We were relieved to have completed the Ciudad Perdida trek without having been kidnapped by FARC guerrillas, the most significant and deadly of many extreme political groups in Colombia. Reassuringly, there have been no major problems over the last ten years and the Colombian army actively patrols the area. Today, FARC have been grossly pacified through ongoing formal negotiations with the government.

However, our next stop was the city of Medellin which was the murder capital of the world during the 1990s . Naturally, the best way to learn about Medellin's dark history was by taking the 'Pablo Escobar Tour' which shuttled us around the significant sites.

The cocaine boom years began in the early 1980s. At the height of its power, the Medellin drug cartel, led by Escobar, brought in more than US$60 million per day. Medellin was the centre of the worldwide cocaine trade, with motorbike-riding hitmen carrying out gangland hits for the notorious drug lord. Escobar was so rich he once offered to pay off Colombia's foreign debt and paid his hitmen US$1000 for every cop they killed. The city was a no-go zone for foreigners until in 1993 an elite 1,500 man special unit hunted Escobar for 499 days before finally killing him on a rooftop in a middle class suburb of Medellin - at least a bit faster than the US efforts to locate Osama bin Laden.

Other interesting facts about Escobar include him once being elected to congress, and having his own zoo where he imported many exotic animals including hippos which subsequently escaped when his hacienda was closed - Colombia now has the biggest population outside Africa!

Sadly, despite US aid of US$6 billion, latest figures show that production of cocaine has stabilised and Colombia is still the world's largest producer . Fortunately, the current president has taken decisive action by swamping the country with military meaning the streets of its major cities are much safer. This was certainly the feeling that we got in Medellin, a city with a perpetual spring-like climate, chic shopping malls, vibrant nightlife and a brilliant metro system. The city has culture, class and the friendliest locals in Colombia.

Colombia's only metro system is clean, safe and affordable and connects with cable cars that swoop over some of the poorer barrios, meaning that people living in these areas now have easy access to the city. We took a ride on one of these cable cars for spectacular views but were advised not to get out on route so completed a full loop!

Walking around the city, we came across many entertaining big-bottomed sculptures of the famous artist Fernando Botero who comes from Medellin. We also got another dose of South American football fever as we watched Deportivo Independiente Medellin defeat Aguilas Doradas 3-0. One fanatico close to us on the upper tier got so excited at the first 'goal' that he fell over the barrier onto the lower tier and was promptly stretchered away. Not sure if he realised in his concussed state that the linesman's flag had gone up!

Onward bus to Salento, via Pereira and several 'anti-narcotico' check-points(!) 7 hours.