Originally Posted by
barry lloyd
+1. I have been travelling to Rio for the past 60 years, usually on business, sometimes on holiday. I have never encountered anything other than kindness and friendliness. When I ask people about 'incidents' they have had there, I discover that they've been to explore the favelas (slums), as though it were some sort of theme park. People are their own worst enemies.
Much the same for Medellin, the centre of town is a modern University city with an excellent Metro service and the public spaces are spotless. The bandeja paisa is specific to Medellin and the surrounding area, but is widely regarded as Colombia's national dish, with reason (there's a restaurant in South London that serves it, worth a visit, no licence so byob). Up in the hills, you're in the third world. Don't go there.