Narrow streets are pedestrian-friendly, I’ve been told. But two entire afternoons of walking on those in Intramuros transports one’s tired legs back to pre-public transportation 19th century the way history books can’t.
A 19th century university student required to take the trip to Intramuros to see Bastion de San Diego, San Agustin Museum, Casa Manila and Rizal Shrine Fort Santiago— or whatever may be in those places during that particular era— would doubtfully be able to see all there is in a single day if he were to come all the way from what was to be Quezon City. And in case that he doesn’t finish, he has no way of replicating the experience through recorded visions shared by successful ones in a wonderful alternative world called the internet. Without these digital life-savers, school for the 19th century student is imagined to be a whole lot difficult. Good thing he need not worry about requirements such as these. The advantages of these technologies that the 21st century student enjoys though, do not seal the judgement that students today have it easy. For although we have the internet, we also have a science-oriented education system (as opposed to what used to be humanities-oriented) with quantum mechanics, calculus, social sciences, a Rizal course, an additional two centuries of history, etc. imposing academic demands. These increasing academic demands, moreover, are crammed within the minumum 15 years of ideal school education.
As pointed out by Nick Joaquin in his essay Culture and History (and earlier by, Karl Marx), the development of these technologies is what separates us from the people of the past. That electrical appliances, such as the idiot box which makes the world go round and the computer which stores a huge chunk of the lives of today’s mortals, were missing from Casa Manila is perhaps the most significant gap between the interior of 19th century and 21st century houses. These tools have largely transformed our society. It is generally thought that this transformation makes life easier. But such a generalization is being challenged by the recent automation of government offices – which makes us wonder whether it is technology at fault or is Rizal’s defense of Filipino indolence no longer valid, [a]s these devices have helped us overcome much of the challenges of our geographical location and the colonization of imperial Spain has ended long ago and yet, here we remain. Our 19th century counterparts, as attested by the traces they left, may not have accomplished as much work as we are today capable of, but they had to be undoubtedly more matiyaga to survive.
If convenience is the trade I had to exchange to live in movie-like 19th century European architecture, I’d willingly accept. I’d very much prefer to stare at these dull, two storey stones than those colourful billboards when travelling. And a square house with a courtyard in the middle thrills me. Whether I’d like to live in them during the Spanish period, however, is a different matter. The historical tales of Spanish maltreatment of the Filipinos is, obviously, not a desirable way to spend a life time even in the most breathtaking churches. Spending perhaps half my consciousness remembering to kiss the hands of friars and bow to the guardia civil in fear of retaliation is sickening. The number of deaths to which the baluartes testify is heart-rending.
But since I wouldn’t be able to live for the entire three centuries of Spanish rule, I doubt whether these terrors would do much damage to my personal 19th century bliss. Who knows? Rizal, afterall, seems to have had a lovely childhood and a comparatively boring life. And being the mestiza from a middle class family, I probably wouldn’t suffer as much as the common Indio. Behaving like the mahinhin Maria Clara, I am naturally predisposed to, with the exception of the requirement of entertaining guests via singing and dancing which I find too much.
This willingness of mine to give up convenience, however, ceased upon one look at the letrina. Personal hygene, I have always taken to be inseparable from privacy since puberty. And so, feelings of horror couldn’t help themselves from arising at the sight of the twin toilets.Though these odd twins didn’t necessarily ma[k]e people do their thing in pairs, the image of a duet in the comfort room is too strong to counteract. The idea behind Roman public toilets, if I remember correctly, is not very different.
In the absence of the engines that bombard the atmosphere with foul smelling smoke, it is easy to think that at least the air smelled much nicer in 19th century Intramuros. But being told that the presence of an arinola under the 19th century bed serves a relieving purpose in the middle of the night— after which the products are simply disposed through the window— and an afternoon around horses that pee makes one wonder whether the stingy stench of urine-drenched sidewalks is any better.
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This was a reaction paper about my Intramuros trip for P.I. two years ago.
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