Roaming South America

Jamundí, Colombia

March 4, 2022

Jamundí (pronounce the J like an H in English), is located south of Cali about 24 kilometers (15 miles). Jamundí is four months older than Cali, having been founded in March 1536. The entire metropolitan area of Jamundí has about 170,000 people. Historians say that Jamundí, initially called the Villa of Ampudia, to recognize its founder, Juan de Ampudia, was started as a fort built on the banks of the Jamundí River.

Pretty much all of the history of Jamundí is the same as what I wrote about Cali, except Jamundí was founded by the Spanish conquistadors Pedro de Añasco and Juan de Ampudia. The name Jamund&iactute; was the name of the chief, Xamundí, of the tribe of indigenous people who lived in the area before the conquistadors arrived.

Jamundí has a park called Parque De Los Cholados (Cholados Park), which is a place to get traditional Cholados. A cholado is a fruit, shaved (or crushed) ice, and a little condensed milk in a cup. Supposedly it originated in Jamundí. Often there is a bit of whipped cream on top, and a wafer cookie. It's been said that people from Cali and other nearby towns come to Jamundí just to buy Cholados. I happen to like them very much. I've never met anyone who doesn't. They are sliced fruit such as mango, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, apple, banana, strawberries, and soursop (guanabana). There's a photo in the photo album. Some people call them "raspao" or "raspado" but that can be a very different treat if you are on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. That would be shaved ice flavored with fruit syrup, usually, the vendor will have three or four flavors of fruit. Anyway, the main reason for me stopping for the night in Jamundí was to have one of those traditional cholados. But, can you believe it? The park is closed for a complete makeover! Oh well, there are still some vendors in the main plaza so I will get one yet! This town is a bit less littered than Cali, which is typical I have found, that the pueblos are less littered than the cities.