Jumping from the Tree

Jumping from the tree

With temperatures routinely tipping the mercury to 35 degrees well into the evening in Mompos, it comes as no surprise that some take to jumping from the trees into the river to cool down.

Were I not closer to 40 than 30 I may just have participated on one occasion or two, but then I remember watching one such boy jumping from the old Customs building in the Plaza de la Concepcion and receiving an unpleasant shock.

Hidden just beneath the muddied waters of the Brazo de Mompox river that flows round this side of the Island floated a gnarled log travelling at quite a speed in the current found at this point. A second earlier or later and he would have been fine. I do believe the whole town was able to hear his piercing screams post impact.

Ribs broken and pride severely dented he was drawn from the river and shuttled off to hospital to be treated. I believe he is fully recovered now, but, I must add that I have not seen him launching himself from edifices or trees into the river any more.

This photograph featured is one that I snapped whilst walking along the Albarrada in front of the river later one afternoon and was nothing but luck with my Iphone. It almost appears surreal as if the boy is a decal sticker that has been placed carefully upon the river scene.

I may just have an option for the cover of my work in progress, The Mompos Project.

However, for those of you interested in viewing far higher quality photographs taken by a professional, I urge you to check out Fetze Weestra’s page. And if you are piqued, Weestra was interviewed on my Colombia Calling radio show in November.