his window which was on the driver’s side and asked in great NY English – “What’s going on?”.. I followed with “Habla Ingles?”.. Cops just stared at us and motioned for us to stay in the taxi… The driver explained something, showed his license.. and then the cops said to move on… We were just blocks from the cathedral… just in time for the mass which was pretty formal (none of that liberation theology.. and none of that great sing-along with guitars like they did in Honduras…which was like going to a folk music festival).  We gave the guy an extra big tip (actually they don’t expect any tip and give you back every penny in change.. and are very surprised if you tell them to keep the difference).

The Archbishop led the mass. The church is quite exquisite… Romanesque, but all brick.. with soaring columns more than 200 feet high.

We sat through the mass (about an hour) in Spanish. the church holds about 1,500 people and there were probably less than 400.

Mass over.. we set out to get a taxi which we figured would be easy since a lot of people would be emerging from the church. There were lots and lots of taxis.. mostly full (occupado).. and those that were empty didn’t stop. We waited on a corner with several others hoping for a taxi including about 8 nuns. Eventually two taxis stopped for the nuns (even though we were there before them).. but none stopped for us. We asked a man who was with his family and he tried valiantly to help us hail a cab… for about 20 minutes and then it was clear he had to take his family home.. He even asked  where we were headed (I think he considered driving us)… but we were headed for dinner in the Poblado (the upscale part of town, near our hotel and the church was in one of the lowest income areas of the city.. with Park Bolivar listed on most websites as “no go zone”). Finally it was just us waiting for a cab, and a drunk teenager who was trying to “help” us… but I think he made it more difficult for taxis to consider stopping.

I decided to go back to the church and find a policeman… which we did.. and we explained in our limited Spanish.. that we had been waiting already for 30 minutes and no cab would stop (even those that were empty). We were beginning to think we would be camped out in a pew in the church for the night. The two cops walked back to the corner with us and they tried to get taxis (empty ones) to stop and they wouldn’t … Now in NY it’s illegal not to pick up passengers and not to take them where they want to go once you are seated and the door is closed… we were pretty bummed when the cops were unable to get a cab to stop and that when a cab stopped they just said that they didn’t want to go to Poblado (it’s a 15 minute drive)…

We suggested walking one block over to a busier street, but the cops said it was “muy pelligroso”… so we stayed put.. Mike, me, the two cops, and the drunk teenager. One taxi stopped and said he wouldn’t drive to Poblado and we offered to double the fare.. Still uninterested. The cops started discussing (in Spanish) that maybe they should take us to the Metro (which we really didn’t want to do at that time of night.. ) Finally a taxi stopped and he seemed fine with the destination… and off we went, although naturally he didn’t really know how to get to where we were going. (No one seems to know the city all that well — they need some of that London taxi training, and that test that the London cabbies take called “The Knowledge” or something like that)…

Arrived at Lucia Restaurant.. which had a small band playing Caribbean music and Buena Vista Social Club tunes.. Food was fine. Mike ate his first, carefully selected meal.

Strolled uphill from the restaurant to our hotel.. about 15 minutes walk, passing city parks decorated to the hilt… the city is totally light infatuated at this time of year.

Tomorrow is another day… and we haven’t totally figured out our plan… assuming Mike is totally cured, we’ll probably visit some neighborhoods and favelas.. but it’s Christmas and things will be closed so our choices will be limited.

Medellin is very well worth visiting, in spite of our little taxi problem and the cops assuming our driver was guilty without knowing much about the situation. It was amazing how totally compliant the driver was — immediately put his hands on the roof of the car and spread his legs and lifted up his shirt to show he didn’t have any weapons.

Bed time…

More tomorrow.

Fern