Medellin-Colombia is a place that is both Enchanting and Beautiful, hospitable and friendly; its people always welcoming and humble. Located in the the northerly part of the Andes Mountains, Medellin enjoys springlike weather year round. It is the second city in importance in Colombia behind Bogota, it is the industrial center of the country and lies within the Aburra Valley.
Its people called the Paisas come from a tough breed, the Paisas are responsible for having conquered the mountain ranges from present day Antioquia all the way past Caldas, Manizales, Quindio and into the northern most part of Valle dell Cauca. In this region the Paisas created a coffee growing culture like no other, its different climate ranges allowed to raise different types and variations of this plant, allowing the world over to indulge and enjoy a cup of our favorite drink.
Once the industrial revolution set in, Antioquia built its railroad system bringing progress not only to the department but to Medellin as its capital city as well. With the railroad came cars, cable cars, perfumes, jewelry and other high end ticket items mostly from Europe. European engineers and builders came to the city, they built churches, theaters and homes for the wealthy amongst others. At one time it was said Medellin was the Paris of South America for its beautiful buildings and design, today a glimpse of that era can be had in some of the historic downtown buildings that have been preserved to remind us of a glorious time.
Today, the city much as it did hundreds of years ago has re-invented itself, going from a growing region to an industrial center, it is fast becoming a business center not only for national firms but for international ones as well. It is not rare that business in Medellin today is conducted in English, French, German or other languages as business owners from the world over have discovered a city ripe for the picking.
This city boasts some of the best utility services in the continent, we are the leaders in Colombian technology, we are the leaders in textile materials and we are fast becoming the business center of Colombia. Many international companies like Johnson and Johnson, Avon, IBM, Hewlett Packard have set up shop in Medellin, mainly due to the cities ability to adapt to new business and languages such as English.
English is fat becoming the second language in the city, as many students have taken it up, EAFIT the cities main business university is renowned for hosting national as well as international students, this university is an international powerhouse when it comes to their business courses and it is the leading provider of business minds to the Colombian economy. The University of Antioquia perhaps one of the leading learning institutions in Latin America is one of the leading medical research institutions, churning out the best medical professionals in the hemisphere.
Medellin has combined natural beauty, its mountain ranges are second to none, its people´s ability to evolve from simple farm workers to today´s most brilliant business minds, having comfortable and reliable transport means; the city boasts two airports, two major bus stations, the only Metro system in the country, soon it will have an integrated bus system second to none ans a downtown cable car system that will remind us of the city of old.
Transformation is the word for a city that has seen many changes, its people always willing to adapt and enviable natural attributes that must be seen an lived to have truly known what paradise is like, welcome to Medellin.