Yoga, Fresh Coffee, and Champagne in Medellin, Colombia
by Lauren Brown,
The light streams through my window as the birds wake me with their joyful morning chorus. Last night I was lulled to sleep by chirping crickets and the sound of the nearby stream. I peek my head out the window to see fluffy clouds dispersing, revealing another beautiful day in paradise. This paradise is called Medellin.
After getting ready, I grab a notebook and pen and head out the door. The neighborhood fruit vendor senses my morning hunger as I approach his stand. He cracks open an enormous papaya and perfectly ripe mango, and serves me the most delicious fruit salad for just $1.75. “Enjoy,” he says smiling.
I continue to my favorite spot—arguably the best café in town, as the coffee is grown and roasted in the nearby hills by the café owners themselves. The friendly barista greets me with a warm hello and asks if I will have a cappuccino, my daily morning ritual. He lets me practice my Spanish, although he is ready with his great English as soon as confusion arises. I take the corner seat on the outdoor patio and notice the “usuals” around me.
In Medellin, Colombia picking which café to sip on some of the world’s best coffee will be one of the most difficult tasks in your day.
At this hour, you find the book lovers and those that are here “working.” To my right, a semi-retired gentleman checks out the stock market on his laptop. Diagonally to my left, the young 20-something entrepreneur builds his online marketing empire from the comfort of this café. See more…