By: Kendal Tate
Today is going to be an exciting day, I have decided.
The day started out with a tour of TUTV channel 6, the Puerto Rican television and radio station. The station is amazing. First, we went into the rooms where the station broadcasts on the radio. We were able to meet the major voice of the station and get a glimpse of what is done on a daily basis. Then, we were able to look inside the script room, where about nine microphones (that look as though they are from the early 1900s) were actually digital. They reminded me of the microphone Christina Aguilera uses in her Candyman video. After looking in the radio rooms, we were ushered into the digital control room. Inside, there were flat screen monitors, several computers and “old equipment” with necessary information that was being transferred into the new wave of technology. Following this room was the “old control room” which was half the size with more equipment. There were only two computers, and half the monitors. This room will be out of date February 17, 2009. This is the date in which all studios are required to switch from Analog systems to the Digital systems. Our multiple tour guides showed us how the “old” equipment worked. With the punch of a few buttons, the tape was pulled out of its location, placed into the VCR and with another click, it would be broadcast. (He did not push that button, because other shows were on air, and that would have messed up the broadcast.) Our final room was the live broadcast technology room. This room was freezing, at one point the tour man gave his sweater to Angie because she was so cold! I felt like I needed 24 lay
ers to be warm, it was that cold!! The behind the scenes people were slowly making their way into the control room for the live broadcast of a talk show that was to start at 1 P.M. The last stage of our tour consisted of watching a live broadcast of a popular talk show. The two women were very enthusiastic, even though I could not understand exactly what was being said. Picture 1: The hosts at the beginning of the showThere was a male performer, who had an incred
ible voice, (of course he sang in Spanish), and swayed to his own music. After the performance, there was an interview with how to make an alcoholic beverage. After the two hosts downed the drink, it what seemed like 30 seconds, it was time for us to head to our next destination…Casa Bacardi.Picture 2: The performer on the talk show, clapping and swaying to the music
The tour of Casa Bacardi was better than the one of Casa Seralles. I had no idea this brand of rum had so much history. It was not just my favorite because I was able to have two free samples, o
f which were both the best pina coladas I have ever tasted. Picture 3: Casa Bacardi gift shop and meThe tour started with a historic video that explained how the rum has been in the family for over 130 years and originated in Cuba. At one point, there was an issue and the business almost went under. Due to extreme desire to make the rum a worldwide delight, family members revived the rum and their dream has come true. The distillery showcased the varieties of run and old photos of the original vision. The last phase of the tour was by far the most enthusiastic. The bartender, Thomas, explained the different types of rum Bacardi offers, and how to mix a proper Bacardi drink in the comfort
of one’s own home. Thomas described that the classic Rum and Coke (not Rum and Diet Coke, Rum and Diet Rite, or Rum and Dr. Pepper) was named after “free Cuba” and the name stuck. When Thomas was finished explaining the drinks, one enters a room full of pictures, bottles and web videos. This is where one can email a video of about 30 seconds to two people with the bottles in the background. The tour ended at the gift shop.Picture 4: Thomas explaining the four types of rum on the counter.
This day was my favorite, and I was so glad I was able to write about it because not only was it full of historical information, I was able to see the entire process of rum making. The tour of the TUTV, allowed me to see a live talk show, that only reminded me of the Ellen DeGeneres show. I was hoping the hosts would get up and dance the way Ellen does, but their version of dancing today was consuming a beverage as fast as possible, while avoiding a brain freeze!
1 comment:
Kendal's favorite day was probably our most challenging in terms of logistics, as we migrated from a television station, to Casa Bacardi, to a tour of Old San Juan, the capitol. It was a lot to experience, but she certainly caught the highlights.
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