VALLEDUPAR

Conquered by the Spanish Hernando Santana, the city was originally called City of Los Santos Reyes Cacique Upar Valley, a title that is synthesized under the name of Valledupar. It is located on the southwestern margin of Guatapurí or "Cold Water" river, according Chimilas who ruled the region until the conquest.

The Vallenato Legend Festival

The Vallenato Legend Festival is linked to the work of Gabriel García Márquez. It is carried out since 1968 the last days of April. The idea of holding a contest for musicians was conceived in 1967, when several characters, including Gabriel García Márquez, Consuelo Araújo, Rafael Escalona and Alfonso López Michelsen, gathered at the historic house of Alfred Molina and defined the project which was backed by firms like Hohner Germany.

The city is an important center for agricultural, food processing and livestock production in the region between the north of Cesar and southern department of La Guajira. It is also one of the main musical, cultural and folk epicenters of Colombia for being the cradle of vallenato music genre most popular in the country and is now a symbol of Colombian music. Annually attracts thousands of visitors from Colombia and abroad during the Vallenato Legend Festival, Max event vallenato.

Gastronomy

The geographical area in which is situated Valledupar, has a wide variety of lands in different climates, making the city are marketed and consumed various animals and plant products. At low and flat areas maize, cassava and rice are grown that are the basis of the local food and is also in this area beef cattle and goats provide meat and milk are raised. These foods are supplemented by products from temperate and cold climates of the highlands and mountains of Perija Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta as bananas, coffee and vegetables.

Traditionally gastronomy is based foods such as corn, with which cheese arepas, arepas clean, clean rolls and ear, arepuelas, chicha, porridge and pies are prepared; cassava consumed in stews, cooked in salt water or fresh cheese served with roasted vallenato type; and beef, lamb, pork or fish from the river.

The most common preparations are Valledupar sancochos chicken, goat, beef oxtail, three phase, tripe; white rice with coconut noodles with chicken, with beans, vegetables, offal; stews of any type of meat with tomatoes, onions, garlic, green onion, achiote, cumin and pepper; grains and beans zaragoza, black head, black beans, red lentils; sweet tuber or vegetable, grilled bananas and temptation (cane syrup).