Doing Time In Medellin

A WARNING to all. I went to visit Don Berna in Itagui´s maximum security prison and took a few photos to share with yáll and guess what happened next.....

You can´t take any photos of the prison. The security made me delete all my photos before they interrogated me. I felt bad for my driver waiting down the hill for me in his car. He too was interrogated.

After the interrogations were over, I then explained to them that I was just a very curious tourist.

I shared several stories with the guards about my travels to Medellin and had them all cracking up. The apoligized to me, saying they were just doing there job. I told them tranquilos, no hay problemas.

My driver thought is was amusing how I turned things around with the guards. There was another young paisa who did not fare so well. He copped an attitude and el jefe of the guards came down and told his men that this young kid was a guerilla supporter whose every move should be monitored.

This is the second time in two days that the police has stopped me. Yesterday they reported my drivers plates becuase we were taking photos in Barrio Prado. As soon as we pulled up to Sergio Farjardos former home, they approached us.
Again, I had to explain myself. Thank gawd these guys find my stories amusing.

No pictures of the prison but I was allowed to photograph in Barrio Prado.

I got a few good pictures of Aguilas Negras in Itagui that I will post upon my return to the states.

Also got a great video which you all will enjoy as soon as I upload it to YouTube.

A few things I learned on this trip...

You can´t take pictures of Itagui prison, but it´s still a great view from up there.

They charge you to use public bathrooms.

And, I would not recommend for anyone to schedule a trip around a Colombian holiday if they don´t know anyone it Medellin, since everyone is spending time with family. It was dead el dia de los trabajadores, but thank gawd things are back to normal today.

I´m doing the rest of my time in Medellin outside prison walls.

By Medellin Traveler on May 3, 2008, 11:39 in Friendly Talkzone.

morphus says on May 3, 2008, 11:49:

Someone got a picture:

898oio

morphus says on May 3, 2008, 11:50:

ioi787

morphus says on May 3, 2008, 11:51:

ioi9898

morphus says on May 3, 2008, 11:52:

ioi9898

morphus says on May 3, 2008, 11:52:

opo0909

Medellin Traveler says on May 3, 2008, 12:03:

¿I wonder if the pictures are still stored in my camera somewhere?

I have deleted many pictures from my camera but for some reason they appear when I plug my camera into my computer.

Medellin Es Una Chimba! - www.medellintraveler.com

dwmte7 says on May 4, 2008, 05:02:

ive got a great photo of me in the DAS slam in belen taken about 15 yrs ago. due to fight with the family, they called the police while we were going to mass in poblado (la davina eucharistia) above lleras. they accused me of trying to steal my daughter????? duh?

if you look for logic/rationale in the thoughts of some colombians, you're lookin in the wrong place. sometimes it's just an empty space, devoid of reason......

i'll get my hija to help me scan and post. dw.

dwmte

dwmte7 says on May 4, 2008, 05:04:

whoops!....years ago, early 90's, when pablo built his own private slam above envigado, i decided to go be one of his visitors. then the police clamped down on his visitation, as his visitor list looked like the who's who in organized crime. i figured i would do better just staying away.

dwmte

MitchAlvarez says on May 4, 2008, 07:53:

i have (well not me but my father has) pictures of us when i lived in envigado. I went up to la catedral and we took pictures with his crew (some of them were friends with my cousins) and the guards too. the guards were pretty cool they played soccer with my uncle. we also went to his night club not too far called cama suelta. thats where the prepagos started jajaj

i was much younger but ill never forget those two visits and the pictures which i wish i still had.

funny thing was that pablo would stay most of the time at the back part of his area. and through that back window you could see the amount of smoke coming out. him and his parceros were big time pot heads.....

Tengale miedo a una huelga de mujeres o a una escacez de aguardiente. :)

droble77 says on May 4, 2008, 15:57:

I can see how taking pics around those areas can be thought a major security issue. Next time, use some common sense MT. Also, since you're good at making the guards laugh with your anecdotes, you can probably talk them into letting you take a pic or two as long as you talk to them and ask them BEFORE, not after.

Medellin Traveler says on May 4, 2008, 16:01:

Lesson learnt.... three strikes you´re out.

I have a few pictures of the guards, with their permission.

Medellin Es Una Chimba! - www.medellintraveler.com

CatGirl says on May 4, 2008, 19:13:

MT - Wow I am AMAZED you got away with that! I stopped by Pelican Bay Penn. with some friends once and there are signs out front, warning No Pics!!..Don't want someone to try and figure an escape plan correct?.jajaja. Wow MT, you are quite the adventurer

ooops! ....Did I say that?

bickerss says on May 4, 2008, 20:29:

checked out a prison in quito last year - pretty amazing experience to see what it was like. There were families living thee (ie the mothers had their children) and little schools. The ladies had to work for their food or have their families bring it. Some gringo gilrs and sth african girls had been in there for 5 yers. Much like the book ''bolivian marching powder'' about the brit who was in Jail there in la Paz.