The strange sensation of being in South America hasn’t really started to wear off yet but then we arrived in Mompox.
The fight for South American Independence started here in 1810 on the 6th of August when the city adopted New Hampshire’s motto of “Live Free or Die” and told Spain to stuff it. Two years later Bolivar, the upstart Venezuelan showed up and convinced the locals to join his winning team and they went to war with him.
46 thousand people live here on the banks of the river which used to be the main tributary of the mighty Magdalena which was the main artery of commerce across Colombia. The river took a turn and took Mompox’s trading wealth with it. Silt killed the river town.
We’re here out of season, kids are going back to school and dry season has descended like a sweat saturated blanket over the city. It is hot here, 100 degrees and without a breath of air, sweat rises on your skin in little bubbles and your shirt becomes a rag. The idea of waging war in this climate is appalling but they did it. We walked to the grocery store and that did us in.
Juana has lived here all her life and she sat there fresh as a daisy. A nice afternoon she thought.
Rusty has become a Latin American survivor and he’s got street dogs figured out. He stands up to them and they cower, and he has learned to strut. When I intervene to help him, the usual trick I use is to bend down and pretend to grab a stone and the local dogs back off. They are used to being the objects of hurled missiles and they don’t hang around to call my bluff.
I’ve read about this town for a long time, founded in 1537 Mompox (pronounced Momposs) has retained its colonial architecture, and even though the river is no longer a commercial highway the town still has goldsmiths that make world famous filigree designs. It’s history living in our time, in gorgeous colonial architecture.
Layne found us a small hotel that suits the atmosphere of the town quite perfectly.
Outside the sun beats down and heat hits you in the face; inside it wraps like a wool blanket and makes you crave air conditioning.
For some reason our hotel is called The Yellow House (Casa Amarilla).
And yes, it’s Rusty friendly and he likes it.
Wrought iron doors, sort of doors.
And a courtyard. Pretty nice isn’t it, and affordable at sixty five bucks a night, a cold bedroom and decent WiFi in the common areas.
We walked four blocks to lunch along the riverfront. Others were out enjoying the levee.
It’s not the Potomac but it’s got its history.
Layne found a highly recommended place to eat and it was good.
We had a late lunch of Mompos delicacies. First we tried plantain cups filled with local sausage, barbecue and chicken in three of these patacones.
Colombia we are told is pet friendly. Who do you suppose likes that?
We shared a main course of rice with a strange mixture of shrimp and a cream sauce. It was very good, the strangest risotto I’ve ever had and I’d like to have again.
They have some kind of flood monitor on the levee. Right now everything looks calm and dry but there could be drama in the future.
Grocery store walk.
Note the tuk tuk below.
The grocery store was in new town and nothing special according to Layne but we are stocked with water now.
Another tuk tuk.
Dinner was more Momposian specialties. A fried potato ball with ground beef similar to a Cuban relleno. There was a weird omelette and rather tough empanadas. Her son thought taking a photo was funny but he wasn’t at all sure about Rusty, despite Layne telling him it’s me that bites, not my dog.
We took a dollar fifty ride back to the hotel in a tuk tuk.
All three of us…Rusty actually got pretty relaxed, enjoying the breeze and looking around with interest.
I don’t know how his little brain deals with it all but as I write he’s passed out on his bed.
Lots more to see in Mompox-Bolivar. We go back to Cartagena Sunday and Monday morning we unload GANNET2 from the container.
Our shipping agent Ana Rodriguez has started the paperwork on our container sitting in the Colombian port.
Pretty cool. Our mechanic is coming from Panama Friday and he’s expecting to have our air conditioning back on the roof Friday afternoon. Amazing if it happens! When it happens! Then it’s off to the fabulous city of Medellin.
