Buffet breakfast at the hotel was great: fresh fruits, juices, cold meats, cheeses, eggs, sausages, and good Colombian coffee. We quickly leafed through the morning newspaper; the first page showed disturbing pictures of rescue operations from the yesterday’s landslide in one of Medellin suburbs that destroyed more than thirty houses. Many people were feared dead.
We spent the whole morning not exploring the city, but searching for an affordable laundry service. The prices were prohibitive in all places where we went to; it would have been cheaper for us to buy new clothes instead. Tired of running and driving around, we directed the cab to the local BMW dealership, where Vadim wanted to by a new bulb for the front light of his bike. A pleasant lady greeted us at the entrance and gave us the address of another nearby dealership that specialized in BMW motorcycles.
Ten minutes later we were greeted by Santa Claus sitting on a new R1200 GS and Carlos, who spoke excellent English and gave us a lot of traveling tips for Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Vadim bough the bulb for his bike, but could not find any waterproof enduro boots his size. For the time being, plastic bags and galoshes were the only way to keep his feet dry. We also got address of another laundry service near the local supermarket “Exito!”.
.Happy New Year at Autogermana in Medellin
We rushed straight to the laundry, but what was our disappointment when we saw that the rates were calculated by piece and not by kilo. Luckily, the lady working there pointed us to another laundry few blocks away that met all our criteria of low price, good quality and timely service. Happy, we went back to the hotel, where Vadim replaced the bulb on his bike.
After a short rest, we went to a Cuban restaurant at Lleras park, where pictures of Fidel and Che were proudly displayed on the menu and the walls. Steaks were excellent; we only regretted that we did not try Cuban cigars…
Routes taken: None
Miles ridden: None
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