On our second day in Medellin, we actually headed about two hours away to Guatape, billed as one of the top five prettiest towns in Colombia. In my research I had read mostly about the huge rock that towers above town and is a favorite for people who want to walk the over 700 steps to the top. (No, we didn’t make the trek.)

What makes the town so beautiful are the colorful “zocalos” that adorn most of the buildings. Artisans started the practice in 1919, and homes might display the interests of the owner, or perhaps the purpose of a shop, such as a tannery. 

We entered the town in colorful tuk tuks, a mode of transportation that originated in Asia, but has become popular worldwide, especially in tourist areas. I originally thought using a tuk tuk to get into the town was a bit silly, but once aboard I totally understood the purpose.

As you zip through the streets, you’re bombarded with color and image. Instead of stopping to admire and photograph one zocalo, you zoom by three. It was a feast for the eyes. 

Our driver did stop occasionally to point out a particular zocalo. With our limited Spanish we didn’t catch most of it, but the zocalos generally speak for themselves. 

To complete the experience, we met with a second generation zocalo artisan who explained the technique to us. His father created about 80% of the zocalos in town. 

After a typical Colombia lunch of casuela (ground beef, sausage, pork rinds, beans and rice), we headed out for a pleasant boat ride. So no, we didn’t have a chance to walk off lunch.

The boat ride did include our first Pablo Escobar tale as we passed his complex overlooking the reservoir. It had been bombed by a rival gang, but it’s now being used for “Pablo Escobar Experience” tours. Our guides were justifiably upset that he is being glorified in this way. 

Then it was back to Medellín for a stop at our new  favorite watering hole.