I'm a bit behind but here's a post on the Christmas gala that Ruth, Marion and I attended on Thursday night. Marion and I met up to catch bus as we're out in Cerritos and Ruth went on her own from the Golden Zone. We'd planned to meet up around 6pm and walk down to the Water's Edge restaurant for dinner. Marion and I managed to catch a bus after one blew by us and we were on our way. By the time we hit the malecon along the ocean it was full...not even any standing room left. The windows were dark and we couldn't see much. Off the malecon and it started turning here and there and not on it's usual route. A local man gestured that it was going to turn and I asked "mercado" or market which is a good landmark and he said Si. It stopped and lots of people got off but we didn't know where we were. I told the bus driver " Constitucion" and he said Si and pointed forward. He lt us off and we still weren't sure where we were. Turns out we were at least two streets east of our usual drop off. Always a new wrinkle!
Up ahead the Christmas lights before the Plazuela or square.
Ruth didn't show at the meet up and wasn't answering her phone so we headed to the restaurant worried that she was lost. Turns out her bus took the usual route and...she'd forgotten her phone! She was right behind us but we didn't see her.
So here we are in the back room at Water's Edge restaurant. We used to come here for ladies lunch when they used to be open for lunch. It is much quieter in the back room especially when the "one man band" is so loud you can't talk over him. A north american with a horn and a piano. Definitely not dinner music and a few other people picked up their drinks and moved back with us.
My selfie!
Water's Edge.
And now for dinner. We decided to have a drink and order four appetizers to share. That's the
lettuce wraps and you have to make them yourself which is messy. Tasty enough.
We shared a
crab cake which was artsy but not good at all.
There was also a plate of six deep fried battered shrimp which were the only good thing. In the end it was expensive (each appetizer was over 200 pesos or about $15/$18 Canadian) and disappointing. Perhaps the main meals would have been better but between the poor appetizers and the loud music we won't be back. However, the service was very good.
The performance was starting at 8pm so we were on our way back to the Plazuela Machado and the
Angela Peralta theater.
Just a lovely street.
The Plazuela Machado is all lit up for the holiday season!
These young people are part of the performance.
The photo is blurry but I wanted you to see the theater. It ended up almost a full house.
As there were people behind me I used zoom and took quick photos. Here they are ready to start.
There was a full orchestra in the pit and a full choir of children and adults.
There were two sopranos and two tenors as well as an "Angel" who did the announcing.
The sets and costumes kept changing. Lots of color!
A few times choir members and dancers came down beside us. It was nice to see them up close.
The show was predominately children with an adult ballet troupe which did many different numbers.
The program was conducted half in English and half in Spanish which was nice for us. Many of the numbers were modern and one which looked like the "
roaring 20's". I could tell the dancers were having a great time with all the variety. Very, very well done.
Feliz Navidad!
At the very end Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus came on stage.
A truly enjoyable performance!
Back to the Plazeuela which was still busy with people eating and bands playing. We found a pulmonia (a small taxi type vehicle that's like a Volkswagen crossed with a golf cart) and we were off home. $300 pesos to take us to the other end of the city (we gave him $400 or about $30 Canadian) and we were off. A lovely warm evening and a nice ride. He played moldy oldies for us and Ruth sang and bopped along.
A fun evening with two good friends.
