I visited Colombia in August of 2003. My family is from Medellín, though I was born in Bogotá, so I decided to visit Medellín. This is the capital of the department of Antioquia, located in the mountains of the western range of the Andes (cordillera occidental).
The area is famed for the industriousness of its inhabitants. Antioquia was an early major coffee exporter, and the symbol of the National Federation of Coffee Growers, Juan Valdez, appears in the costume of the typical Antioqueño peasant. Medellín today is a major industrial center, though some of the largest factories of the industrial district today lie abandoned.
The city was the center of the organized drug trade in the 80s and 90s, in rivalry with Cali. The cartels were mostly broken in the 90s, and the massive, unpredictable violence of the 80s is no more, but there is still a huge murder rate, and Medellín is the kidnap capital of the world. The guerrillas as well as ordinary criminals kidnap wealthy and middle-class people; it's become almost a routine business practice. However, having spent 10 days there, I have to say that for the astute tourist, Medellín is a gorgeous city and well-worth a visit. There is much to see, the city is beautiful, the people are wonderful.
More coming soon.