Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 519

churches and elaborate colonial mansions
is a constant reminder of the town's faded
glory and wealth. The town is also
famous for its wooden rocking chairs ,
which residents drag on to the streets in
the evenings to watch the world go by,
as well as filigree silver and gold work
sold around Calle Real del Medio, and
Vinimompox - fruit wines made from
banana, guava, orange and tamarind.
The best way to explore is to wander the
streets, peeking at the whitewashed colonial
houses with wrought-iron grilles, intricately
carved doorways, clay-tile roofs and
fragrant flower-draped balconies.

afternoon and are best booked through
La Casa Amarilla . Tours leave around
3pm, generally take four hours and cost
COP$25,000-30,000, depending on the
number of people. Your guide will point
out numerous animals and birds that live
alongside the river, such as giant iguanas,
monkeys, herons, fishing eagles and
kingfishers, and there's usually an
opportunity for a swim in one of the
lakes, such as the Ciénaga de Pjinon ,
reachable by narrow channels from the
main waterway. Returning by boat to
Mompox after a quick sunset dip, you'll
be greeted by a sixteenth-century vision
of how the town would have appeared
to new arrivals (if you discount the
anachronistic mounds of twenty-first-
century trash on the riverbank), with all
six of its imposing churches facing the
river to welcome you.

5

The churches
Of its six churches, the finest is Iglesia de
Santa Bárbara , at the end of Calle 14 on
the riverfront plaza of the same name.
With its Baroque octagonal bell tower
and Moorish balcony adorned with
ornate mouldings of flowers and lions,
it resembles a fancy cake. Iglesia de San
Agustín , on Calle Real del Medio, houses
several richly gilded religious objects,
most notably the Santo Sepulcro, used in
the traditional Semana Santa processions.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By bus Buses arrive and depart from the Expreso Brasilia/
Unitransco terminal, on the riverfront next to La Casa
Amarilla . From Bogotá take a bus to El Banco, Magdalena
(1-3 daily; 14hr), followed by a 4WD to Mompox (1hr).
From Bucaramanga take a night bus to El Banco (3 daily;
9hr), then a 4WD. From Cartagena a direct bus leaves
at 6.30am (8hr); for a faster route (5-6hr), take a direct
bus to Managué, then a chalupa water taxi to Bodegá-
Mompox (30min).
By van A door-to-door van (“ puerta a puerta” ) can be
arranged from Cartagena with Toto Express ( T 310 707
0838; COP$75,000), and a different company from Santa
Marta (6-10hr; COP$80,000) and Taganga (6-10hr;
COP$50,000), with 3am or 11am pick-up. Call La Casa
Amarilla to book, or ask for more information at your
hostel.
Tourist information There is no tourist o ce but
Richard McColl at La Casa Amarilla is very knowledgeable
about the area. The ATM on Plaza Bolívar often runs out of
money so arrive with plenty.

Cementerio Municipal
Hiding behind Mompox's most attractive
leafy square, the atmospheric cemetery
(C 18; daily 8am-noon & 2-5pm),
where elaborate white marble tombs
stand alongside more modest graves in
the unkempt grass, will appeal to those
with a taste for the macabre.

Museo Cultural
he Museo Cultural , at Cra 2 No. 14-15
(Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 2-5pm, Sat & Sun
8am-5pm; COP$3500), where Simón
Bolívar once stayed, has a small collection of
religious art. Bolívar's statue graces the small
namesake square, while the inscription on
the plinth of another Bolívar-related statue
in a tiny nearby square reads (in Spanish):
“To Caracas I owe my life but to Mompós I
owe my glory.”

ACCOMMODATION
Ì La Casa Amarilla Cra 1 No. 13-59 T 5 685 6326,
W lacasaamarillamompos.com. Hands down the best
place to stay in Mompox, this scenic hostel in a beautifully
restored, riverfront colonial building has ten clean and
stylish rooms, ranging from dorms to luxury suites, with
comfortable beds and colourful murals. The bright, plant-
filled courtyard is great for an afternoon hammock snooze,
and the open-air shared kitchen, rooftop terrace, bike
rental, book exchange, cable TV and stacks of DVDs make

Boat tours
Particularly worthwhile if you're
interested in local birds and wildlife,
boat trips are a great way to spend an