‘The Manila Galleon in Acapulco’

THE journey of the Galleon Trade from Manila to Acapulco in Mexico has always fascinated Filipinos for the sheer difficulty and the long distances these huge ships had to go through. Still, so much remained unknown about the Galleon Trade until this exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.

The novelty and splendor of this ongoing exhibit is that we are now viewing not only the travel but also the destination. The presentation, as curated, subverts the statement that it is not the destination that is important but the journey. Here in this exhibit, we marvel at the terminal even as we know that the Galleon Trade was not, as with any great journeys, a one-way ticket. The Galleon Trade was the longest-lasting commercial route of the Modern Era, lasting from 1565 to 1815. The trade linked lands that would never have been connected in crafts and cultures.

The galleon carried in its hull a variety of textiles, spices and plants, porcelain and pottery, and millions of pesos in silver. It conveyed practices and beliefs via its passengers, which included missionaries, artisans, perhaps artists, merchants, brigands, soldiers and men seeking fortune. There were, as records would attest, children onboard.

As with all journeys and seafaring adventures, the Galleon Trade proved that commercial and cultural exchanges were not limited to the exchange of material goods but a surge of influences that would be rediscovered years and years after. The search of identities or the confirmation of authenticity would prove to be one of the unintended results as scholars look into the Philippines as represented by Manila and by New Spain, by way of Acapulco.

The trade between Manila and Acapulco took three to four months. There were the stakeholders: the colonial administrators based in the Philippines and the merchants in Seville who petitioned King Philip II to have the Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) protect the monopoly. In the Galleon Trade, Asian goods such as Chinese silk, spices from Moluccas, Japanese lacquerware and Philippine cotton textiles were shipped to Acapulco, and eventually to Europe, in exchange for silver from New Spain.

The presence of the Galleon in Manila brought to the ever-loyal city local and Asian merchants. Some of these merchants were Chinese from Fujian province who brought ivory, porcelain and silk, items that were in demand in the Americas and Europe at that time.

In return, some Mexican crops and animals were introduced to the Philippines, such as corn, potato, cotton and tobacco.

There are many interesting facts revealed about the Galleon Trade. One is the legislation that allowed only one galleon to set sail per year. The legislation did not stop other minor ships from accompanying the galleon. Some galleons sank or were shipwrecked; some suffered pirate attacks. Despite this ill fate, the Manila Galleon sailed uninterruptedly for 250 years.

A piece of information indicates the presence of a crew made up entirely of native Filipinos chosen because of their nautical expertise and seafaring abilities. Did some of them jump ships and got lost in some villages in Mexico? The voyage from Acapulco to Manila was said to have begun in winter and lasted about three months; the return voyage sailed in summer, and lasted longer, more than five months on record.

The Galleon Trade was so significant because it is said a small vessel would sail ahead to herald its arrival. This announcement would allow the Acapulco to organize a fair. Those who would be seduced by the fair would come from as far as Peru. It is also said such fairs were prohibited. A section in the exhibit is the “Society and Religion,” which features the altar of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the images of the brown-skinned Virgin of Guadalupe. A statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe was sent to the Philippines from Mexico in 1648 through the Galleon Trade.

The Virgin of Guadalupe would have strong devotion in places like Pagsanjan, Bohol and Makati. There are many Marian images now but the Galleon Trade has made the Virgin of Guadalupe the patroness of the Philippine Islands. The reason for this is that a banner of the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe accompanied the expedition of Legazpi and Urdaneta, all the way to their arrival in Cebu. Symbolically, the Virgin of Guadalupe is considered to have initiated Christianization in the Philippines. It is good to note what Eric Wolf, the anthropologist, wrote about the Virgin of Guadalupe being the national symbol of Mexico. The symbolic anthropological approach states how the image appealed to several classes of people, with conversion and colonization seemingly two sides of the same coin.

Other images and statuaries would soon be introduced articulating the zeal and skill of missionaries. The Black Nazarene would reach the Philippines, its color convincing the brown-skinned converts that the new faith embraced them wholly, too. From the cathedral of Mexico, the devotion to the Black Christ spread to Quiapo and the other churches in the Philippines.

The exhibition, The Manila Galleon in Acapulco, is described as recreating “in the most authentic way possible the feel of the period and the trade through its ambiance-setting designs, select trade goods and Mexican items, such as ceramics and utensils. In addition to the commodities or tangible goods, the exhibition also retransmits the complex transcultural assimilation that happened among the peoples of the Far East, Europe and the Americas.”

Mexico and Manila―and the entire Philippines, for that matter―are not only linked by faith. The lowly tamarind tree was one of the plants brought by the galleon from our country. The agua de tamarindo would become part of Mexican cuisine. The tuba also sailed across the ocean and with it the Chinese jars and tibores. Some Filipino tuba experts were sent to Mexico to impart their knowledge about the distillation of tuba. Again, there were prohibitions around the consumption of the strong tuba but up to now, there is the agua de tuba.

Historic home’s next chapter

Tucked away against Point Pleasant’s flood wall is one such home ― the A. F. Kisar Home.

Since 2008, the historic home has belonged to the City of Point Pleasant and has been in the care of the Main Street Point Pleasant organization which is attempting to restore it to its former glory and make it one of the top tourist destinations in town.

In recent years, Main Street Point Pleasant received funding to replace the home’s substantial slate roof and copper gutters. Now, the windows in the home, along with the heating and cooling system, is set to be revamped thanks to another grant.

Main Street Point Pleasant Director Charles Humphreys said a Transportation Enhancement Grant for $240,000 will help fund even more updates to the home with bids possibly going out for the job this week. Humphreys estimated it will take at least three to six months to complete the job which is just the latest attempt to remove any “modern” additions to the home to bring it back to its original state. Improvements further down the wish list include working on the interior walls, floors and ceilings as well as tearing up the concrete surrounding the home for placement of period gardens. With all this work to be done and grants to be found, it could easily be at least another year before the home is opened to the public, if not longer.

However, once the home is complete, Humphreys says he feels it’s going to be a “very good thing for the city and once it’s done, it will be there for another 100 years.”

The A.F. Kisar Home’s story begins with Kisar himself, a local jeweler who came to Point Pleasant in the late 1800’s with the home’s construction estimated to date back to the 1890’s. Kisar is said to have made three trips to England to select the colorful, flower patterned tiles which line the home’s walls of the dining room, foyer and staircase. The pastel-colored bricks on the outside walls are also of English design. Then, the late Wayne and Margaret Kincaid purchased the house in 1962 - the couple purchased the home for less than $20,000 but sank $60,000 into repairs just to move in.

After several years of these extensive repairs, the Kincaids did move in and made the Kisar home, their home. For many years Wayne and Margaret operated a family-run grocery store on Main Street just a few yards from this house. One service of their store was to provide groceries to many of the towboats operating on the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers.

Though at first glace, the house may seem a bit like a museum with its high ceilings and antiques, it was “just home” to the Kincaid family which included children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The Kincaid family also included Hezekiah, the giant griffin carved out of golden oak that stands guard in the foyer. Wayne salvaged Hezekiah from the Lowe Hotel where it had rested for many years as the newel post at the bottom of the hotel’s marble staircase. Hezekiah was said to be carved by local artist Jake Heib who also did the ornate word working in the Kisar home.

The dark wood in the home is typical of the Victorian era. The doors, door frames, mantels and woodwork around the fireplaces are intricately hand carved. The foundation of the house is sandstone. The floor joists are 2 x 12’s. The roof is slate. No two of the 12 fireplaces in the home are alike. Several are made of marble. One unique feature of the house is parquet flooring and carved ceilings, some of which are attached with screws to be removed in the event of high water since, at the time it was built, there was no flood wall. The woodwork around the first floor doors is also attached this way.

The foyer floor is covered in mosaic tiles, a small brightly colored tile. Originally, the dining room floor was the same, but, unfortunately was so badly damaged that it could not be restored. The Kincaid’s acquired over the years many pieces of antique furniture for their home, including a rosewood piano like the one in the Mansion House at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park.

Of course there is more to a home than its belongings or knowing where the tile was made. There are the stories of the people who made it a home, like Margaret who opened the home to visitors without hesitation. Though Wayne preceded her in death by a few years, before Margaret passed away in 2004, her wish was to keep the home open to the public if at all possible. After all, what’s the point of having a story, or a home, if no one’s around to share it?

Israeli money flowing into Iran

While the West is crippling Iran with sanctions, it appears that in Israel – of all places – some people are still doing business with the Islamic Republic.

Iranian marble limestone is known for its high quality all over the world. In Israel, it can be found in dozens of stores and chains.

A store in south Tel Aviv presented Yedioth Ahronoth's reporter with a large surface of Iranian marble tiles. A number of suppliers we called were more than happy to tell us about the merchandise. No one attempted to conceal the origin of the stone – on the contrary.

"We have containers of Iranian marble stone, as much as you want, " boasted a supplier in the central city of Bnei Brak.

According to the merchants, the imports are made possible thanks to a transit station between Iran and Israel: Turkey. The Iranians have created partnerships with factories in their neighboring country in order to bypass the global boycott and Israeli law, and send over the marble limestone from Iran's quarries.

In Turkey the blocks are cut into plates, polished and sold to Israel.

"No one approaches the Iranians directly," says Eran Siv, chairman of the Renovation Contractors Union in Israel and owner of the Siv Stone company. "The Turks put a sticker on the marble to make it appear Turkish, but everyone knows that it comes from Iran."

One of the main suppliers says Iranian marble has become a huge hit in Israel. According to estimates, millions of dollars flow into Iran every year from the marketing of the crystallized limestone to home across Israel.

"Israelis are crazy about this special stone, and the importers don’t want to give up their livelihood," the supplier adds.

And what does the law say? The Knesset's senior legal advisors admit that the Trading with the Enemy Act can be interpreted in various ways these days, so marble dealers will likely not be prosecuted.

Although the Act determines that Israeli citizens must not trade with people or companies from Iran, its wording makes it unclear whether trading with a third party is prohibited as well.

The legal experts explain that in any event, prosecution will only be possible if the marble is purchased from Iran especially for the Israeli merchant and at his request.

Riverfront Park waits for repairs

A little more than three years ago, Apalachicola used two state grants totaling $400,000 to improve Riverside Park on the waterfront between Avenues D and E. Of this, $56,000 was used to install a central fountain in the park.

Plans for the park were inspired by design ideas suggested by the University of Georgia’s Riverways South committee and submitted to the city in 2008. Riverways’ report stressed the importance of the park to the downtown. “This is Apalachicola’s central park,” read the report. “It is the closest open space to the city’s commercial core.”

At the time, there was controversy over the renovations, which included the fountain as well as installation of planters, benches and picnic tables.

Members of the city’s waterfront committee chosen to review and oversee work on the waterfront, chaired by Harry Arnold, said they did not approve the plan before the fountain and other fixtures were ordered.

Architect Willoughby Marshall, brought in by Mayor Van Johnson to weigh in on the plan, said the design was not in keeping with what the city ought to pursue. Questions were also raised about why the city had not sought bids on installation of the fountain and other fixtures.

Nevertheless, Aquarius of Naples installed the fountain on April 19, 2009, with city grant writer Cindy Giametta supervising the work.

Today, Riverfront Park is in need of maintenance and repairs.

In December 2011, tiles began to fall off the sides and top of the fountain. For a short time, twine was used to secure the ceramic tile that remained, and silicone and mortar were applied to hide cracks and put fallen tiles back in place. Cracks in the fountain’s tile work continue to appear.

On the night of April 11, the fishing boat “God’s Grace” collided with the dock at Riverfront Park, damaging two pilings, knocking one down and breaking the other above water level. Apalachicola Police Chief Bobby Varnes said the boat’s captain, Nathan Peaden, of Milton, agreed to pay the estimated cost of $5,000 to repair the pilings.

Varnes said city officials were attempting to complete the repairs before the Apalachicola Antique and Classic Boat Show on April 28. The pilings remain unrepaired, although part of the damaged material has been removed, with the area festooned with ragged, yellow caution tape.

Varnes said last week the owner of God’s Grace is ready to pay for repairs but that the chief has found it difficult finding a contractor because the job is so small. Varnes said he has approached at least three firms that replace pilings but, so far, none has sent equipment to do the work. He is now negotiating with Reed Hicks of Carrabelle who said he has another job in Apalachicola and will attempt the Riverfront Park repair in two to three weeks when he brings a crew over to tackle the larger job.

“We have the poles,” said Varnes. “If anybody that can do the work and wants to come, we’ll pay them.”

Three months ago, the soil began to erode along the western edge of a section of sidewalk running parallel to the dock. During Tropical Storm Debby, the erosion worsened, and by the end of the summer, the condition of the sidewalk deteriorated to where several large sections have upended and present an obvious safety hazard.

The sidewalk is tilting along the entire waterfront and about half of the walking trail is now surrounded by temporary fencing. The fence prevents the use of benches and trash receptacles purchased and installed in 2009.

Contractor William Poloronis, who originally installed the sidewalk, said the rip rap used to reinforce the river bank had washed away over time. But, nobody was aware of the problem, he said, because the dock, installed after the sidewalk was built, hid the bank.

He said he believed the engineer underestimated wave action at the site. Poloronis said the best fix would be to drive sheet pilings deep along the bank, at a cost of as much as $1,000 a foot. But, a short term repair might be made much more cheaply.

Poloronis said that after inspecting the site, he believes the sidewalk needs to be removed, and a larger support beam and additional riprap needs to be added to reinforce the bank.

“The dock can become part of the walking trail,” he said.

Poloronis said he has not worked out the cost of the interim repair, but estimated it would be much cheaper than sheet piling, which might run around $200,000.

When repairs will be completed is uncertain. Staff in Apalachicola’s city office said damage to the sidewalk is being reviewed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Preble Rish, the city engineer.

Decadence on tap in the master bedroom

Once upon a time the bathroom was a space where you showered or bathed but had little reason to linger. Now it is one of the home’s most glamorous areas, often integrating seamlessly with the master bedroom to provide a sanctuary from fast-track lifestyles and digital overload.

‘A lot more space is being allocated to bathrooms, often within a master suite,’ says Karen Howes of award-winning interior design company Taylor Howes. ‘We’ve just designed the interior of an 18,000sq-ft house, of which 3,000sq ft constitutes the master suite. When people are alone in a big house they often like to retreat to one floor that offers them everything they need for relaxation.’

Her views are shared by London-based interior designer Fiona Barratt-Campbell.

‘People want a very big, very luxurious master suite,’ she says. ‘Bathrooms were previously just functional spaces where we didn’t spend much time; now they’re a place to relax. We recently refurbished the top floor of a Georgian house in Yorkshire to create a master suite in which the bathroom alone was 23 feet square.’

With people often using a fifth or sixth bedroom to create a master suite, interior designers have ample scope to make it a recreational extension of the sleeping space. Many begin by considering the internal architecture.

‘Opening up the roof area to form a pitched bathroom ceiling gives a real sense of space,’ says Barratt-Campbell. ‘Creating different levels is also useful in a huge room, so I like to install a few steps up to a double shower area. I often put a freestanding bath on a platform so people can enjoy good views of the countryside.’

According to top interior designer Kelly Hoppen, bathtub options are endless. ‘With so many incredible statement styles available, it’s possible to use one as a star piece and design the rest of the space around it,’ she says.

An increasing desire for separate his-and-hers bathrooms off a master bedroom is noted by Cheryl Gurner, the creative director of Bathrooms International.

‘We’re seeing family bathrooms elsewhere in the property turned into shower rooms, while the really luxurious bathrooms are part of the master suite,’ she says. ‘They invariably have a seating area, many with a little chaise longue, dressing area and television. The bath sometimes sits on a platform in a bay window.’

Howes says the company is often asked to design his-and-hers bathrooms that are each big enough to have separate areas for the shower and toilet. ‘The main part of the bathroom then becomes more like a living area, with an armchair, rug and fireplace, plus a full-height mirror, dressing table and stool and a fabulous bath and basin,’ she says.

The ‘bathroom as living space’ is a look that chimes with the need for relaxation. Martin Brudnizki, a London- and New York-based interior designer, says: ‘If a client wants a social environment where they can chat to their partner, I put a big bathtub in the centre of the room and, depending on their taste, I may add vintage furniture and a fireplace.’

With the shower and loo accommodated in their own cubicles, the main area can, says founder of Czech & Speake Frank Sawkins, ‘become part of the bedroom so the decoration follows through’.

Natalia Miyar, head of design at Helen Green Design agrees: ‘We like to extend bedroom colour schemes and fabrics to bathrooms, adding upholstered furniture and artwork to make the room warm and luxurious.’

Czech & Speake’s dark mahogany ‘Edwardian’ furniture and its art deco-inspired ‘Cubist’ black-lacquered pieces with nickel fittings are frequently used in this way. Sawkins, who describes the current trend for master suites as ‘early David Hicks’, says: ‘Designers want to create a more eclectic look than in recent years so we’ve introduced mirrors and other accessories at our new London showroom.’

The decorative integration of bedrooms and bathrooms is also behind Armani’s collaboration with Spanish bathroom manufacturer Roca. Defined by its use of luxurious materials and textures, the collection includes clever features such as a perimeter aperture around the bath, from which it is filled.

With many home-owners borrowing design ideas from boutique hotels, Graham Bayley of Villeroy & Boch says the company set out to design a bathroom range with overtones of ‘bedroom boudoir’ style.

A luxuriously deep, free-standing bath (from 4,326), dressing table-like washbasin (from 1,147) and glamorous cabinetry (vanity unit from 1,676; sideboard from 930) characterise the La Belle collection. ‘The furniture was designed to suit the bedroom as much as the bathroom,’ says Bayley.