Don’t worry, I am not to going to plague you with another festival rant or overload the entry with photographs. The 24-hour festival marathon that took place between Saturday and Sunday, which included the bizarre serving of soup at 3:30am, tortured me the entire Sunday. After what I experienced on Saturday, however, I refused to have anything to do with the bulls or the parade and instead retreaded into the safety of my room. Even the flat was quiet, devoid of festival visitors who moved on the next day, but not without wreaking havoc in the rooms. It seems good manners and mindfulness are rendered null and void with drunken stupor. My heart went out for the housekeeper on Sunday, as she laboured the entire day cleaning up the horrible mess left behind. Some people should be charged triple upon check-out based on the mess they leave!
Thankfully, the festival drew to a close at the stroke of midnight last night, marked by the fireworks display. The entire town (that still managed to stand on its feet) gathered at the prommenade along the river, cheering and dancing to the colourful explosions and music. It almost felt like New Year’s Eve, going by the merriment, and I suddenly felt homesick. Homesick for what or where, I have no idea, all I know is that I wished I could have shared the moment with family or friends, like everyone else seemed to be doing.
And just like that, silence fell over Vila Franca once again, and it was utter bliss! Of course, it still feels as though we are living along the beach, with all the sand still coating the streets. Can’t wait to see how long it takes the town to clean up! Needless to say, it was weird stomping towards the station in the sand, my sandals sinking in deep and all the grains coating the soles of my footware and feet. There were beer bottle strewn all over the place, empty water bottles littering the streets and overflowing out of the trashcans, and the whole town smells like a pub after midnight, although this pub also had animal urine mixed in with it. Ugh. The mosquitos that swarmed around us this morning was unbelievable.
Initially, as I aapproached the tracks, I wondered why everyone was swatting away like crazy, like some twisted reincarnation of break dancing, but it took me all of five seconds to join them, horrified at the sheer amount buzzing around me. Well, it is a way to fall into unexpected conversation with fellow passengers, all of us grumbling about the same thing. I don’t remmeber ever being so grateful to get on the train!
Having said all that, this is going to be quite the week ahead, and I need all the energy I can muster, not to mention core serenity. So in the way, stomping through the sand this morning was a keen reminder that not all paths are devoid of challenges, even the daily ones. We sink into the surfaces of the day and find ourselves having to put a bit more effort than usual. In the end, however, we eventually reach our destination. It helps if there is something looming in the horizon to look forward to as inspiration.
I know my heart will break and rejoice this week, but that is life, seldom clear skies and the clouds that float into my life are there to affirm life, celebrate the infinite world of possibilities and opportunities.
The shot of the day was not taken this morning, but last Friday, the day the festival kicked off. I wanted to begin my week with this image, a new dawn full of vibrant colours and cloud dialogues, especially since I awoke to overcast skies this morning.
A blessed Monday to one and all.
FrogDiva Thoughts 