My host hasn't been working much the last couple of days, so we have been hanging out more. Yesterday we had coffee in the Arkadia, a fancy-schmancy shopping mall with the lady who helped me find an umbrella last week and her daughter. I felt a bit nervous at first, for which reason I asked Alonso to join us, but also because I was a bit worried that her daughter might be worried about her mom being befriended by this stranger from Canada. If it was my mom I'd sure be worried. Well, there was nothing at all to worry about. We all got along like the proverbial house on fire. And we are both invited to their home next week. Very super friendly women, both mom and daughter. Diana would be somewhere in her seventies, but looks younger and seems to have the energy of someone half her age. Her daughter would be perhaps in her early fifties, seems calmer than her mom, but also very friendly and warm.
After our visit, Alonso dropped me off at the apartment on his way to work, and I had lunch, then went out for a long walk. I hadn't been out more than fifteen minutes when different strangers on the street were trying to get my attention because someone was calling me. It turned out to be the daughter, who almost bodily dragged me back to the restaurant where she was having lunch with her mom. Then they wanted to take me back to their home nearby, but I really wanted to walk quietly some more, politely deferred, but we are more or less confirmed for some time next week.
Then I continued walking, this time through quiet neighbourhoods until I began to follow one of the many small rivers that run through Medellín. These are beautiful tranquil walking routes, full of trees and tropical bushes and flowers, shady, so I kept walking...and walking...and walking....
I had no idea of where I was, but kept getting lost. But on the street by the river, I came across a pleasant café where I thought I would stop for a cold beverage and do some work on a drawing. When the young man working there gave me my change, it didn't all fit in my pocket, so one coin rolled on the floor, across the café and under a couch here a young woman was already seated. She was all prepared to get up and find me the lost coin but it seemed almost irretrievable where it was and I decided to let it rest in piece, so I told them to consider it a blessing for the house, but one of the owners got moving, moved the couch and returned me my coin, which I promptly returned to him as a tip for the server.
When I left the café I was still a little bit lost, then an austere but friendly man named Oscar walked with me four blocks to make sure I would find my way okay. He also scolded me for not wearing a mask, even though we were outside, so I complied and put it on. Then today, I learned from Alonso that masks outdoors are mandatory in Medellín. oh well...
Today I went with Alonso to the mall. While he was in the gym I went for a long walk in the same area as yesterday, then later we went for coffee to the same café. We were made to feel very welcome, so I want to keep going back there. Then we stopped on the way home for lunch in a vegan restaurant near his apartment.
Later I went for a long walk on my own. There was a big stream of water falling from a roof to the sidewalk and not easy to get around. Fortunately I had my umbrella with me, so I hoisted it up, walked under the little torrent, and then folded it again, and various people on the sidewalk as well as the guys working on the roof were all smiling and laughing about it. Well, hey, if I can provide others a little bit of laughter and levity while I am here, then at least I'm being useful.
Otherwise, I have been hanging out with Alonso in the apartment. He will be on Skype with a friend of his in the US at 8 tonight, and then I will probably be on Skype with a friend in Mexico at 9.
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