Culture of ColombiaImagine a river so clean, so beautiful, but without fish. Colombia is home to this river called Canos Cristales or “the river of five colors” if you are a local. This is just one of the beautiful places you can visit. Colombia is the only country in all of South America that borders both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Sierra de Santa Marta is another amazing site that you can only find in Colombia. It is the highest coastal mountain in the entire world! Many people only see Colombia as the place with mountains of cocaine and coffee when in reality it is much more. Colombia has a unique and diverse culture thanks to its history and traditions. More than half of the population is made up of mestizos. They were influenced by Africans, Europeans and native Indians. Because of these influences Colombia has a very rich heritage and culture. These influences and traditions that they have acquired over the years have been incorporated in many ways throughout Colombia. Some examples include their many dances, heartwarming music, delicious food, art, architecture, festivals and celebrations, etc. The third most popular city in Colombia called "Cali" is one of the oldest cities in the Americas and is also known as the salsa capital of the world. Many people today are familiar with Salsa, a dance that requires rapid movement of the feet while continuing to move the upper body along with the rhythm of the music. Cumbia is the national dance of Colombia created by mixing African rhythms with melodies. It is the dance that most represents the country and its culture. The classical version of this dance was performed only with musical instruments without singing while now...... middle of paper ...... Social customs and daily life." Culture and customs of Colombia. Santa Barbara, CA : Greenwood , 1999. ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Web, February 26, 2014. “History of Coffee in Colombia (SLIDESHOW).” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, January 17, 2013. Web. March 2, 2014."Multi Cultural Cooking Network." Multi Cultural Cooking Network. Np, November 5, 2012. Web. March 31, 2014. "Music and dance in Colombia." Music and Dance in Colombia, n.d. Web, March 25, 2014. “Top 10 Places to Visit in Colombia.” – Discover Colombia. October 16, 2013. Web. March 31, 2014. "Typical Colombian food." Typical Colombian dishes and desserts, March 19, 2014. Web. “US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement”. Culture. Np, 2012. Web. 23 March. 2014.