The whole area is freaking swampy. I mean really.
The towns are only about 35km as the crow flies, but getting from Magangue (on the left of the map below) to Mompos (‘Santa Cruz de Mompox’) is far from straightforward.
This is google maps’ suggestion. A 12-hour road trip. [EDIT: as you can see, this has since changed with the construction of a new bridge, and it’s now a straightforward journey of an hour or so]
But that’s not what people do in reality. Instead they take a chalupa across the river, and then a share taxi onwards.
The road stretch from the boat landing to Mompos.
Since we’re heading to Mompos, here’s something featuring Toto la Momposina (a Momposina is someone from Mompos). The track is a pretty all-encompassing ode to Latin America by Puerto Rican bad-boys-with-a-social-conscience Calle 13. Toto la Momposina is the woman singing the first part of the chorus in Spanish.
If you’re struggling to understand the bit at the beginning, it’s because the DJ is talking in Quechua.
Finally, we get to Mompos. And it’s worth the wait.
Eating lunch on the bank of the River Magdalena (complete with overdone fill-in flash). This is the big daddy of rivers in Colombia – according to this website its basin covers roughly a quarter of Colombia’s natural territory.
This is the Simon Bolivar quote in the main square of Mompos.
The town of El Banco, Magdalena which has a famous cumbia festival.
Getting ready for the off from El Banco.
The river journey. It’s fascinating and insightful, especially if you’re into being cramped in tight spaces for 7-8 hours.
Barrancabermeja – the place where conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada ended his river journey, and where I’m going to do the same. I bet his journey was more comfortable than mine though. Seriously. No, okay, not seriously.
San Gil, paradise for adventure-sports types, and a popular place for Colombians and foreigners alike. Also good if you like steep hills.
A massive ant (inedible).
Oh hello – it’s Tunja.
Pressing the flesh in Tunja’s main square.
It’s Juan Manuel Santos! No – it’s Rafael Pardo.
Here are some people dancing Torbellino, a dance which is strongly connected to this part of the Andes. They’re dancing it in a field for added folkloric effect.
Puente Boyaca
Welcome to Aquitania – the end of the road, despite being on a ring road.
This is the song we were singing together in the cafe in Aquitania – the romantic (= slushy and mushy) salsa Yo No Sé Mañana by Nicaraguan Luis Enrique.