Do you go to local performances during your travels?

In Samoa I got invited to see a fire dance and it was so exciting to watch that I was amazed. Also there I got invited to church on Sunday. I arrived and noticed I was the only person not wearing white. I said sorry and the reply was "it is that inside that really matters". The singing was awesome and it was a memorable experience. I visited South Africa this year. I saw a rich side and a poor side to Cape Town. I wanted to see how life is in one of the poor townships. I was with my toddler son and a guide showed us around a poor township. We saw little shacks and houses made by an Irish charity. It was interesting to see reality for the poorest local people. In am an independent traveler and not a package tourist. I am fascinated by local culture and seeing a performance is one way to get a flavor of that.

That is the first thing I'll look for in any place I go. I want to have the feel of the local culture. I like eating the local food too.

Local performances and local expresions of any kind are the best that can happen to me on a trip. I think the most impresive I have seen was a procession of la Virgen del Rocío in the South of Spain. We were at the hotel, unaware of what was going on and went to buy bread for breakfast. Most of the stores were closed even though it was a weekday. Finally we learned what was happening: there was a procession of the Virgin at the next town. We took the car and RAN!!! The main plaza was full of garlands and flowers. The people were starting to gather. We got a very good site near the Ayuntamiento. When it seemed there was no space to hold another soul, we started to hear shouts. We could see strong men arms holding a canopy where the bejewelled Virfgen came. It was so heavy that men had to change from time to time. People called her all sorts of endearment names and threw rose petals. I am not a religious person, but my eyes were wet. It was just too beautiful and significant.