I who lived firsthand the true sentimental absence of Rafa Manjarrez, for many years in Bogotá and I also have so many friends in the interior of the country who long to enjoy a vallenato festival, perhaps that is why it has become customary for me to write through this medium some recommendations for our first-time visitors and as I know that many of my readers do not want to miss, at the end of April, the 56th version of the Vallenato Legend Festival, in homage to the minstrel Luis Enrique Martínez, I begin with this installment a guide on what do’s and don’ts for three or four days of the festival.
If the economic resources are not so generous and you cannot find air tickets that fit the budget, do not hesitate to travel through Santa Marta or Barranquilla and take advantage of the 3 or 4 hours by land transport to relax, in the end you come to party, or not? ?
One way to solve the accommodation problem if a good hotel is no longer available is by resorting to nearby towns, such as La Paz, San Diego, Manaure and others, there are also many private apartments available through platforms and social networks or ultimately the call to a friend.
If you come to Valledupar for the first time, at least you should visit these places: La Provincia Park and at the same time enjoy our emblematic Guatapurí river, Hurtado Spa and of course La Sirena. It would be unforgivable if you don’t know the ‘Beto’ Murgas accordion museum. You must reserve one night to attend a vallenato party or presentation with the classical vallenato composers, this year they will be at Club Valledupar, Club Campestre and also in some places like the Guacaó bar.
If you come to Valledupar, I imagine you do it for our music, so if it’s to dance at night, choose the place and the artists you want to listen to carefully, but don’t forget that you came to the Vallenato Festival and the least is to see some of the competitions: Accordion, Unpublished Song, Piqueria, in the various categories.
Do not leave without going through the Plaza Alfonso López and without buying something at the ‘Compae Chipuco’ store. I hope you have time to bathe in the beautiful Badillo river or in La Mina. Creole gastronomy is the best, but there is also a good offer of international food.
Those who end up regretting it are those who leave at dawn and then spend the whole day sleeping. A walk through the historic center of Valledupar or through some neighborhoods like Novalito can inspire you to compose a vallenato. In the next columns I will continue giving you some pills to have a good time at the Vallenato Festival 2023.
COLOPHON: As the political thing in the country wants to heat up for what used to be called mitaca elections, that is, electoral fairs of local authorities, I suppose that the artists who play permanently in the municipalities of Cesar and La Guajira ready their arsenal of jingles and new musical works where they include greetings to the favorite candidates to win the mayoral ballot to ensure their contracts for the next 4 years. I wish the control bodies and the prosecution would keep an eye on this other type of corruption, but we already know that they are cockroaches from the same pumpkin.
By: Jorge Nain Ruiz Ditta
The entry I wait for you in Valledupar was first published in El Pilón | News from Valledupar, El Vallenato and the Colombian Caribbean.
