Unbounded

Buenas noches. You have been following me for three blocks now stranger. Now if you promise to cease this dogged pursuit, and leave me to my musings, then I shall tell you how tonight’s night of cultural appreciation day went.


¿Qué películas ponen? (What’s on at the cinema?)

Today has been a day of arts, culture, and taste. We started the day by getting lost whilst going to Instituto Cervantes. Little did we know, until arriving 15 minutes before 6pm that the Instituto had moved from St. Scholastica’s College to its present abode in Kalaw, Manila.

We were then met with a jewel of an institute, situated literally in the middle of the hustle and bustle, not to mention the deteriorating metropolis with modern architecture - but maintaining classical Hispanic elements like high ceilings, big windows, and a courtyard.


http://manila.cervantes.es/Cultura/Fichas/Ficha45951_23_2.htm

Tonight’s film screening was Inconscientes, a Freudian comedy set in the 1913’s. It was a delightfully entertaining movie. But what deserves high praise, evident in the number of local awards it won was the tight scriptwriting. People with Psychology backgrounds would definitely get to appreciate this film more as it involves phallic fixation, a little bit of turn of the century European scientific history, and a quasi historical moment when Freud gave a symposium about his then new book, Totem and Taboo. This is important as it set the climax for the plot of the film. So much as not to completely divulge into the whole summary of the film, I’d like to end it here and leave this part with a recommendation for everyone to watch this one. It’s well worth it. Hell, we saw it for free.


¿Puede recomendarnos algún buen restaurante de aquí? (Can you recommend a good local restaurant?)

With nothing better to do on a Saturday night since the film ended at an awkward time (8+ pm. We ditched our evening meetings), we then decided on a whim to have dinner in the first cliché Spanish restaurant that came into our mind. Where else cold it be, but in Alba. Time for a little Spanish decadence.


Mind you, this is my first time to try out this restaurant, and great to say, my first time was an enjoyable one. Lighting was low but not to dark that you wouldn’t see the menu, the service people were very hospitable, food was good (though I’d prefer to spend just as much for a dinner in Serendra, or that date place in Parañaque. Somehow, the thought of upscale dining in Makati’s red light district takes away some of the fun), and to top it off, a mariachi band to serenade the guests.

To reiterate, tonight has been a very enjoyable evening of arts, culture, and taste. Who says you have to spend a lot to enjoy life? Who says you have to go out of the country to enjoy life? I’m already looking forward to the next “cultural bonding”.

But most importantly, it’s the people who you spend these immersions with that make the while. It’d be great if you guys can go next time.

¿Hasta la vista, e deseo que pasa una Fiesta el Sto. Niño!