Campo Alegre

Omg Mompox is so hot 🥵! It was 37°C yesterday and we did a filigree workshop outdoors! If that didn’t give me heatstroke I don’t know what will! The filigree workshop was 2 hours long and we made part of a flower! It was so cool! Mompox is famous for having lots of handmade filigree items as it used to be the town that minted the coins. So the goldsmiths with silverwork skills are still here. In the workshop I learnt that the silversmiths take a lot of pride in their work. When my mum asked if a particularly complex piece was made by machine, they were rather offended.

I didn’t understand that such intricate pieces could be made my hand, but in the workshop they showed us how silver is beat to be paper thin, then twirled and hammered to make beautiful shapes. Silver dust is then sprinkled and then heated and melted to hold the whole piece together.

As I leave Mompox, I reflect on what a historical little town that was. And how all the people were so happy and unusually friendly...Read more