PROFILE

Hello everyone, my name is Eva Maria, I am 18 years old, I am a student of industrial      engineer. I love traveling, especially by car, because I can make a stop at any time. I also   like traveling because I can meet new people (totally different from the people I know)    interact with them and learn about their customs and traditions.  I also want to confess      that I love food. It is one of the things I like the most in life. When I travel I definitely do want not miss the opportunity to try something new that comes my way. One of the          places that I like to visit the most is Popayán. I like this city because ​​some of the most       delicious and unique dishes, such as empanadas and tamales de pipian, are prepared in      this place. The people from this city also make many delicious and unique desserts.

ABOUT POPAYAN

Popayan is a Colombian city located in the Valley of Pubenza, between the West and Central Cordilleras to the southwest of the country. It is the capital of the department of Cauca with about 300,000 inhabitants. Its land area is 512 km², and average temperature of 18/20 ° C.

PLACES TO VISIT

"The White City" is one of the most beautiful and colonial cities in our country. Here you can see buildings with styles similar to the Spanish Baroque. Popayán is also famous for its beautiful churches and the white facades of its houses. In the historic area you can see churches, cathedrals, public squares, and museums. Popayan was declared National Monument due to its important historical legacy and beauty.

Some of the places you should visit when you are in Popayan are:

• Patojo little town (Pueblito Patojo): The most representative monuments of Popayan such as the clock tower , the bridge of the humiliation , colonial houses and others were built in this place.

• The Historical Center (El Centro Historico): Considered one of the most beautiful and well preserved historical centers, not only in Colombia but also in Latin America.

• The Museum house Negret (La Casa Museo Negret): Here you can see the work of Edgar Negret, a very important artist in Colombia.

• The Museum house Valencia (El Museo Casa Valencia): In this place the personal belongings of the Valencia family are exhibited. 

• The Humiliation Bridge (El Puente del humilladero).

• Caldas Park (Parque Caldas)

• Clock Tower

• The Ermita Church , San Francisco , Belén , San Agustin , Santo Domingo

• Purace Park (Parque Purace) 44 kilometers away from the city.
• Coconuco, 30 kilometers away from Popayan offers the warmest hot springs of the region.

TYPICAL DISHES:

If you really want to try delicious and unique food, Popayan is the right place for you to    eat. Its food is a mixture of Spanish and indigenous cuisine which gives it a special taste. The city is full of nice restaurants where you can eat very well and with little money.        Something remarkable is that the white city, as it is known Popayan, is the only city in     Latin America declared City of Gastronomy by UNESCO, due to its exquisite food. 

Some of the typical meals of this place are:

• Tortilla Soup

• Soup Carantanta

• Tamales Pipian

• Emapanadas of Pipian

• Ice Paila

• Cornbread

• Champus

• Salpicon

• rice Masato

• Cassava Mantecadas

• peanut Cocadas

• Aplanchados

I love candies and one of my favorites are the mantecadas, a king of small cake or shortbread made with Cassava that has a soft texture and a cover of sugar syrup. When you eat a mantecadas, you are always going to want to eat another one. They are really good. On the other hand, the champus is a drink super recommended by me because of its combination of pineapple and corn that makes it very refreshing and soft, perfect to drink with empanadas. Finally, the Empanadas of pipian are made with crunchy dough stuffed with pipian, a traditional mixture of red potatoes, peanuts and other ingredients. Popayan offers a wide variety of products. That is why I recommend this place to people who love gastronomy.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Today Holy Week is one of the most important celebrations in Popayan, not only for the city but also for the country. The strong religious beliefs among the inhabitants of the city of Popayan came from the Spanish conquerors that used to carry out different rites of the Catholic Church. These religious practices were gradually growing due to the arrival of representative images to the Catholic Church. Nowadays, the celebration of the Holy Week is one of the events that make the citizens feel more proud of this beautiful city.

In Popayan there are different events during Holy Week. Some of them are the festival of religious   music and the different kinds of processions; one of the most striking is one     where children, between 5 and 11 years old, participate in the procession leading statues   that narrate the passion of Christ.      These figures are also known as ‘steps’.These statues look very real and reflect the events that occurred long time ago.    These processions      really get to move the heart of the people who have the chance to be there.   I was                personally moved by its beauty, even though I am not pretty sensitive. For tourists, like me, this celebration is truly unforgettable and the feeling of peace and tranquility of this   place is unique.