Mompox, the first independent city in Colombia

Two weeks ago on our way to Barranco de Loba, we stopped in Mompox to visit one of SENA's small  training centers. My colleague Sandra (we work together in the Bogota SENA HQ office) was born and raised in Mompox, and we had a lovely lunch with her parents. A few photos of the training center and its students, starting with Bibiana and Sandra at the entrance and Bibiana with her center Director in the lovely center yard of the historic building:

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A group of mature female students waiting to start a class in their crafts program; very important social inclusion program to get many single mothers back into some formal income generation. But also a good amount of younger students in a business program and an environmental program, both two year full diploma programs:

Bibiana had to meet somebody of the municipal tourism office so we walked over to the town-hall:

This building is 475 years old and has a lovely courtyard:

Bibiana in her meeting with the "Secretario de Turismo y Cultura". Outside of the townhall is the main city square with on every corner "moto taxis". In the center of the square is a monument celebrating the fact that Mompox was the first city which declared independence from the Spanish colonial powers, a fact which was celebrated by the famous revolutionary General Bolivar and also each year with special festivities in Mompox:

They declared their independence on August 6, 1810 - now more than 200 years ago.

Mompox is famous for its many churches and religious festivals. Here just a few of them:

 

This building is still waiting for funding for its restauration. The city is situated along one of the side rivers of the Rio Magdelena. A few photos of scenic atmopshere of the buildings along the river: