Sail Away, Sail Away, Sail Away!!: Museo del Galeon Finally Opens!

- May 7, 2026, Thursday.

- I'm ready for my trip to Acapulco!! -- At least, not in a straightforward sense. The Museo del Galeon, or the Galleon Museum, has finally opened in SM Mall of Asia after almost a decade of delays! The museum emphasizes the maritime history of the Philippines especially during the Spanish era. The museum is currently open from Wednesdays to Sundays, 10AM-7PM. Entrance tickets need to be purchased at the entrance (with big discounts for students and teachers). 

There's a giant compass in front of the museum name.

I look like a news anchor.

- The galleons were used during the 1500s to 1800s and went between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico. This transnational trade was crucial in bringing all kinds of goods across the Pacific. It was only until the invention of steam ships and the opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt that brought an end to the Galleon Trade.

- The museum exhibit space is separated into four floors. The ground floor is mainly the entrance and reception area. Going up the second level, visitors can first see native Philippine boats such as the Butuan canoe and the balangay. Afterwards, everyone can behold the giant galleon, which is a life-sized replica of the galleon named Espiritu Santo. There are some items that were traded through the Manila-Acapulco route.

Butuan canoe.

Balangay.

Espiritu Santo. It gives you an idea of how big it is compared to my human size. (And my height is above average for Filipinos.)

And just so you can see me better, I walked closer to the camera haha.

Religious items.

Manton de Manila. (Bonus because the left manton is orange!)

Silverware.

Significant documents written by the Spanish during their stay in the Philippines.

- The third level focuses more on encounters with the Philippines, with maps that the Spanish drew of the country, as well as statues of Rajah Humabon and Lapulapu. This is also the level where guests can enter the Espiritu Santo for a more immersive experience of life on a galleon. I appreciated the touch of giving the galleon floors a sensation of being on water, making the experience more realistic.

Old chest.

Raja Humabon.

Tabletop altar with Santo Nino.

Lapulapu.

Ready to out-explore Dora.

Mother Mary carving.

Inside the galleon.

On the deck.

See the captain's wheel!

I don't think I can survive with a space this small!!

Captain's room.

Divine guidance while out in the sea.

- The fourth level currently doesn't have much, although it does provide a nice view of the galleon from a higher angle. I also know that there are galleries that are waiting to be finalized and created in time for the museum's grand opening in October 2026. Because it's on soft-opening capacity for a couple of months, the museum staff told me that I can hold on to my ticket and go back in October with my ticket for a discount should I be interested to visit the museum again during its grand opening. 

Love the LED screens with the artificial waves. (They sometimes show stars too, or at times there is an informative video about the galleon's history.)

Thank you kind person for taking my photo because I wasn't allowed to use my tripod in the museum. (In my earlier photos, I could get away with leaning my phone on my bag, but I couldn't do that with this angle.) 

- The museum space has gone through so much before coming to this point. At one point it was even a vaccination center during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the many setbacks, it is now ready to serve its main purpose from the day the museum was conceptualized: to take everyone on a journey through time and the oceans!

The Tame Diwali Mela: Celebrating Diwali at SM Mall of Asia

- October 15, 2016, Saturday.

- Lights welcomed and illuminated Saturday evening at the SM Mall of Asia despite the rain. After another year, the pan-Indian Festival of Lights or "Diwali" was celebrated once again in the mall's Music Hall. Strange enough, the event was held two weeks prior to the actual date of Diwali; the Indian community holds this big Diwali Mela around a week before or after Diwali. As always, various Indian stalls selling (mostly northern) Indian food, services, accessories/jewelry, and Indian souvenirs. Because of the light rain foreshadowing the big storm that's about to hit the country, there were slightly less people who attended than the usual. However, the number of attendees was still quite overwhelming.

Event poster.

Hello my people.

- My neighbor Charmaine and I arrived at the venue just as the Jana Gana Mana (the Indian national anthem) was being sung. Afterwards, opening speeches were done, with the most notable one from the ambassador himself, His Excellency L.D. Ralte. I was not able to take a photo with the ambassador in the Diwali even this year because he left the venue moments after his speech (a very busy man, he is.)

Neighbors unite!!

Kashmir Restaurant stall.

Doing the puja for the goddess Lakshmi, perhaps the most auspicious goddess of the festival.

His Excellency L.D. Ralte.

- While waiting for the performances to start, Charmaine and I grabbed some Indian food for dinner, while the lines were still not that long. I also bought a very cheap bindi set and gave it to Charmaine. I stuck three on heart forehead to at least give her the Indian feel - she wasn't in an Indian costume while I was in my pink kurta.

Charmaine had samosas with I had chicken biryani.

With three bindis. I liked how her shirt and earrings were kind of Indian as well. Her blouse reminded me of peacock feathers.

Eyes on me (of my forehead.)

- This year, I felt that the Diwali program was a lot simpler than last year's (click here for last year's). The numbers were significantly less, and most of the numbers were done by Filipinos doing Indian numbers. For the Indians who performed, most of them were Punjabi, unlike before when there would be a more diverse Indian representation in the performances. For those who don't know, India has 29 states each with their own diverse cultures. In the Philippines, the two main groups of Indians are the Sindhis and the Punjabis, although there are a handful of those coming from all the other states. Since 2012, I have been attending the Diwali Mela (except 2013), and so far last year's Diwali was the most diverse. Despite that, the Indian community was able to organize a fantastic set of performances. Interestingly, the performances leaned more on pop culture (i.e. Bollywood) than traditional culture. The traditional aspects of the performances mostly leaned towards the Punjabi bhangra culture. (Bhangra is a Punjabi folk dance). Well, a little bit of bhangra can liven up the world, right?

A tableau showing Rama and his companions (his wife Sita, his brother Lakshman, and the monkey god Hanuman who is a follower of Rama.)

Statues of Krishna and Radha from the Hare Krishna booth.

Modern Indian song-and-dance number.

Another contemporary song-and-dance number. 

Ms. Ritu Wasu from SingIndia Music for the Soul and his Filipino backup dancers. (Yay for Fil-Indian friendsip!!)

A short bhangra demo class!!

- Speaking of bhangra, the finale was a bhangra performance by Lions of Manila Bhangra Group. The Lions of Manila Bhangra Group is perhaps the most prominent professional bhangra group in Metro Manila. This group usually does the final number for public Indian events in Manila, and afterwards, the dance will is open to all. Usually, this is the time when many of the Indians will just go crazy with endless bhangra music for an hour more or so before going home.

More bhangra!!

Probably the perfect shot of the night.

- I liked how to it was not as hot as usual, thanks to the breeze from the light-rainy weather, and I am even happier that my neighbor Charmaine was able to enjoy her first Diwali Mela. "You've always told me stories about the Diwali Mela, but I was finally able to experience it myself," she told me. I do hope that more of the people in this world will have a curiosity for India and Indian cultures (or any country and any country's culture/s in general). It makes us understand the world more.      

Light Up the World!!: Diwali Mela 2015 in SM Mall of Asia

- Nov. 7, 2015, Saturday.

- Time flies faster than one can imagine, and it didn't occur to me that Diwali has arrived once again. Diwali is the pan-Indian festival of lights, and is celebrated in 5 days. Each day has its own name, significance, and set of rituals. However, the main focus on this post, is the annual public "Diwali Mela" (roughly translated as "Diwali Feast/Fiesta,") organized by various associations of the Metro Manila Indian community, and SM Mall of Asia. (See the Diwali Mela of 2012 here, and 2014 here; wasn't able to go in 2013.)

It's Diwali!!

Lakshmi.

Plenty of Indians.

Krishna and Radha from the ISKCON stall.

Pani puri - one of the most interesting Indians snacks. 

Event poster.

- At first, this year's Diwali Mela seemed to resemble every Diwali Mela in the past - a lot of stalls selling Indian food, and some stalls selling Indian trinkets, snacks, and travel services. The Mela started with the ambassador and the other VIPs offering flowers and candles to the goddess Lakshmi, who happens to be one of the most important deities in Diwali; she is the goddess of wealth, purity, and prosperity. Lakshmi is said to visit and bless those who have lit diyas (clay lamps,) fireworks, firecrackers, and sparklers.

The ambassador and other VIPs.

Doing a puja (offering) for Lakshmi.

- As the performances started, I got to meet my Indian friend Hitesh, and later on, my friend Krissa with her sister. Hitesh had to meet his other Indian friends, so I mainly stayed with Krissa and her sister, and gave them a short "lecture" on Diwali, the Indian culture, and the Metro-Manila Indian community.

Bharatanatyam, one of India's classical dances.

Some kids from the Indian community.

Desi Boyz, one of the mainstays of Indian events in Metro Manila.

With Krissa and her sister.

- Krissa and her sister had to leave after some lighter numbers, but it was then when things started to become more interesting. For one, the Punjabi wonder kid Rahmat (I hope the spelling is correct) was asked to do his solo bhangra number as before. He's a really talented kid, and he always credits his slightly-older sister as his dance instructor.

The Punjabi boy wonder.

He's a real superstar trust me.

The Punjabis can't resist.

Rahmat's sister and cousin; they're superstars too!!

- My favorite part of the night was when the hosts announced that the Indian community organized a multicultural dance, supposedly with dances from 14 states. Towards the last part of this grand performance, however, the last dancer who represented Northeast India was not given a chance to dance; I knew there was a situation going on, but I was not able to find out what happened exactly. Still, the dances from Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Sindh (though it's actually in Pakistan now; but a significant population of the Indians in Manila is Sindhi.) This is the first time that I've seen a grand ensemble of Indian dances being done in Manila, and I do hope to see (and for the Filipinos to see) the different aspects of "Indian" culture beyond what everyone sees in Bollywood films.

Kashmiri dance.

Punjabi bhangra dance.

Rajasthani dance.

Gujarati dance.

Marathi dance (from Maharashtra.)

Goan dance; it has Portuguese influences.

Uttar Pradeshi dance.

Madhya Pradeshi dance.

Kerala's Kathakali.

Sindhi dance.

Tamil Nadu's Bharatanatyam.

Andhra PRadeshi dance.

Bengali dance.

- To end the night, the Punjabi bhangra group that everyone was waiting for came out, and everyone just went wild and danced (bhangra-ed?) the night away. This is partying Punjabi style. After the bhangra group finished dancing their actual number, everyone started to leave, though the bhangra group remained to dance and entertain some of those who wished to "party more."

Bhangra-ing the night away!!

A couple version of bhangra. 

Everyone just can't get enough of them.

- As everyone was leaving, I finally got the chance to talk to the current Indian ambassador to the Philippines, H.E. Lalduhthlana Ralte. I cannot believe that he still remembers me, and asked how my classes were; I told him I had just graduated and received my MA degree a few months ago, and am currently teaching in Ateneo de Manila University. What surprised me even more was that his whole family also remembered me. I think I had made an impression when I was the only non-Indian (apart from the embassy staff who were Filipinos) to attend the flag-hoisting ceremony at the ambassador's house (aka "India House") during Republic Day; I was invited to go since I won a contest which was organized by the Indian Embassy (click here to see.)

H.E. L.D. Ralte.

A close-up of Lakshmi. 

Everyone's still going crazy.

- The ambassador soon left, and I did as well, leaving the happy party people with the bhangra dancers. It was quite a hot evening, and the event was done in the non-airconditioned area of MOA. However, I had a lot of fun celebrating Diwali with the Indians "the Indian way." I do hope that the Diwali Mela next year can top this year's Diwali Mela, and I hope that more Filipinos can enjoy Indian things as much as I do.