Immersive Spanish - Immersive Spanish - Colombia Adventure - Episode 8 - Comuna 13

Episode Date: September 10, 2026

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Season 7, Episode 8. Hello, Viejeros. Les do a bienvenida to Immersive Spanish. And today I'm here in Medellin, heading to one of the city's most famous districts. It's called Comuna 13. Comuna 13. Now, Comuna 13 was once known as one of the most dangerous places in Medellin.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, and even into the early 2000s, the area experienced intense violence. But over the years, it has undergone an incredible transformation. One transformation urbana. Today, parts of Comona 13 have become a major attraction for travelers, famous for their street art, music, outdoor escalators, and incredible views across the city.

Comuna 13, it's often studied as an example of urban regeneration and the power of community-led change. But that doesn't mean there aren't any risks today. From what I've read, the area does still face its challenges. Well, my taxi driver says we're nearly there. Although... This... This doesn't really look like the touristy bit.

Eh, caballero, we're here. De vera? Yes, sir. It's here. Ah, okay. Well, thanks. Hmm. Okay. This area looks a little bit dodgy. I wonder, has he actually dropped me in the right place?

I can't see any tourists. I can't see any signs for Comuna Tresi. And my taxi has just disappeared down the road. Great. Oh, goodness. Oh, goodness. There's a group of guys coming. towards me. Okay.

Act normal. Hello, caballeros. Hello, my God, is there a partied. Well, a little. I'm looking

like a 13. Ah, yeah. Tome the second to the right and there will have the escalators to go to

go to the gringos. Ha ha. Perfect. Thank you, thank you, sir, no.

That's go to the end. Graties. Well, there you have it. Completely friendly. They could obviously tell I had absolutely no idea where I was going. One of the guys asked me, ista perided,

ista perided. Meaning, are you lost? And I replied, well, a poco. A little bit. I didn't want to tell him I was too lost, because, you know, don't want to seem vulnerable.

But then I told him, I'm looking for Comuna 13. I'm looking for Comuna 13. I'm looking for Comuna 13. Remember, buscar, meaning to look for? Buscar. In response, he told me, to me, to me the second to the right.

Tome. La. Segunda, a la derecha, which means take the second right. Now, this is a really useful phrase when you're getting directions. A la derecha, meaning to the right. A, la derecha. And then he said, I'd see las escaleras. Escaleras

Think about how stairs sort of escalate upwards Escaleras The kind gentleman then gave me perhaps The easiest directions I've ever received Solo Siga Los Gringos Just follow the Gringos Solo

Siga A Los Gringos Fair enough And actually, I can see them now. There are loads of tourists heading up that way. Right, let's go and explore Comona Tresi. I look here are the stairs.

And there are the gringoes. Feeh, this is definitely the right place. Oh wow, look at this. These must be the famous outdoor escalators of Comona Tresi. What a modern city. We don't even have outdoor escalators back home in London. Do you want to guess how you say outdoor escalators in Spanish? It's escaleras electrics al-Aire-libre-liqueras-electricas,

al-Are-li-li-li-li-escalerous-electricas meaning escalators. Scaleras electricas. Come on together. Galeras, electricas. And, you'll have heard this one before, Al-Aire Libre, al-Aire-Libre, meaning outdoors, or, more literally, I suppose, in the open air.

Right, I'm going to keep heading towards the top because I've heard there's a really good little food place up there, and, well, I'm already getting pretty hungry. Now, heads up, when you come to Colombia, always be on the lookout for a menu of the day. They're economical and usually very delicious. Apparently, there's a great one at the top. So, a menu of the day in Spanish is menu del dia. Menu, menu, del, of the day, day.

So, as I said, you'll see menu del dea all over Colombia. It's basically a set meal that's being served that day, and it's usually a really affordable way to get a big Colombian lunch. It's very filling and very delicious. Anyway, today's menu of the day is one of my favorite things to eat here in Medellín. Bandeja Paisa. Bandeha Paisa. If you've never seen a bandeja Pisa before, it's an absolute monster of a meal. So it's like a traditional dish.

from this region of Colombia. And you get this enormous plate, Bandeja means tray, you get this enormous plate absolutely covered in different foods. Usually you'll find beans, rice, minced beef,

chicharon, which is pork skin, pork belly, chorizo, a fried egg, plantain, avocado, and even a little repa. So, we're talking about a lot of food here. And I'm going to teach you

some of those words right now because hopefully we'll be looking at exactly that in about 10 minutes. Beans are frioles. Frijoles. Minster ground beef is Carnie Molida. Carnie Molida. A fried egg. Anuevo frito. An Evo Frito Avocado Aguacate

Aguacate Aguacate And then we have Chicharon Chicharon That's the big piece of crispy pork belly

And Chorisa Chorisa Which is the sausage And then you usually got Platinum

maduro platano maduro sweet ripe plantain platinum maduro or you can just say platano

and of course it wouldn't be complete without an arpe una so altogether we've got beans frioles

rice rice arros beef beef Cairnolida, pork belly, chicharon, sausage, chorizo, egg, uevos fritos, plantain, platinum, avocado, aquacete, and of course, anarepa. Basically every food group known to humankind on one plate. And when I get there to the top, ordering one is going to be really simple.

I could ask, Tiena Bandeja Paisa, meaning, do you have bandeja Paisa? Or, if I can already see it on the menu, I could say, I want a bandeja Paisa, for favor. Chiero, a bandeha, paiza,

for favor. Meaning, I'd like a bandeja Paisa, please. Right, let's keep moving. These views are getting better and better the higher I go up You can see Medellijian opening up across the valley behind all these colorful buildings But blimey, I gotta say it is steep Even with these escalators there's still a fair bit of climbing to do So hopefully that bandeja Paisa is worth it

Espeiro que valga la Pena Ah here it is This place is like a It's like an old wooden shack It looks like it's been made out of loads of different pieces of wood But, uh, oh, I will say it has one heck of a view You can see right across Medellijin from up here Desi Aki Sevee All Medellin

Right, let's get some food A Comer Hola, a mesa for one, for favor Yes, Where, Where's Thank you. So,

then I Siento I'm here With the Perfecto You know What you Comeer?

A Bandaja Por favor Yes, And to Tomar Hmm A Coca-Cola Zero?

Yeah, I'm I'm I'm Thank you Muchis Thank you Thank you

Right Banda Paisa Successfully Ordered Let me Break down What we

said First, I asked One mesa para one, for favor. Meaning, a table for one, please. Una mesa para uno, for favor.

The waitress replied, Donde Kiera. Donde Kiera. Which basically means wherever you like. Donde

Kiera. So naturally, I chose a table with the best view. She then asked, Ja savee kee'e-kere-comer, meaning, do you know what you'd like to eat already? Yeah, save,

what, what, want to eat, so you'll probably hear that quite a lot in restaurants. What do you want to eat? What do you want to eat? Luckily, I knew exactly what I wanted, and you guys already know that I want

a bandéhaehaeza. a bandeja paiza, for favor. Because remember, in a messer Spanish, we teach manners. One bandeja, paiza,

for favor. She then asked, and to take, meaning, and to drink, and to take, and finally, she said,

yeah, I'll trygo. Yeah, se, lo, I, bring, meaning,

or bring, it right over. And here it is. Oh, look at the size of this thing. Muchizumas gratis. Wow, it's a beauella. Mucher thanks. Okay, well, let's try it. That is delicious. It's a richeissimo. So, let's have a look at what we've actually got on this plate. First we have frioles Beans Frijoles Then

Arros Rice Then we've got the Yep the carne molida Karnemolida Meaning minced beef And of course This huge crispy piece here is the

Chicharon Chicharon Chicharon which, as I said, is the crispy pork belly. This is probably my favorite part, although definitely not the healthiest. Then we've got chorizo. Chorizo. Or as they say in Spain, chorizo.

So that is a Colombian sausage. On top of the rice, we have anuebo frito. A fried egg. One webo frito. Then this big sweet piece here is Platano Maduro Sweet ripe plantain Platano Maduro

We've also got Yeah Aguacate Avocado You know, we do need our greens So it's good to see it on the plate And finally On the side here we have

One Areparepa So, on one plate, that's a lot of food. In fact, it's an absolutely ridiculous amount of food. But you know what? Saves que, I'm hungry, la vista is incredible, and savi delicious. I'm going to make a serious attempt at finishing the whole thing. Back in a bit, yeah?

Well, that was delicious. I somehow managed to feel. finish the whole dawn thing. Time to get the bill and I guess start heading back down. Pardon? The count, for favor.

Yes, sure. So, they're 30,000 pesos. Perfect. Here you have. And a little more because it was delicious, eh? Oh, much thanks.

Where are you? I'm from London, but I learned a Spanish here in Medellin. Me I'm It's a place.

And this food, the band of Paisa. Oh, wow, the

really it's a Colombian. Abla about my bassign

Marino. Oh, thank I try. I'm about the more

Colombian possible. You are a Spanish very clear.

When I was learning, for me was much more more

more more than than the Spanish. Oh, yeah, in

Spain they I mean, more rapid and pronounce some things

in a way different. Yes. Very rapid. Well, much

thanks for the food. It's delicious. I'm sure that will be

a prontico. Ha ha. Chau. Chau. Chao. Okay. Time to make my

way back down this enormous hill. Let me explain just a few things from

that conversation while I walk. I asked for the bill by saying, la Quenta, por favor, meaning the bill, please. She then told me,

son 30,000 pesos, 30,000 pesos. Son, 30,000 pesos. Now, FYI, for that enormous plate of food of this incredible view, that's a pretty good value.

I gave her a little extra and told her, Estobo delisioso. Estuvo Delisioso Which means it was delicious Then she asked De Donde is Where are you from?

De Donde Ees I told her that I'm from London But that I learned Spanish Here in Medellín And she gave me probably the best compliment you can give

De Veridad Suna Colombiano Meaning You really sound Colombian She even said that I sounded just like her next-door neighbor, Marino. I'll take that. I told her, Intento to talk about what most Colombian possible. Intento. Ablar the most Colombian possible.

Meaning, I try to sound as Colombian as possible. I also explained that when I was living, learning Spanish, I found Colombian Spanish much, much easier to understand than the Spanish I heard in Spain. She agreed that people in Spain can speak incredibly quickly and pronounce certain words differently. Not better or worse, just differently. Anyway, I've made it back down and I have to say, that was a great little adventure. Comune 13 was incredible. The views are amazing and, well, that bandéha paiser alone.

was worth climbing the hill for. So, if you're coming to Colombia, or if you're coming to Medellín, definitely make some time for Camuna Tresi. With that being said, I think I've earned myself a coffee. I'm going to leave you guys here for today. If you'd like to listen to Emerson Spanish completely ad-free, you can join us over on Patreon, where you'll also get the full transcripts, vocabulary lists,

bonus episodes, and photos from the adventure. You can also subscribe to the Emerse's, Spanish YouTube channel, where you can see more from my travels around the Spanish-speaking world and watch some of these interactions with locals. And if you want to practice the Spanish you're learning in these episodes, check out our immersive Spanish fluency builder app, where you can practice with interactive exercises, quizzes, and speaking activities designed to help everything stick. As always, much gracias for escutier. Until the next. Chau, Villegro.