One uncle’s Sunday

If there’s someone in the family who has influenced me a lot with culture and arts, it’s this Uncle of mine. As a result, he and I share something in common, our strong interest for arts and travel.

From time to time, we exchange notes of our travel experiences. I noticed that he is also like me. When we travel we can't help but think of the different places where we've been.

With permission, he allowed me to post in my blog his Mexico trips.

Metro subway stations in a strange city intimidate me.

As I had no previous reading on the city’s Metro system, I approached one station this morning with a bit of apprehension as I had no advance knowledge of its operation. Metro stations operate the same all over the world right? New York, Vancouver, LA, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, DC, San Francisco's Bart, etc.

Well, not really. Manila is an exception. It's like dealing with 3 different metros. Different fares are needed for each system. Who knows if Mexico’s is like Manila's?

I found out its much better for two Mexican dollars (about six pesos, one can go anywhere one way with one admission) . It has 10 different lines crisscrossing all over the city.

So I arrived on time at Museum Anthropology Auditorium to see the famous Ballet Folklorico de Mexico.admission fee of 400 mexican dollars, about 20 USD. It was two hours of glorious music and dancing, exuberant foot stomping ala flamenco, colorful depiction of its magnificent culture, Pre-Columbian as well as Hispanic up to the present time. There were about 60 ensemble members, including two trumpeters, six violinists, two guitarists, one harp player. At the end of the show, all performers threw confetti at us the audience to show their appreciation of our attendance. The festivity was contagious.

Flashback …

I saw the Bayanihan perform years ago in Cagayan de Oro when they came back from their triumphant performance overseas, and I think Bayanihan with that pàrticular repertoire is better compared to Folklorico. I can´t help but compare as there is so much similarities. But bayanihan was more diverse, varied, fast paced, and completely mesmerizing. maglalatik and itik itik is incomparable to one dimensional dancing in Folklorico. It´s too bad when I saw Bayanihan perform years later in Pasadena, California, their program was completely changed, too boring, monotonous repercussion sounds, and too much emphasis on Muslim choreography which can get flat for a while. I long for their original program.

Also why hasn’t Philippines sustained the Bayanihan like Folklorico which performs every Wednesday at 8pm, and tqo shows on Sundays at 9:30am and 8:30pm in a venue that's dedicated to the performing arts? Come to think of it, the city´s parks are filled with people, and struggling artists like jugglers, mimes, dancers, singers, openly perform and hone their skills in public without fear of judgment as everybody is free to do their own thing. I haven’t been to a big shopping mall, I think it only has one. Everybody seems to show up in public parks filled with trees, inviting benches, and cool open clean spaces. Families bond here without costing a fortune.

Back to Folklorico …

One never knows what surprises await the curious traveller. It happèns that at the same anthropologic museum in Chapultepec Pàrk another marvelous exhibition is ongoing: "Arte y cultura de imperio Ruso, colecciones del museo de ermitage".

My once in a lifetime chance to see the treasurers of Tsarist Russia without having to travel to hermitage in Leningrad!

It was jampàcked. I give credit to Mexican government. The entrance is free if one shows a Mexican ID, otherwise 51 Mexican dollars if foreigner. The place was of course packed, locals as well as tourists.

At the end of the exhibit, I was overwhelmed with the richness of tsar Russia's past, the opulence of the royal family's tastes, and the treasures it amassed, all either in gold or expensive gems for decorative arts. It surely was a display of decadence on their 300 year power. The Romanovs had deity complex and thought their power and hold on the masses will be everlasting. We all know of course that the peasants were hungry in the midst of their opulence, so the October 1917 revolution overthrew the royalty and all of them ended being shot in cold blood, execution style.

This has been a long, fulfilling day for me.

So I ended the day after getting off from the Metro station with a hearty Mexican dinner, devoured Unilever´s strawberry ice cream in a cup, and, thank God for the chance to have seen what I have seen today.

Truly magnificent experience in Mexico City today.

End of his email.

I’ve been to Mexico but it was only at Monterrey. In my next visit, Mexico City is a must-see place. And oh yes, I love Mexican food, too, hmmm-mmm …