WANDERLUST IN

Travels and discoveries of a UST choir member across Mexico.

In 2000, right after graduating from the university, I became part of the UST Singers, the official choir of the University of Santo Tomas, under the direction of Professor Fidel Gener Calalang, Jr. Not only did this opportunity make me enjoy and grow with my music, it has also opened doors to experience the world, different peoples and cultures. Since then, until six international concert tours later, there has been no rest for this chorister wanderlust.

While the choir’s sojourn often led us to Europe and the United States, we were happy that we would be performing in Central America in 2001. The UST Singers were set to attend their first choral festival in Mexico, in the beautiful city of Puebla, southeast of the nation's capital.

Puebla is Mexico's fourth largest city, after Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. The city boasts of an amazing history, a great temperate weather, a delectable cuisine, and a rich and colorful cultural scene. Puebla is home to a picturesque well-conserved colonial architecture, it is a UNESCOrecognized historic center, and its regional dishes are iconic, which makes it a must-visit on any Mexico itinerary.

It became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987.

Puebla de los Angeles, also known as Puebla de Zaragoza, was founded in April 1531. It is believed that it was the first city in Mexico built entirely from the ground by Spanish settlers. According to legend, the beautiful city´s blue print was created by angels, meant to be enjoyed by mortals.

Here are snippets of what I fondly remember of my Mexican adventure:

Catedral Basílica de Puebla, a renaissance-era structure, has tall bell towers and overlooks the central square, called Zócalo. This Roman Catholic cathedral is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, and is a treasure of colonial art. Built in 1575 and completed in 1664, it was designed by Francisco Becerra and Juan de Cigorondo, and became the second-largest in the country, after the Mexico City Cathedral.

Zócalo (Plaza de Armas) has existed since the founding of the city in 1531. Throughout history it has been a meeting place and social center of the city. Today, Zócalo is a tree-filled plaza adorned with a large number of sculptures.

Teotihuacan

During one of the festival days, we traveled to Teotihuacan, a vast Mexican archeological complex, northeast of Mexico City. The site was once believed to be a flourishing pre-Columbian city. It links the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun, the latter two with panoramic views from their summits. Artifacts in the Museum of Teotihuacan Culture include pottery and bones.

Food

Puebla is known for their iconic regional dishes like mole poblano, which is traditionally served with chicken or turkey as its main protein covered with a dark sauce called mole, which is made out of ancho, mulato, pasilla chiles (dried poblano peppers), and chocolate. Mole is typically served over rice, meats, burritos, enchiladas or as filling for tamales. The taste is somewhat sweet, with some smoky and earthy notes. This dish was said to have been originally created in the kitchen of the Santa Rosa Convent in Puebla for a visiting bishop in the

1680s.

Chalupas is one of the more popular Mexican street foods which you may also find in some of their upscale restaurants. These are small thick tortillas covered in red or green sauce topped with shredded pork or chicken meat and chopped onion, and then fried in lard. They are generally consumed as a snack but sometimes served as an appetizer. And in every meal, the Jalapeño, a Mexican staple, is ever-present. Jalapeño is Spanish for "from Jalapa", the capital city in Veracruz, Mexico, where it was first cultivated.

The local government gifted the entire choir with dulces tradicionales (traditional sweets) which included, to name a few, dulces de camote (pureed sweet potato), and jamoncillo (a fudge which may contain cinnamon or vanilla and garnished with pecans), packaged beautifully atop a colorful Talavera (local traditional pottery) plate.

Talavera Pottery

Talavera, which is both a Mexican and Spanish tradition, originated in Talavera de la Reina in Spain and was first introduced by the Spanish during the first century of the colonial era. The cities of Puebla, Atlixco, Cholula and Tecali, all from the State of Puebla, are known for this type of pottery. Typically decorated using white and blue, most of the ceramics now come in more vibrant colors. This, along with other local keepsakes may be purchased at the Mercado el Parian or the El Parian Artisan Market, located a few blocks from Zócalo.

Mariachi

Music is very much a part of Mexican culture. The mariachi is a genre of regional Mexican music, it can also refer to someone who is part of a small Mexican folkderived musical ensemble. They are symbolic of their country´s music and culture, and an integral part of any celebration, big or small. Their music speaks of passion, history, legends and love for the country.

By Agatha Verdadero

Filipinos can travel visa-free to Colombia for 90 days. It’s time to put it in your bucket list.

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