And of course, Aachen is a world wonder because its cathedral (Aachen Cathedral) is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. My third time in Germany, second time in Cologne. This time, on official business, as an Executive Committee member of the International Federation for Theatre Research, whose members met at the University of Cologne for the…
Category: Lakwacha
Salem – the story of a religion gone awry
My trip to Boston was meant to support a good friend whose work as a playwright was having a world premiere at the Boston Arts Center. Boston is a city known for its significant role in the American Revolution, leading to the independence of what is now known as the United States. When thinking about…
Miss Liberty of NYC
The Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island is arguably the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States. Many foreigners, especially my fellow Filipinos, commonly think of Miss Liberty as the ultimate symbol of the United States. When asked what they think about it as a symbol, often, one gets the “land of…
Encountering the Vibrant NOLA
Popular culture says Mardi Gras and New Orleans are synonymous. However, New Orleans is also synonymous with jazz music, a music genre that, in my opinion, was created by the “citizens” of New Orleans in the late 19th to the first few decades of the 20th century by experimenting with rhythms and harmonies from blues,…
Hello, Philly! or Where the US of A was born
When I think of Philadelphia, I think of a sandwich made of thinly sliced beef, melted cheese, and often sauteed onions, all served on a hoagie roll. That beef is usually ribeye! The cheese – oh all American – what else – Cheezwiz! But other Philly (how Philadelphia is called in the US) locals use…
Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in Bethlehem
Two years ago, my family and I embarked on what was publicized a “life-changing journey” to the Holy Land. Our travel agency identified three countries belonging to the Holy Land cluster: Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. However, we actually visited four. The agency missed Palestine. The State of Palestine is literally and figuratively at a crossroads….
Kutná Hora, an alternative to the tourist-heavy Prague
When we planned to visit Prague, a part of it was to see a nearby city. Most likely, every well-versed person in geography knows that it is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic, and it used to be the capital of Bohemia or one of the largest kingdoms of the Holy Roman…
Celebrating the All Saint’s Day in Kutná Hora
Today is the last day of our Germany-Czech tour before returning to Frankfurt for our flight to Manila. It’s the 31st of October. Commonly, on this day, the Philippines is really busy – cleaning the nitso, the puntod, and the mausoleum of dead loved ones. The next day is All Saints’ Day, and on 2…
Dramaturgical Notes: Pumpon ng mga Gunita/Bouquet of Reminiscences
Pumpon ng mga Gunita: A Reminiscence Theatre and a Documentary Theatre Staged at various locations in Wilhelmsfeld on 27 October 2024, Pumpon ng mga Gunita / Bouquet of Reminiscences is a performance of memory, retracing Jose Rizal’s reminiscences of, in, and with Germany. We think of the Pumpon ng mga Gunita as an experiential-learning performance about Jose Rizal’s…
Once upon a time, there was an “Artist Playground,” somewhere in Germany
They call it a colony, a space where people with a shared interest live together. The interest: German modernist art, particularly art nouveau. It was my second time in Frankfurt—for the same reason: to participate in the Frankfurter Buchmesse. I was here in 2017 to launch a book at the Philippine stand (there was not…
Tanghal Kultura 