Twenty Five Years Ago does not like to lament nor does it like to criticize things that were different in San Pedro. In similar manner, Twenty Five Years Ago does not like to celebrate nor rejoice at changes for what is one man’s happiness is another person’s headache. One person likes a lot of lights in his neighborhood while another person likes it dark and romantic.
This week we’ll talk about dances and how frequent they occurred. Twenty five years ago, there were 5 dances held for the entire year, while today there are 5 held on one weekend or Saturday night. In the 1950’s there was one dance held for Christmas, one for New Year’s Eve, one for Carnival, one for Easter and perhaps one in June for St. Peter’s Day. The ones for Christmas and New Year’s Eve were the closest ones apart – one week only. Then there was a two-month stretch until Carnival when the folks really tried to hold a dance because after Ash Wednesday, the church would not allow any dance, wedding nor quinceaños during the entire Lent period. It was until Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday that the party hungry villagers got to dance again. After Easter, the next coming dance would be held on June 29 for our patron St. Peter (San Pedro).ce to the Queen of England and to the British flag. The national anthem we sang, the British anthem went in part something like this:
Now mark this carefully, after June there would not be another dance until December 24; this was a long stretch of 6 months without a party. There were small birthday celebrations with a record player, but that did not classify as a village dance where the entire village participated. The public dances were those where a band played, band meaning an accordion and acoustic guitar group./p>
How things have changed. This past weekend there was a big celebration for a quinceaños (sweet 15th birthday), another band at Fido’s, one at Central Park, and three discotheques all blasting at the same time. And do you know what? All of them were packed with party revelers at the same time. Parties or dances in San Pedro today begin on Thursdays, and then there are Ladies Night, Solo para Hombres Night, Karoke Night, Fire Night, Tequila Slammers Night, Wet T-shirt Night, Mud Night, Rum Punch Night and there are no more nights because the week only has seven days and nights.
The comparison here is a dormant laid-back village and a vibrant town full of nightlife. What San Pedro enjoyed during one whole year twenty five years ago, now it has it during one weekend or Saturday night. How do you like it? As it is now or as it was twenty five years ago? Opinions are welcome.
