Concert Negros Museum

It was a pity that there was a torrential downpour just as people might have been thinking of setting off for the concert at the Negros Museum. As a result I think that there were more musicians than audience when the music actually started. It was billed as starting at 18.00hrs so we arrived about ten minutes before that only to find no one there. Just an array of empty chairs and a bare dais in front.
A few people connected with the museum were wandering around so we sat down to see what would happen. Eventually about 18.15 a few guys apeared with instruments and activity started fixing electronic leads to machines all around the place. The young guy from the museum seemed to have to find all the equipment. A bit later Tata, Publicity Officer for the Museum, came over to chat to us and said she thought the concert would start at 18.30 !! We had a long chat with her about Dumaguette and its attractions as well as museum chat.
Two people arrived and set up a table in the entrance, stuck up posters about Amnesty International and the man who had been wandering around all the time we had been there arrived to ask us to sign the attendance list along with the only three other people sitting in front of us. Eventually we found out that the concert was organised by Amnesty for Human Rights Day. A very attractive young guy with a wavy beard got us to sign a petition trying to stop the death penalty being legal in the country. Ryan was fascinated that the guy spoke very well with an American accent. He was born in America of Dominican parents. He looked just like something from a Persian freeze picture.
Eventually the musicians were ready but then disappeared so that we could have a talk by the local organiser of Amnesty, the man who had been wandering around all the time and had got us to sign the guest list!!
He had the young museum technician fix a table and projector to use with his computer for the presentation he gave before the concert could start. Why this could not have been done before we all arrived I have no idea. Ryan kept insisting that this kind of delay was normal for events here. Worse than France!!
When the music started,over an hour late, a group of drummers from Murcia played together with an artist that I had chatted to at the Private View at the DFA Gallery earlier in the week. He played a descant recorder that complemented the drums extremely well.
Next came the main group from Iloilo. A percussionist and three guitarists who also sang as well. Two of the singers are brothers and have been involved with human rights issues since their student days.
It really was a pity that there were not more people there to listen to them and that it took so long to start. I was feeling fairly bored by the time things began to happen and worrying about how we would get home in the dark in the rather rough area surrounding the Museum. The audience seemed to start to leave in dribs and drabs so I did not feel too bad suggesting we leave before it finished.
It was still pouring with rain outside but eventually a jeepney appeared to take us to Lakson Street where we were able to find a taxi to get us home just in time to grab a bite to eat at Inasal.

Christmas Trees

The town seems to be awash with Christmas trees, in Public spaces. Shopping malls,shops, in fact anywhere there is a space seems to have sprouted a tree. All of them are artificial looking as though they are made of giant bottle brushes in various colours.
As for decorations the idea seems to be to cover as much of the tree as possible with artificial flowers of varying sizes .

The tree outside the Provincial Building is covered with artificial red poinsettia flowers, L'Fisher has a beautiful dove grey tree covered in large transparent baubles plus white and silver smaller ones. The China Centre Shopping Mall has done away with the tree altogether and just used lights and their cables to make the tree. The crib in front of it is flanked by nodding animals wicj pop up out of tubes and wave!!