Comuna 13 has become well-known for the beautiful and inspiring graffiti murals that decorate many of its walls, and it now attracts tourism to the neighborhood to view the graffiti art. Since Comuna 13 is located on an incredibly steep hill, it also has a series of recently-constructed outdoor escalators that aid visitors and locals alike in navigating around the neighborhood with ease. Our walking tour guide, Davíd, was a college student and local to Comuna 13. He shared with us the difficult history of his neighborhood and the inspiring ways that art and transportation innovations have helped to change the realities of many neighborhood residents and offer new paths for youth in the community.
It's been raining a lot more here recently, but even so, I'm hoping to try out Medellín's ciclovía bike system soon. Once I register online with my city-wide Metro card, I will have unlimited access to free rental bikes parked around the city. Medellín has many bike lanes, and I often see locals riding their bikes to work, often racing past long lines of cars and buses stuck in rush hour traffic. It's a sustainable and efficient way to get around the city, and it's something I wish we had more of in the U.S.
