Day 101 (April 11, 2014) – Medellin, Colombia
So, on this spring day in Colombia I find myself in the Santo Domingo neighborhood of Medellin literally on top of a mountain. Seriously, I had to a take the metro and then a gondola lift (cable car) to get up here! I thought I was going skiing for a second and it brought back bad memories of me as a teenage attempting to go down the bunny slope (don’t judge me!) and instead falling down the mountain and hitting a few trees along the way. Luckily there was no snow or ski jocks involved in this trip, but instead a unique and hilly neighborhood of Medellin. Again, this is an area that is marginalized, physically isolated and mostly low income. The cable car system was put in to increase accessibility and connect people to the rest of the city. A system that they probably never planned for was the ingenious way kids get up the numerous hills – they hitch a ride! The tie a rope to the back of buses and trucks and hold on for dear life as they steer their bikes with one hand while the other grips the pull line. Kids come up with the craziest things! And I know if I were a kid in this neighborhood I would do the same.
Shawn Escoffery Photography - 365 Project 