Even after our long lay ins, we were all still pretty hungover, but booked to go on a tour about Paoblo Escobar, and I can safely say it was one of the strangest things I have done since I have been travelling...
The first stop was to visit Paoblo's house which in the 80s and early 90s was the most prestigious and luxury house in the whole of Medellin. Since then however, it has been looted for remaining drug money, bombed and every inch within reaching height has been graffitied.
The next stop was to visit Paoblo's grave - as I said all very strange, especially as he is buried in a church graveyard and there was a funeral taking place at the same time as us 20 gringos were all taking photos of Paoblo's headstone. All seemed very wrong!
From the 700 or so poor people that he built houses for (with drug money!), people still come to bless and mourn at his grave and give their thanks for his help. So while we were there a family also came to lay flowers, thank him and pray for him.
The last stop was a visit to Roberto Escobar's house (his brother) who has now been released from prison after serving his sentence, and welcomes tourists to come and hear 'his side of the story' and answer any questions. He is deaf and blind in 1 eye after receiving a letter bomb in prison, oh and he only speaks Spanish so it's kinda hard to communicate with him but luckily there was a translator!
He actually asked if I had a boyfriend which was very cringe as I politely declined his offer, but the whole thing was pretty funny!
The house is literally a shrine to him and his brother with pictures and memorabilia everywhere! He even has a copy of the wanted poster with a $1 million dollar reward, which was used to help capture them, casually up in his living room!
Safe to say a very odd day!
xxx
