Perhaps well maintained because of its hard to reach (but hardly impossible) location, Mompos is one of the colonial jewels in Colombia's opulent crown. Through a combination of buses and boats, one can reach the forgotten colonial splendor of Santa Cruz de Mompos located on an island of the same name – incidentally one of the world's largest fresh water islands – and wonder at monuments to the South America liberator Simon Bolivar who stopped frequently here on his campaigns. The same families that offered him shelter back in those heady days are still in possession of fine colonial mansions that make up the Portales de la Marquesa along the Alberrada in Mompos and with a little know-how you can make out Masonic symbols in the iron work on the windows and the interesting layout of the town. New work by local historians has revealed – albeit unpopular in many quarters – further links to a Masonic and contraband past.