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Mompox is the town of Macondon in Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. But it doesn’t exist. At least that is what the title character tells his companion in Márquez’s The General in his Labyrinth:
“Mompox doesn’t exist”, he said. “Sometimes we dream about it, but it doesn’t exist”.
Well, I found out it exists. It’s just really difficult to get to; and even more difficult to leave.
First, a little history: Mompox was founded in 1540 by the brother of the founder of Cartagena. Mompox flourished during the days when the Rio Magdalena was the main thoroughfare linking Colombia's coast with the Andes. A port for the transport of goods upriver, Mompox was also the site of a royal mint and a place where vast quantities of gold, silver and emeralds were stored, far from the reach of the Caribbean's pirates.
In 1810 the town became the first in Colombia to declare its independence from Spain. It started to decline in the 19th century, when the Magdalena began to silt up and the larger boats were diverted down one of its branches. Today it is a sleepy, unhurried pueblo, one of Colombia’s most charming and best preserved Spanish colonial towns, and is a World Heritage site.
The finest church in Mompox is the Iglesia de Santa Bárbara, overlooking the riverfront plaza of the same name.
With its magnificent Baroque octagonal bell tower and Moorish balcony adorned with ornate mouldings of flowers and lions, it vaguely resembles an oriental pagoda.
Simon Bolivar was an important person in Mompox’s history. Like so many Latin Countries, Mompox has its Bolivar Plaza, with his statue in the center.
At the base of another statue are his words: Si a Caracas debo la vida, a Mompos debo la gloria (If to Caracas I owe my life, to Mompox I owe my glory)
As are the words: El primer pueblo que en el vereinati de Nueva Granada desafió el poder Español (The first town that in the viceroyalty of New Granada defied Spanish power)
Mompox was a very important pueblo!
I began the next day with a good breakfast (included) at my hotel, then a nice hot walk to the beautiful all-white cemetery.
Mompox cemetery.MOVThe street in front of my hotel was lined with Colombian flags and policemen - some big cheese politician is due. So I got myself a coffee, and sat myself down in a shady spot.
I left after awhile, with no big cheese politician yet, so I took a stroll through the town.
The above graffiti reminds visitors that not only does it have a wonderful church, Mompox also has a very famous jazz festival.
Along the malecón I came across a bunch of girls practicing for the Carnaval:
Mompox dancers.MOVI found a tiny bar. It’s owner and only customer gave me an impromptu performance.
Mompox singing bar owner.MOVBut I did not find a restaurant (this is truly the off season), so I made do with some baked goods and a sugary soft drink (the only kind they have here).
After an evening stroll on the almost empty malecón...
... I went back to the hotel to arrange tomorrow’s ride to Valledupar, the next stop on my route to Santa Marta. This turned out not to be very easy. But that is the subject for the next episode. See you later!
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