When I was checking in, I noticed a huge bowl of granadillas (picture below) sitting on the counter. I'm not afraid to say that I helped myself to three to eat in the room. They might be the most unusual fruit I have ever eaten. I was introduced to them when I visited back in October. In order to eat them, you bang them on the table and pull open the top. You then eat the insides with a spoon....que rico! While I think granadillas are delicious, Jhonatan does not care for them.
Jhonatan's psychologist brought him to the hotel at 4:00pm and after signing a piece of paper saying I wouldn't leave Medellin with him (as tempting as that sounded), he was mine for the week! We headed up to the room and Jhonatan opened all of his valentines from family and friends...he loved all of them! After he had opened all of the valentines and organized all of his things, we explored the hotel and headed to the hotel restaurant for dinner. We both decided on the piedra caliente which is cooking meat at the table on a hot stone. It was so fun!
While we were not able to stay with my brother-in-laws family, they were so kind to come pick us up and take us out. On Tuesday, Maria Theresa and Ana picked us up at 12:00pm and took us to lunch at their country club. It was such a beautiful spot. We looked out over the golf course with the view of Medellin in the background. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture. We had a lovely lunch and Jhonatan adores Ana and Maria Theresa. We are so fortunate to have friends in Medellin! After lunch, we came back to the hotel and played a little futbol...
The hotel has a basketball court which is also a mini soccer field. Apparently, that is very common in Colombia. Jhonatan and I played a little one-on-one and he barely beat me ;). As you can see, I didn't hold it against him!
For dinner that night, we ordered room service. Or I should say, Jhonatan ordered room service. We looked all over but couldn't find a room service menu so Jhonatan picked up the phone, dialed room service and asked what the menu was, ordered for both us and was completely tickled with himself when he hung up the phone. Of course, he loved room service but what kid doesn't.
Wednesday was gorgeous...low 80's and sunny all day! So, we spent the whole day at the hotel. We played ping pong, numerous games of Uno at a table by the pool and lots of swimming. While we were at the pool, we spent time with a lovely couple, Nicole and Jason, from the United States who are in Medellin adopting 3 brothers (Juan Manuel 6, Santiago 4 and Christian 2). Jason was nice enough to spend time playing ball with Jhonatan in the pool while Nicole and I chatted. It was really great to meet them and the next day we also met their boys...so cute! You can read about their adventure here.
That night we ventured across the street to a wonderful traditional Colombian restaurant, Hato Viejo. My brother-in-law had mentioned it and we decided to risk life and limb to try it out (you do that anytime you try to cross the street in Medellin). The restaurant was lovely and Jhonatan and I sat on the little balcony you can see in the left of the picture. Jhonatan liked the food so much that we ate there again the next night. I think his favorite was the basket of chicharron and patacones (fried pork and fried green plaintains) they bring to the table while you order. My favorite was my own personal mini pitcher of Sangria!
On Thursday morning, Ana and Maria Theresa picked us up at 10:00am and took us to El Astor for helado (ice cream). El Astor has some of the most beautiful and amazing candies, cakes and pastries and delicious ice cream sundaes. Mine had chocalate ice cream, a berry marmalade sauce, fresh chocolate shavings, fresh whipped cream and a meringue cookie on top!
We then went to Olviedo Mall so I could get a finca (looks like a little house with porch and flowers) to hang on the wall. I got one in October and officially now have a collection of 2! Jhonatan and I also got bracelets for the whole family to wear until we go to Medellin and bring him home. Our lovely guides (Thanks Ana and Maria Theresa!) dropped us off at the hotel and we played more Uno, Jhonatan learned a little golf and we swam in the pool one last time! Here is Jhonatan with Andres getting some golf tips...
Friday, we had my favorite breakfast at the little cafe in the hotel lobby. We ate there almost every morning and I had pandebono (cheesy bread), Jhonatan had buñuelos (kind of a giant donut hole) and both of us had delicious cafe con leche (coffee with milk). The guy who worked there was super friendly and always chatted with us, even if he spotted us across the lobby. As I said back in October, the people of Medellin are amazingly warm and friendly. Jhonatan took this picture of us as we were waiting for his social worker to pick him up.
Some highlights of the trip that I don't have pictures of....too many games of Uno and Skipbo to count, Jhonatan singing and dancing the theme song from a popular Colombian show El Man es German (trust me, although probably inappropriate for children, very funny!), hearing him sing Usher in the shower, and most of all how excited he was to talk to his Padrino (Greg) and las niñas (the girls) every night. It was a wonderful visit and I can't wait to get back to Medellin. And like I told Jhonatan....next time I'm not leaving without him!
