Missing the city

Pablo Alvarez-Correa, tour guide and founder of Real City Tours. Medellin, Colombia.

How has your day-to-day life been affected by COVID-19?

I used to be out 12 to 13 hours a day, guiding groups around downtown Medellin. In the last 50 days, I’ve only been out about five or six times in total. I used to go to bed super tired and fall asleep very quickly. Now, no matter what time I go to bed it’s difficult to fall asleep. Before lockdown, I didn’t know any card games; now there are days where I prefer to play cards than watch TV.

— Scrabble — I hate it, I never win!

What’s been keeping you busy?

Washing a lot of dishes and launching my tour company’s new product: Live Virtual Tour Medellin. It’s a way to discover Medellin using 360° images connected directly with a tour guide. I’m trying to keep the company alive: asking for loans, attending useful webinars, renegotiating the rent of the office and finding new ways of income for the business and the guides. I’ve also been working on an air quality sensor and learning about electronics and different development environments. My bachelor’s degree is in Electronics Engineering so I enjoy going back to electronics as a hobby. Learning how to create and edit videos for social media is also a new pastime.

— I used to be out 12 to 13 hours a day, guiding groups around downtown Medellin. In the last 50 days, I’ve only been out about five or six times in total.

— The view from my apartment, looking south.

— The view from my apartment, looking north.

The place you miss the most?

There’s a few: the velodrome where I train in the mornings, the mountain roads I climb on my bicycle on the weekends, the city centre where I guide tours, and my favourite empanada place, Empanadas Envigadeñas by Plaza Botero.

— [I miss] the velodrome where I train in the mornings, the mountain roads I climb on my bicycle on the weekends, the city centre where I guide tours, and my favourite empanada place.

Who do you miss the most?

My nine-month-old nephew and my colleagues.

What have you learned about yourself?

I’m a sore loser when I play scrabble with my wife; I enjoy meditation (although I already knew this, I just reinforced the idea of how easily I can get distracted); I can have many moods in one single day; a routine is important for my mental well-being.

— My ‘baby’, I would have gone crazy without it.

First thing you’ll do once out of lockdown?

Ride my bicycle.

Favourite lockdown challenge?

‘Bring Sally up’ push-up challenge.

— My studio set-up.

Soundtrack to your lockdown?

‘Caja de Sorpresas’ by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.