Mompox

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Last weekend was a 3-day weekend, and a great time to get out of Barranquilla for the weekend. What I read in my guidebook about Mompox sounded so interesting that I figured it would be well worth the travel to get there. Mompox is an old colonial town on the Rio Magdelena. But in the 1800's the shipping route was changed, and it has been pretty isolated ever since. Dave and I took a long bus ride from Barranquilla to Magangue, then a taxi, aboat and another taxi (colectivo) to get there. The boat ride definately made it seem more adventurous! You could imagine being back in the day, boating to Mompox to escape from Pirate attacks in Cartagena. I was also pretty entertained by the guy collecting money. On buses there's always a guy who collects money, often waiting until the bus is on the highway before walking up and down the aisle to get money. The guy on the boat waited until we were about halfway there (we stopped to pick up some people on the way) then he popped down from the roof of the boat and walked along the side of the boat collecting money from each row. He seemed totally at ease!

Mompox definately moves at a much slower pace than Barranquilla. It's very relaxing. After eating dinner along the river the waiter pointed out a lizard and told me it could walk across water. A Jesus lizard! Didn't get to see it in action though. Just as the sun was setting we walked by a church with lot of people and a quartet singing inside. The reason for the 3-day weekend in the first place was some sort of saint day... I'm still not really sure. Regardless, it was nice to be a part of the experience. It was definately a moment of, wow, I'm in Colombia! Here I am in a 400 year-old church filled with people, doors opened invitingly, birds flying in and out, fans blowing hot air- it was an authentic experience, part of a living tradition.

The next day we wandered around. Because it was a Sunday, most of the stores were closed. There were still plenty of people out and about on bicycles, motorcycles and moto-taxis.

View of one of the plazas.

Exploring an old building.

Local Sunday morning mass.

We had heard that the cemetary was interesting, so we went to check it out.

And we met a new friend.

The poor kitty was sooo over-heated! She followed our shadows around for awhile.

A Momposino-style chair.

Typical street sign with an interesting way of writing de.

A door within a door.