ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – When I was young my aunts and uncles used to take me to the peryahan (carnival) in Bacolod City. We would play games and watch shows, everything that would make a young child scream with delight. I guess I never grew up as I still went to the same fair when I was still living in the Philippines.
Even when I was still working at Sun.Star Bacolod, Erwin and I used to go to the peryahan at the Reclamation Area during the Masskara Festival. We would play pula-puti, bingo and several other games that thrilled us to no end. Of course, we shelled out some money, but we never spent more than five pesos. Our parents taught us to be thrifty.
Wherever there are peryahans, there would also be shows. Some of the shows were atrocious -- featuring fantastic creatures like mermaids, dwarves etc. Of course, it was just for the show, but we could not help and be amused with what these fairs offered.
Sometime last month, David and I were lucky enough to get tickets to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s “Circus of Dreams.” The famous show, dubbed as the “Greatest show on Earth,” was held at the Blue Cross Arena here. We had to be at the venue about an hour and a half before the show began to secure a parking space. What a tremendous crowd came to watch the show.
Interestingly enough, the circus cast held a show before the main event began. I think it was nice for them to do that so that the audience, mostly children, could meet the performers. Mike Hayward introduced some of the characters of the show. The first of which is an elephant whose name escapes my mind. Anyway, the last time I had an encounter with elephants was about two years ago when David and I went to Bangkok, Thailand. Hayward allowed the elephant to paint and the painting was raffled off later in the show. Alpacas were also brought out for us to view. The children loved petting them. Later, a zonkey was brought in. It is a cross-bred between a donkey and a zebra. It is the size of a donkey and has the stripes of a zebra. Circus acrobats treated the kids with awesome movements while the clowns provided the needed laughter.
Then came the main event. The show was opened by Jennifer Fuentes, who sang the “Star Spangled Banner.” Fuentes acted as a “fairy godmother” to a “family.” The sequence of the circus followed the granting of the family’s dreams. Fuentes, originally from Florida, was in the Top 12 of American Idol’s Season 2. The winner in that season was Ruben Studdard.
The main character of the show is “Dan,” a young boy played both by Ruirui Zhu and Dashan Hou. Fuentes showed Dan different circus acts in order to find the right act for him. Elephants, cats, and Siberian white tigers showed various skills. Cats? You’d never thought cats could be taught to do tricks, did you? Clowns provided hilarious acts. Their unusual gags were a riot. Then a dozen Russian horsemen performed feats on marvelous horses.
Hercules also descended from Olympus and showed his unusual strength by pulling an elephant on a cart. He also let himself be run over by a jeep full of people.
Dancers on hanging fabrics and ropes wowed the audience with their astonishing grace while dancing in air.
My favorite part of the show was the motorcycle mania wherein seven motorcycles travel inside a 16-foot globe in gradual speed, increasing steadily every second. It was a death-defying stunt and I felt butterflies in my stomach watching the act.
Chinese acrobats thrilled the audience with their intrepid exploits. These acrobats were members of the Shenzhen Acrobatic Troupe.
After the show, families took time to have their souvenir pictures taken. Of course, there was a fee. There were also toys and souvenir items for sale.
If Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus comes to Bacolod be sure to buy tickets and watch the show. It is well worth the pesos.
(Published in Sun.Star Bacolod Weekend June 03, 2007, with pictures, Lifestyle Section)
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