Broadcast to the World...

I study things. I don't really read in a book or anything but occasionally I do look stuff up which is a lot easier these days with the internet and books from Amazon. What I do is just generally take part in a situation so instead of a scholarly approach I am a participant in the thing. What I have studied lately about the culture of Puerto Ricians is they like music and they like it loud.  

Maybe I'm Puerto Rician. I like those things. I have noticed that in the Humbolt Park Neighborhood of Chicago where the PK live there are people of Puerto Rician heritage. We sometimes attend Mass at a nearby Catholic Church and enjoy it because they play the same songs as we do in our bilingual church choir with just with a bit of a different beat. It's very similar to what we do. 

In the secular world though the big car stereo rules. It seems like on a Sunday afternoon in Chicago the music booms from everywhere. It was like that on a beach we visited on the island and on weekend evenings on city streets. Salsa, rap, reggae and a mix of all. Music is life. It moves you. I made just a few photos of music in action and when I get the chance I will continue this documentation. 

This jeep stopped at an intersection where I awaited a bus. The music was loud. The girl in the front seat was not smiling. The only thing I can figure out is the guy driving was her brother. 

On the was to the rain forest I snapped this quick photo of a guy driving down the road doing some kind of broadcast, maybe a sermon. From the size of the rig he thinks his message is important and of course we all do even Donald Trump thinks he's got something going on. On the way back that day I spotted this guy again but this time stopped on the side of the highway taking a break. That's what Trump will be doing in November, stopped on the side of the highway taking a break. 

I also spotted a weird thing on the streets of Old San Juan. A skinny old man in a bucket hat and sun glasses driving a small late model pick up, blasting the factory issue car system to the limit of distortion while jumping,  dancing and drumming the dashboard as he steered the wheel and lip synced into a microphone.  Brought to mind the idea for a DJ Day of the Dead tattoo.  

Should have taken a count of how many car rigs like this one was in the parking area of this public beach. 

I caught Cathy using the wind from these speakers to dry her swim suit after a dip in the cool clear water. 

Meanwhile back in the van the stereo was only adequate but the tune selection was good and the driver was a good enough dashboard drummer (band name alert) and all this fun caused some to need a nap.