The excitement to leave Santa Marta for the small town of Santa Cruz de Mompox is real! And there we are, once again after an infinite bus journey (which included a “short” stop at a mechanic to fix an issue), the lights of Mompox can be seen at the horizon.
Tonight, we’re staying at La Casa del Viajero, a very budget-friendly hostel located just on the edge of the city center. The family who owns the place is really kind, the private bedroom (as well as the dorm) is very pretty and the kitchen is good enough. Not a bad deal, uh? Anyway, time for bed, tomorrow exploration will start early!
Good morning Mompox! The sun is shining strong but luckily it only takes us 10min of walking on the Carrera 2 to reach the Plaza Santa Bárbara and its beautiful church. Just next to them sits quietly the Santander Park and the wilderness of the river Magdalena.
It is here that the walk shifts from being “nice” to “marvellous”: by walking at the end of the plaza we realize that there’s a small pedestrian path next to the river. What a beauty! Locals take the time to say hello and welcome us to their hometown wth proud. Nothing like the bustling cities of Cartagena or Santa Marta, here feels like time flows slower than usual. At around brunch time, we find a little local restaurant on the riverside and decide to stop to get a bite.
After a tasty very colombian brunch, we keep following the river path until we end up in the Parque Bolívar and its majestic Iglesia de la Concepción. All this area filled with several souvenir shops seems to be slightly more touristy than before but it is here that you can find a very helpful info point. Did you know that one of the main activity in town is to visit the Ciénaga de Pijiño in lancha?
What to say, Mompox is a small village that has not many activities but has a lot to offer. Getting lost around the town, wandering the dirt roads behind the Mercado Público Municipal, seeing people building houses, vendors getting their cart ready for another day of work, kids playing on the road and waving back at oldies sitting down outside their house to see the world go by. Mompox is a quick but tasty bite of the Colombia we’ve been picturing in our mind before getting here: the charm of an omnipresent past.
And whenever you’re tired of Mompox, just swing by the road behind the Mercado Público and check out the bus times (the only two bus companies are Omega and Copetran) to Santa Marta, Barranquilla or Bucaramanga.
But remember, even if for just an afternoon, finding your way to Mompox will be much worth the effort!
¿PLANEANDO UN VIAJE A COLOMBIA? ¡LEE MÁS POSTS A CONTINUACIÓN!
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