Churchgoers celebrate Mass via television. Congressional candidates campaign with real-time speeches on the Web. A magazine promises Internet tours through the real Mexico — the one with open museums and pyramids. And rock bands plan online concerts.
Swine flu is creating a virtual Mexico.
With school canceled nationwide and many parents forbidding their kids to party, teenagers are logging a lot more time chatting on Facebook, Twittering and downloading music and movies from the Internet. So are many adults, especially after most business and government offices in Mexico City shut down Friday for five days.
Two rock bands are making a go at reaching shut-in fans, announcing a virtual concert for Tuesday. Los Estramboticos, a Mexico City group, and Pastilla, a Latino band from the United States, will perform in a studio and broadcast it online. At least they can get exposure while Mexico’s ban on concerts lasts.
“Entrance is free and you can come without a surgical mask or fear of getting diseases,” the bands proclaimed in a Web advertisement.
The problem is that even teenagers — gasp! — are starting to get bored of the virtual life.
“I’m like, sick of it,” said Bibiana Perez, 16, a Mexico City high schooler whose daily routine has consisted of morning Facebook chats with her friends, watching movies in the afternoon, and evening Facebook chats with her friends.
“I’ve started to cook and do things I don’t I normally do,” she said. “I’ve never made brownies, so I made brownies. I tried lasagna, but it didn’t turn out so good.”
Alex Pradillo, 17, has reached his limit, too. Rugby practices that normally take up two hours of his day have been suspended. He tried to invite a few friends over but their parents forbade them to go. So he finds himself spending six to eight hours a day downloading…