“You should go to Guanajuato just for this, it’s crazy, Maria”, said Miriam (my lovely bestiezz)
And damn, I went for it!! Again, one of the best experiences I had in life. Being alone in a land very far from home, experiencing the most important artistic and cultural festival in the whole world history?? I feel DAMN small. So excited to see people from all around the world just for this.
I started my cold-morning journey at around 8 am, Armando (remember him from the last post? He’s the reception guy LOL) dropped me off at the bus station. Gracias! The view of San Miguel de Allende was very alluring. This time, the bus ride is not that long, just 2 hours!
The city’s color caught my eyes… I really can’t wait to reach the downtown. By the time I went out from the bus, the first thing I took was the Cervantino pamphlet. I just rolled my eyes to that day, October 27th 2018. Hmm, what can I see today? Turns out everything will come to live around 5/6pm, that’s why I started strolling around the city first.
Again, I began with putting my bag in the hostel. Well, sometimes I gotta except the worst case scenario. It’s the worst hostel I’ve ever stayed in my whole life, El Casa del Tio.
Just right before the sun went down, I finally found my first stop to enliven this event. The city is crazy crowded, there’re always thousands of people passing by on those small alleys.
Plaza Mexiamora
Because of my height, I gotta walk among those people to reach the front of the stage. I was standing there for minutes, looking at people’s eye. I wonder how amazed they were, HAHA! Even though I actually don’t know what’s the band exactly, but this Swedish performers killed it! All 4 of them are making great music and jokes around. Lovely!
Regional Museum of Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alh%C3%B3ndiga+de+Granaditas,+Zona+Centro,+36000+Guanajuato,+Gto.,+Mexico/@21.0188021,-101.2600288,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x842b7408d3b4699d:0xfae636f5532c4843!8m2!3d21.0187971!4d-101.2578347
Looking that we have so many people around, me and Rami (a friend I met when I was in el pipila) decided to come earlier before the semi-final event started in Regional Museum of Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas. And damn, the queue was already like a 100-meter snake?? But thankfully, we made it just before the Rajasthan Drummer started.
We were sitting among thousands of people on those stadium chairs. There were waaay more people down there, paying a seat. Well, I just don’t have that much money to spend on! Why not enter for free while you can?
The show was beyond expectations, BEST PERFORMANCE EVER. So youthful, fresh, and new. People were dancing around just because they’re playing this wooden clap as if they are a rapper. Go with the beat!!!
Looking amazed af
My Saturday just swift so fast with great experiences, new people, and new places. Let’s move on to the last and final day of Cervantino!
I woke up with a very huge march of people with big trumpets, drums, and little kids just by the centro. They were making a very long line, representing their own musical clubs. The kids are super cute! Rock on:)
Templo de la Valenciana
Goal of the day: watch as much show as I can today. So that’s why I went for this one without even knowing that I need a paid ticket. I took the bus that time, I waited for soooo long that time, but I managed!
Templo Valenciana from further away
It turns out that I need to book a ticket in advance and it costs 380 pesos, quite some for a backpacker like me. And I was lucky all over again, I had this lady that I just knew by my side. She told the coordinator that I’m a reporter from Indonesia because I’m fully equipped with my big bag, big camera, a tripod, and a microphone. And goddamn I got a free entry!!! The show was 75 minutes long, Ensemble Ricercare Antico (Giulio Romano) gracefully performed like for the whole show. I was fan-girling most of the time, Francesco Tomasi is soooo cute!
Templo Valenciana from inside
The violinist!
I really don’t wanna end this event:( But time is not stopping for anyone!! The last drip of Cervantino here we go! Again, I passed another unique performance on my way back to the centro. So bohemian and colorful.
Puppet show in front of Teatro Juarez
Final Performance of Cervantino
Again, I’m coming back for the final show here in Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The line is snaking (of course!), I waited for almost an hour but I got lucky, again;) Sh*t, this random girl just told me that she won’t be using her ticket anymore. So, instant entry for me!!! Thanks broo!
Walking through the empty lane feels great. I felt the cold wind so badly as I forgot to take my jacket with me. I started looking at people’s eyes, people are genuinely having a lot of fun. For the final stage, it was Aguascalientes’ performance. It was cool, especially with all the fireworks afterwards.
By the time they announce that Cervantino is officially done, literally (almost) everyone started to pack up and leave the city. Then, I decided to put my bag and stroll the city at night. By that time, the streets and alleys were empty. There were barely people walking anymore. So cool that people just left in just a blink.
But then, just by Teatro Juarez, the performers from Callejoneadas were still performing. What else I need to call this a day? FYI Callejoneadas is an ensemble team full of students playing everyday from 12pm-11.45pm. They usually ask you to pay for about 100 pesos to see their march around the city.
Another show just by a bar in centro
See you next year Cervantino!!!! It’s been an amazing experience with you<3
chromatic voyage 