Intelligent transformations… and chocolate

It was good to get back to some fresh air above ground, and to take in living things. Grand or gruesome as the monastery had been, the outside world was wonderful. From the monastery I wandered back through some of the other streets of the old city, taking in some of the other buildings, enjoying the warmer weather and the odd moments of sunshine. There was a small shop that was providing free tastes of chocolate – here is a list of things, in no particular order, that will make me extremely happy (remember it well, as they can be used to ask for favours): chocolate, ancient manuscript, good book, chocolate, a nice hike, a good bike ride, chocolate, a good bottle of red wine, chocolate…quite undemanding.

After the exploits in Venezuela of trying to find out what those funny pods were, it was the display of fake pods that drew my attention to the shop, followed by the delicious scent of chocolate wafting on the air. I entered and partook, and walked around and partook, and then had to leave before i swelled to a size that would not allow me to pass back out through the double doors; Belgian chocolate?… they don’t grow chocolate in Belgium, they only get the raw ingredients from the best places in the world, so what better place to enjoy chocolate than at the source? Did I mention my list of favourite things?: manuscripts, chocolate……

Railway station to national literature centre

Only a few steps from the chocolate factory stood a converted railway station – I had noticed the exterior of this building on the walking tour earlier that morning because of the many interesting banners hanging outside – and I entered the front portal and explored the interior. When it comes to converting disused buildings or ‘repurposing’ of buildings, what better way than to turn them into social or cultural spaces? There are so many possibilities for buildings such as these, and I commend the decision to turn over this disused space to the purpose of studying the nation’s literature.

OK, I am going to take a second or two here to scratch a pet-peeve : In a few year’s time the central train station, Hua Lampong, in Bangkok will be de-commissioned as the new station at Bang Sue comes online. What a wonder it would be to see this historic train station space turned into a community cultural space for the arts, including literature. Unfortunately I am already hearing rumblings about yet another monstrosity of a shopping mall… obviously the imagination of the powers-that-be lacks anything that might actually enlighten or make people smarter and enjoy life more…. I am simply whistling into the wind with this tiny rant.

The ground and second floors of the train station (in Lima) have been turned over to exhibitions related to Peruvian literature, hence the name: Casa de la Literature Peruana, and the exhibits range from poetry to biography and everything in between and beyond. For those who think that South America has only two or three languages (Spanish and Portuguese), a large map of Peru at the entrance to one of the exhibition rooms shows the distribution of at least 19 different language ‘families’ throughout the country, with a total of 47 distinct languages or dialects of languages.

Banners display quotes from famous works, while some rooms are thematically arranged. A large part of the main floor is given over to the Mario Vargas Llosa Library, named after one of Peru’s most famous living writers, and the beautiful stained glass dome over this area provides plenty of natural light to the study area below.

 

 

Curriculum vitae
Say you won the race
And the prize
Is another race”

 

The origins of the Uitoto and Shipibo nations

Behind this library, on what used to be the station platform, a very comfortable coffee shop is a great place to sit and relax, to read a book, or meet up with friends. Off to the side, there is a short hallway that runs along the side of the building back to the front entrance area, here the walls have been decorated with colourful murals. Known as “the Children’s Boulevard”, the murals depict the Amazonian myths of the creation of the Uitoto and Shipibo nations.

 

The stories speak of humans originating from mountains, of father earth, accompanied by mother water – it would be interesting to study the similarities between these stories of origin and the stories from the orient on the origins of humanity. Regardless, in all cases, all living beings lived together in harmony, man and animal – we have come a long way from there to a world that seems to be more and more filled with hate and a lack of respect for the natural world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bach on a Friday afternoon

Much as I would have liked to explore further and perhaps sit quietly for an hour or so in the coffee shop, I decided to move on to the next building I wanted to visit before heading back to my host’s home before dark. I was looking forward to exploring the Gastronomy Museum situated within the old Central Post Office – another building re-purposed to culture of a different kind. As I neared the building, I could hear tones of music coming out of the front portals, and I was somewhat confused. There was no church nearby, and to hear the sounds of a Bach motet resonating from the building was somewhat difficult to grasp. As I walked up the steps, I was exhorted to enter, and please to take a seat. There I was, in the main concourse and patio area of the post office, and several rows of seats were slowly filling up. In front of me, as I sat down, members of the National Choir or Coro Nacional, were performing Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225, followed by the cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV 21. The acoustics of the hall were superb, and in the midst of a Friday afternoon, what felt to me as another surreal event on my trip through South America, was a perfect way to relax and to simply enjoy the beauty of the art of music and the experience.