Have passport, will travel

Over a two-hour span on Saturday, you could comfortably visit three countries - all from the convenience of home.

Rajesh Mettupalli chose to experience the final day of the Mosaic multicultural festival on route five, along which bus drivers shuttled festival goers to three pavilions at Evraz Place: Filipinas Philippine, Hellenic Greek and Kyiv Ukrainian.

Saturday was to be a busy day for Mettupalli and his wife, whose plans included riding route five and then hopping aboard the route six bus for tastes of China, Bangladesh, Ireland, Korea and Italy.

"We can't visit personally all the countries," Mettupalli explained while waiting for a bus. "But here, we can visit the people of so many countries ... We're trying to cover them all."

Route five was one of six free transit loops that connected festival goers from the Regina Inn downtown to every Mosaic pavilion.

Route five driver Rock Legendre estimated he would have bused at least 200 people to Evraz Place on Saturday.

There was a steady stream of people lining up outside the hotel at 2: 30 in the afternoon. Many sat along the curb, leafing through their festival passports. Some were overheard discussing which pavilions offered the best food, which were must-sees for entertainment.

About 15 people stepped onto Legendre's bus, including Mettupalli's group and five teenage girls who took their seats near the front and began chatting.

Their plan for Saturday, it turned out, was to ride routes four and five until their passports were stamped full.

They seemed confident they would hit their goal. They wanted to see it all.

"We don't have much knowledge of other cultures," said 17-year-old Shara Khan, "so we'd like to learn about their customs and how they function."

The bus grinded to a halt outside Banner Hall. Inside, about 150 people sat at tables awaiting the 3 p.m. Filipino dance set.

Others browsed the various booths, which offered traditional fans, purses and jewelry, among other items. Ambassadors of the Philippine Association of Saskatchewan soon took the stage and introduced the show's various dancers, who ranged in age from five to 20 years old.

The set began with a colonial Spanish ballroom dance, after which dancers took the audience through different districts of the Philippines, through various time periods and historical influences.

Meanwhile, young dancers entertained the swelling crowd inside route five's second stop - the colourful Kyiv Ukrainian Pavilion.

A giant traditional flower wreath - called a vinok - hung from the ceiling near various flags representing Ukraine's national colours and trident.

"It's a fun place to be," said Oksanna Zwarych, a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, of the pavilion. "And more and more (Ukrainians) are coming (to Saskatchewan), so we have a strong population in our region who have immigrated to Canada."

Route five's final stop, the Hellenic Greek Pavilion, whisked visitors away to ancient Greece. The lighting inside the Show Sale Arena was dimmed, and blue curtains draped the walls.

A group sat onstage playing Greek blues as guests listened while dining on spanakopita and baklava. Cultural displays showcased miniature ivory statues while sounds from a music festival hummed from a nearby television screen.

Back on the bus that was headed to the hotel for a fresh set of passengers, Khan and her friends sat discussing the merits of each stop. When asked about their favourite dish, they shouted in unison: "Baklava!" Khan added that she appreciated the intricacies of Ukrainian dancing.