Casino Colonial (Antiguo Cuscatlan) - 2021 Lo que se debe ...

Sorry guys. Busy time at work. And Assassins Creed Odyssey does not want to share me. But here we go again.
One thing I have not written about is the entertainment before the 20th century. However, at this point I should make note of something. Before and after the Independence, the quintessencial sin/crime of any person was vagrancy, which equaled lazyness. Vagancia. If you did not make money (for your employer in most cases), your existence did not make sense. Folks were meant to work before dawn and after dusk in one way or another, always being productive. Not even the elites could be spared. There was no greater shame to an Hacendado than to have a "dandy" son. The leader of the Hacienda was expected to lead and sit on their ass supervise operations, having similar schedule than the service. Of course they did not physically toil, but were expected to work (white collar jobs). So all casts of society had a pretty tight life. To catch anyone without a job and/or actively contributing to society really rustled their jimmies. Everyone had to earn their keep. Being catched outside without a job or purpose was heavily punished, mostly with forced labor.
This was specially hard on the lower classes because their pay was barely enough to live. And as Homer Simpson said: no tv and no beer make Homer go crazy. Work and work and work without proper entertainment was maddening, so they took any available reason to celebrate.
The wonder of electricity galvanized the world for the old folks, but they also knew how to party. I´d like to talk about (1) sports, (2) animal entertainment (3) games, (4) devotion, (5) recreational substances (6) the arts and (7) the good ol fashioned hanky panky.

1. Sports. Soccefootball is a 20th century fad, and cycling began in the 19th century. Before that, sports worldwide were quite simple for modern standards. Usually sports were wrestling, foot and/or horse racing, obstacle courses and (pistol) shooting, practiced on places called Champ-de-Mars (Campo de Marte) in honor of the roman god of war, Mars. The idea was that sports main purpose was to prepare people for conflict, so they were usually practiced by the armies. More civilian-like sports that I could mention would be pole-climbing, tug-o-war and a form of cricket/golf.
2. Animal entertainment. Oh boy, lets address a detail of the human mind. We like to shed blood: its in our nature. Today we get our fix playing Call of Duty or Pokemon, but our grampas got their fix by cockfights. My own dad, born in 1969, when he first came to Santa Tecla in 1985 went to cockfights held at El Cafetalón (a park). So until very recently they were part of the fabric of society. As in Pokemon, you could bred chickens, look for the best stats, give them items and so forth. But more importantly, they were meant to be observed. There would be a pit, where people payed for watching and there would be betting. Roosters should not die (preferably), and matches were often until a chick was beaten and the other would prevail. To-the-death matches were uncommon and most wasteful, since raising a champion was a multi-generation challenge. Before cinema or consoles, young men were known to spend their allowances on cockfight bets.

Another game surounding poultry was the (morbid) game of duck. It was held on open spaces. First a live duck (old, barren or sick) was to be half buried at neck level. Then, full speed on horseback, the player was meant to lean on to seize the unlucky bird by the neck and pull it. Like a game of Polo with extra steps blood. It was banned not because its barbarity, but because there were so many accidents. Leaning on at full speed was not a great idea, specially for plump people that owned horses. The game of duck could be practiced afterwards being closely supervised by the City Hall and changing a live animal for a plant or stick loosely buried.
Yet another game/spectacle was bullfighting. Inherently a spanish passtime, it required an special arena, performers and settings. Peninsulares, criollos and wannabe mestizos were fond of bullfighting, which did not always end by the slaughter of the bull. The toros de lidia (fighting bulls) were meant to "wrestle" with cowboys, like in modern rodeos and jaripeos. Like with the roosters, killing your best performers is a bad idea. Sure, there were bulls meant to be slain, but not all. Bullfights were always present in most festivals, and attracted large crowds.
And we cannot forget about horse racing and shows. Remember how natives were barred of owning or riding horses? Thats why El Salvador had so little of equine backstory. Sure, now we have some experience with horses, but is relatively new. After the independence, everyone could have horses if they had the money. Natives and poor mestizos (the vast mayority of the population) could not afford them. Thus, horses and weapons were tools of trade for the militias and the armies, but not for common civilians. Therefore equine entertainment was a big deal. The poor folk could see but not partake.

1. Games. Have you ever though in shame how your ancesters would look on you if they knew you´re a (virgin) lvl 85 half-elf necromancer in D&D? Well, if answered yes, you´re living your great x5 grampa´s wet dream. They were the original dorks who played cards all day. They had no choice: the standard plain deck was the only one available, and they were heavily used by all casts and classes. From the poorest to the richest, all knew how to play cards in a myriad of ways. Knowing that was one of the few enterteinments, decks were zealously crafted and taxed. There were very few manufacturers, that required a patent given by the government. This gave way to piracy and the illegal printing of decks.

Games of dice were common also, as was bowling (carambola), checkers and chess. And there was the ancestor to billiards and "futbolito". It is non existent today, as it evolved, and was called Truco (Trick). This game, as with billiard, was to put balls on their respective pits, but had different rules and tools.
Most of these games revolved around the arcade, saloons or casinos, some of which are still around. But they were present everywhere. From lunch breaks, funeral wakes, weddings, after the daily work, you could find people playing boardgames, cards or dice. What was considered unhealthy was obsessive gaming that kept people away from work and productive endeavours. After all, the worst sin was vagancia.

1. Devotion. Remember the misas meseras (mass held on a monthly basis that justified the existence of the cofradías) and misas cantadas (singed masses)? Well, they were quite the show. The Broadway of their time. You could not have the mass only: after it people sang, danced and performed. Stages and parafernalia were made. Our Fiestas Patronales (local festivals celebrating a divine patron) are the remnants of such shows. Parades, fireworks, feasts, public demonstrations of faith... The divine patron was the excuse to wind up and compensate for social inequalities and injustice. In such events one could forget the miseries of life and drink up and dance the problem away. And one more thing. Baptisms, first communions, weddings, your saint´s day (if you were named Joseph your saint´s day would be of Saint Joseph) were reason enough to jubilee. In a morbid tone, wakes (as in funerals) could spark celebration as well. Specially taboo were parties held in the wakes of children. Not everyone grieves the same way, and some saw fit to drink, dance and perform in such occations. But this kind of festive reunions were banned and stopped nonetheless, for decency´s sake.
   
2. Recreational substances. Speaking of drinking up, booze was a cornerstone of life. (Beforehand, I´d like to apologize if I don´t give details about this part: I neither drink or smoke, so all of this information comes from reading). Vodka is made of potatoes, rum from molasses, wine from grapes, beer from wheat, mezcal from agave. And our first alcohol, chicha, was made of corn (as usual). Dating way back to precolumbian times, chicha was consumed by the natives and later by their mestizo offspring. Considered crude by finer caterers, it was improved later by adding foreign fruits like pineapple and apple. The second traditional alcohol is chaparro, which is a, say, bastard form of rum. I say bastard because it is not as refined as rum, being harsh and strong. Chaparro is made by molasses just like rum, and it came to be by the time we began harvesting sugar cane.
   

Being highly demanded, booze was taxed and guarded on authorized dealerships, with the local government looking close by. Knowing this, smugglers and illegal breweries cut the corners and mounted black markets. The equipment was costly and if discovered all the production would be spilled and the copper pots, barrels and such were destroyed of smelted, leaving the illegal brewers in financial ruin.
Tobacco was also there. Chewed and/or smoked, no one lost a night´s sleep over them as long as they payed their taxes. Being a plant, people could harvest their own in the Haciendas.

1. The arts. Remember, most of the population could hardly speak properly. So do not expect high culture here, on a rural land on the middle of nowhere. In fact, foreigners complained that even the elites were uneducated, happily illiterate sitting on their Haciendas. Peninsulares were accustomed to theatre, carnivals, literature, fashion, ochestras, simposiums, what we would call now gourmet food and exquisite social gatherings. But here the wealthy criollos neither knew about those nor they were interested about them, being content with their own simple comforts. So, the newly-arived socialité were determined to change that. They brought flamenco dancers and spanish guitars. which took root on the colonies and the independent young counties. The spanish fashion became the criollo fashion, and the guitar tunes slowly became our own. In time literacy extended to the middle classes, which became obsessed with poetry and declamation, having public contests of poetry. Theatre had a tough time since most performances revolved around religious themes, but eventually had enough success to justify great Theatres to be built. As with food, as I mentioned on previous logs, we never had much luck. Merchants could bring rare and exquisite spices and exotic foods but they were only for the well-to-do. A middle class person would never know a cheese and charcuterie board, while I (a middle class person) can easily get one.
   
2. Sex. I mean... its (theorically) free, no special equipment needed, no higher education is needed to play base level, only one player needed to enjoy as many times as desired (a second player is a very much appreciated upgrade). What else can poor folks afford? Needless to say people bred like rabbits, and there were three reasons behind it.
   

First, there was a rampant infant mortality rate. Children were vulnerable to so many diseases. Before plumbing, people disposed of their waste randomly, even washing away poop in the same river where they got their drinking water. Cholera reigned supreme at this point, and children were specially affected. Have you ever noticed on public graveyards how many infant graves there are? Thank heaven most of those graves are from 50 years ago, because later 20th century managed to starkly reduce infant mortality rate. My late maternal grandpa, born in 1934, had 11 siblings, 7 of which reached adulthood. So people had lots of children foreseeing some would die.
Second, having lots of children meant lots of hands helping you on your old age. Before modern retirement, the only way to secure your last days was to sire as many productive sons and daughters possible, so they can support you.
And thirdly, there were poor planning methods. Heck, the modern concept of planned parenthood looked alien to people before the 20th century because of the last two reasons.
Reasons behind, old folks humped a lot. My grandpa which I mentioned early was known to prowl the Acajutla port, seeking thrills on the new arrivals. Like, stalking people on route to other destinations and being their love on this port. Also he sired loads of natural (bastard) children, my mom being one of many. He never gave his last name to any of them, all taking their mother´s last name.
Obviously prostitution was there also, since its the oldest line of work in the world. But in a highly religious society, it had to stick to the shadows.
More on part X!

Hola redditors, tengo pensado recorrer el país hermoso, entero de punta a punta, esta es mi "Bucket List" que armé en un par de horas, separé cada provincia por región para que sea más fácil de leer; si me pueden ayudar con cualquier dato, opinión, que puedo agregar o sacar, cuál es la mejor provincia para hacer tal o cual cosa, desde ya gracias!,
=NOROESTE ARGENTINO=
Jujuy
*Visitar la Quebrada del Humahuaca *Visitar la Quebrada de Purmamarca al pie del Cerro de los Siete Colores *Celebrar el Carnaval Jujenho *Ver la fiesta del Toreo de la Vincha en Casabindo *Comer un plato de humita *Visitar el Cabildo en San Salvador de Jujuy *Comer empanadas Jujenhas *Visitar el pueblo de Iruya *Recorrer el Camino del Inca *Visitar la Yunga Jujenha *Avistar las parinas y flamencos en La Laguna de Guayatayoc *Pasar la noche en La Puna *Ver las salinas grandes
Salta
*Visitar el Cafayate *Visitar la Quebrada de las Conchas en los Valles Calchaquíes *Quebrada de Las Flechas *Admirar la arquitectura colonial en Ciudad de Salta *Visitar la Catedral Basílica de Salta *Comer empanadas Saltenas *Probar la gastronomia y el vino regional *Tomar el teleférico hacia Cerro San Bernardo *Montar el Tren de las Nubes *Avistar animales en el Parque Nacional El Rey *Ver un Yaguareté en el Parque nacional Baritú *Visitar el El parque nacional Los Cardones *participar de La tradicional Fiesta de la Pachamama de los Pueblos Andinos *Visitar los pueblos del Norte Andino *Visitar el Valle de Lerma *Pasar una noche en Cachi *Visitar el Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña
Tucumán
*Recorrer el circuito historico en San Miguel de Tucuman *Visitar la Casa de Tucuman *Ver las Ruinas de Quilmes *R ecorrer la Reserva Arqueológica de Los Menhires en El Mollar *Visitar las Ruinas La Ciudacita *Visitar la Yunga Tucumana *Recorrer el Parque Nacional Campo de Los Alisos *Probar la gastronomia local
Catamarca
*Visitar la ciudad de Belén en Catamarca *Banharse en las Termas de Fiambala *Visitar el volcán Galán en Antofagasta de la Sierra *Ver las vicunhas en la Laguna Blanca *Hacer aladelta en la Cuesta del Portezuelo *Ver las pinturas rupestres en el yacimiento arqueologico de La tunita *admirar los laberintos blancos y dunas de Campo Piedra Pómez *Atender la Fiesta patronal de la Virgen del Valle *participar de la CORPACHADA “Ritual a la Madre Tierra” *Tomar Catamarqueno en LA RUTA DEL ADOBE *visitar El sitio arqueológico del Shinkal de Quimivil
Santiago del Estero
*Visitar la ciudad de Santiago del Estero, la más antigua del país *disfrutar del spa natural de las termas de Rio Hondo *ver los tatú carreta en El parque Nacional Copo
=REGIÓN DEL LITORAL Y MESOPOTAMIA=
Formosa
*Viajar a Formosa Capital *Visitar el Museo Historico Provincial formosa *Comer comida local de Formosa *Excursion por el Bañado La Estrella *Visitar el Parque Nacional Río Pilcomayo
Chaco
*visitar Resistencia en Chaco *adentrarse al Bosque impenetrable chaquenho *probar la gastronomia regional chaquena *Visitar el Parque nacional del Chaco *Ver las estrellas en el Campo del Cielo
Misiones
*Visitar las Cataratas del Iguazú en Misiones *Ver la Garganta del Diablo *Montar en el Tren de la Selva *Visitar la Isla San Martín *Recorrer el Parque Nacional Iguazu bajo la luna llena *Visitar Las Ruinas de la Misión Jesuítica de San Ignacio Miní *Visitar la casa de Horacio Quiroga *Visitar la ciudad de Posadas *Atravesar el Puente Internacional Tancredo Neves *Explorar las Minas de Wanda *Caminar por las tierras rojas en Eldorado *Descubrir los ascentamientos Suecos en Oberá
Corrientes
*Navegar por los Esteros del Iberá *Ver un yacaré en el Parque Nacional Mburucuyá *visitar las playas de Paso de la Patria *caminar por la costanera de Corrientes Capital
Entre Ríos
*Pescar un dorado en el río Uruguay *Ir a la fiesta del Carnaval del País en Gualeguaychu *visitar las termas de Gualeguaychu *Esquí acuático sobre el río Uruguay *Visitar el Castillo San Carlos en Concordia *Visitar el hospital donde nací en Concordia *Visitar el Parque Nacional El Palmar en Colón *visitar las Termas de Concepción del Uruguay *visitar Isla Cambacuá *visitar el Balneario Drewans en la ciudad de Chajarí *motonáutica en el río Uruguay *Visitar el Palacio San Jose *Visitar la ciudad de Villaguay *nadar en Playas del Lago Salto Grande en Federación *Navegar por las calles de Villa Paranacito *Internarse en el delta del río Uruguay *Visitar La Catedral de la ciudad de Paraná *Caminar por la costanera de Paraná *Visitar Anfiteatro Héctor Santángelo *Kayak sobre el río Paraná *Visitar las aldeas alemanas
Santa Fe
*Visitar el Monumento a la Bandera en Rosario *visitar la plaza del Che *Comer alfajores Santafesinos *Tomar mate en el Parque Independencia *Visitar el Parque España *Visitar el Convento San Carlos *visitar las playas de El Banquito *Visitar la ciudad de Santa Fe
=REGIÓN DE CUYO Y CENTRO=
La Rioja
*Recorrer el Parque Nacionale Talampaya en La Rioja *Explorar el Valle de Famatina *Ver las murallas de fuego de La Cuesta de Miranda en Chilecito *Admirar el arte rupestre de Los Pizarrones *Tomar el Cablecarril la Mexicana *Visitar el cráter Corona del Inca *Visitar los pueblos silenciosos de La Costa Riojana *Ver las vicunhas y los flamencos en la Laguna Brava *Visitar las LAS ESTRELLAS DIAGUITAS en Vinchina *Asistir a la procesion del Tinkunako *Recorrer la precordillera *Visitar el Museo de la Ciudad de la Rioja *Recorrer el Corredor de los Llanos *Ver los condores en el Parque Nacional Quebrada del Condorito *Tomar vino y comer comida regional Riojana
San Juan
*Visitar el Parque Provincial Ischigualasto (Valle de la Luna) en San Juan *Ver las estrellas en el Parque Nacional El Leoncito
Mendoza
*Visitar la ciudad de Mendoza *Explorar el Parque Nacional del Aconcagua *Equiar en el centro de esqui Las lenhas *Visitar el Puente del Inca *Explorar las bodegas Mendocinas *Relajarse en las Termas y Spa de Cacheuta en la Cordillera de los Andes *Visitar la ciudad de Las Heras *Visitar La Pampa negra y los volcanes de la Payunia mendocina
San Luis
*Visitar el microclima de Villa Merlo en San Luis *Visitar el Parque Nacional Sierra de Las Quijadas *Caminar el Corredor Bio en las Sierras de los Comechingones
Córdoba
*Recorrer la Manzana Jesuítica en la ciudad de Córdoba Capital *Recorrer las calles de la Canhada *Tomar Fernet con coca en Nueva Córdoba *Ir a un baile de La Mona Jimenez *Festejar Oktoberfest en Villa General Belgrano *Visitar Mina Clavero *Ir al Festival Nacional del Folklore en Cosquín *Subir el Cerro Uritorco en Capilla del Monte *Visitar la casa del Che Guevara en Altagracia *Disfrutar de la gastronomía de Colonia Caroya *Visitar El Durazno en el Valle de Calamuchita *Ir al Festival de la doma en Jesús María *Acampar en La Cumbrecita *Disfrutar de la noche en Carlos Paz *Visitar Mayu Sumaj en el Valle de Punilla *Recorrer Tanti *Explorar el Valle de Calamuchita *Visitar la Reserva de pictografías del Cerro Colorado *Visitar la Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario en la ciudad de Ischilín *visitar la La Capilla de Sinsacate *Visitar el Hotel Eden en La Falda *Ver los flamencos en la Laguna de Mar Chiquita *Explorar Nono en la región de Traslasierras *Observar el valle de Traslasierra desde el cerro Champaquí
=BUENOS AIRES Y LA PAMPA=
Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires
*Visitar la Casa Rosada *Ver el Obelisco en Av. 9 de Julio *Visitar la Plaza del Congreso *Visitar la librería El Ateneo en la calle Florida *Ir de compras en la Galería Pacífico *Visitar la Catedral Metropolitana *Explorar el cementerio de Recoleta *Visitar el Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes *Tomar mate y leer un libro en Plaza Francia *Visitar el Cabildo en el microcentro *Ver la escultura Floralis Generica en Palermo *Ver el Ballet en el Teatro Colón *Paseo por Puerto Madero *Comer en un restaurante de lujo en Puerto Madero *Explorar la Reserva Ecológica *Visitar el Buque Museo Fragata Sarmiento *Visitar Colección de arte Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat *Comer un choripán en La Costanera Sur *Ir a una noche de Milonga en San Telmo *Ir de compras en el Mercado de San Telmo *Tomar mate en la Plaza Dorrego *Caminar por las calles de Caminito *Comer un asado en una parrilla tradicional en La Boca *Ver el superclásico River-Boca en la Bombonera *Visitar el Museo de Bellas Artes Benito Quinquela Martín *Tomar un café con medialunas en el Bar la Perla *Comer en la Pizzería Banchero *Visitar el Museo Histórico Nacional *Picnic en los Bosques de Palermo *Visitar el Jardín Japonés *Visitar la Biblioteca Nacional *Recorrer el Rosedal de Palermo *Visitar el Planetario Galileo Galilei *Visitar el Zoológico de Buenos Aires *Visitar el MALBA *Visitar el Barrio Chino en Belgrano *Tomar un catamarán por la región de Tigre *Visitar la quinta de Olivos *Visitar la Feria de Mataderos *Visitar el cementerio de Chacarita *Visitar el Abasto *Visitar el museo Carlos Gardel *Visitar el barrio de Boedo
Buenos Aires
*Visitar la ciudad de La Plata *Caminar por el Parque Ecológico Municipal de La Plata *Visitar el Museo de Ciencias Naturales de la Plata *Ver al Indio Solari en Tandil *Visitar Villa Gesell en la Costa Atlántica Argentina *Visitar Mar de Ajó y San Bernardo *Caminar en las playas doradas de Mar de las Pampas *Deportes Náuticos en Cariló *Visitar el casino de Pinamar *Visitar la ciudad de Mar del Plata *Visitar Bahia Blanca
La Pampa
*Visitar la ciudad de Santa Rosa en La Pampa *Visitar la Reserva Natural Parque Luro *Hospedarse en una Estancia Pampeana *Tomar vino en una Pulpería tradicional *Comer Asado Pampeano regional *Visitar el Parque Nacional Lihué Calel
=PATAGONIA ARGENTINA=
Neuquén
*Visitar la ciudad de San Martin de los Andes en Neuquén *Explorar el Parque Nacional Lanín *Cazar un ciervo colorado o jabalí *Recorrer el puerto en Villa La Angostura *Caminar por la costa del Atlántico en Playas Doradas *Visitar el Parque Cretácico *Visitar el Salto del Agrio *Trekking en el Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi *Visitar el Parque nacional Laguna Blanca
Río Negro
*Recorrer la ciudad de Viedma en Rio Negro *Ver Primer Faro de la Patagonia Argentina en el balneario de Villa El Cóndor *Ver los lobos marinos en Reserva Faunística Punta Bermeja (La Lobería) *Visitar San Carlos de Bariloche *Visitar Villa Catedral *Esquiar en el centro de esqui del Cerro Catedral *Visitar la Catedral de San Carlos de Bariloche *Visitar el hotel Llao Llao *Visitar El Bolsón en la Comarca Andina *Visitar la Cascada Escondida *Comer chivito Patagónico *Banharse en el Río Azul *Explorar las chacras regionales en El Hoyo
Chubut
*Avistaje de Orcas en la reserva Natural Península de Valdés *Ver el amanecer en Puerto Pirámides *Avistaje de la ballena franca austral en Puerto Madryn *Visitar las playas de Comodoro Rivadavia *Ver los pingüinos magallánicos en Punta Tombo *Visitar la cárcel de Trelew *Visitar el Puerto de Rawson *Avistaje de Toninas Overas en Playa Unión *Visitar el Bosque Petrificado *Visitar Museo Paleontologico de Astra *Ver el Argentinosaurus Huinculensis en el Museo Carmen Funes *Caminar por la Bahía Bustamante *Visitar el Parque nacional Los Alerces
Santa Cruz
*Visitar el Puerto de Santa Cruz *Visitar las playas de Caleta Olivia *Visitar Fitz Roy *Visitar el Glaciar Perito Moreno en El Calafate *Explorar la Cueva de las Manos en Perito Moreno *Banharse en el lago Carrera *Visitar Rio Gallegos *Trekking por la laguna Torre, glaciar Torre y cerro Torre en El Chaltén
Tierra del Fuego
*Visitar el Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego *Visitar el Museo del Fin del Mundo en Ushuaia *Admirar el Monte Olivia *Disfrutar de la gastronomía local *Esquiar en el Cerro Castor *Explorar la ciudad de Rio Grande *Ver el Faro del fin del Mundo, en el canal del Beagle *Ver los cóndores en El Cerro Shenolsh *Tomar la aerosilla al Glaciar Martial *Tomar el Tren del Fin del Mundo *Visitar la Laguna Esmeralda
*Visitar las Islas Malvinas *Visitar las Islas Sandwich del Sur y Georgias del Sur *Ir en una expedición por la Antartida Argentina *Visitar la Base Marambio