I have been away from internet and electricity for a while, and occupied with magical encounters, jam sessions, food poisoning, and music festas.
Here on the island of San Vicente, contradiction grows in every nook and cranny. The atmosphere is European.. coffee shops, well placed cobblestone streets, and noses that are ever so slightly turned up compared to the more "african" areas of santiago island. But from the 15th to the 17th, and the Baia da Gatas festival, everything and everyone seemed to come together. Music from all over the islands, in traditional to contemporary music styles, took place on a giant outdoor stage, with unwavering sound and a surprising lack of technical problems. (They must have somehow aquired a private generator from the local "Camera" or government.) Along the beach leading up to the big crowd filled stage area, tents lined the water. From make shift scraps of stick and fabric, to heavy duty REI bought tents, to those that looked like something out of a 1950s French riviera movie, people planned to camp out the whole three days. Sadly, or not so sadly, I had the opportunity to stay with some peace corps volunteers. A former PCV was basically kicked out for dating the former governer of the nearby island... and we got to stay with this former governor in his house... quite odd, but quite hilariously perfect.
I digress of course.
Around the festival, smaller stages and performing areas were present. I was delighted to find a samba reggae group performing in one of these spaces. I could have smacked myself for not bringing my camera or videocamera. Restaurants from Mindelo (the main city) even posted signs in town saying that they were opening up their restaurants temporarily at the festival. The night was filled with dancing, incredible music... until daylight. it all didnt start up until around 11 or 12... so we often returned home around 4 or 5.
During one of the nights, apparently i was the only one who had not drank much (stomache issues that day), and the only one who could drive stick shift, so I got to drive myself and the former "President" of Pauul and his peace corps mistress home to safety... not sure how i did it, because the rules, if existant, are sure not followed, and winding cobblestone streets are nothing to stop drivers from flying and passing by... but somehow it was exciting in my sleepy, post festival stupor.
2 comments:
Muito interessante este olhar que lanças sobre os momentos vividos durante o festival Baia das Gatas 2008, bem como as referencias ao meu affair com a tal former PCV. Vou ficar com este post como uma parte das minhas memórias e da minha história de vida. Obrigado por teres colaborado. Gostei muito da tua maneira de ser e por isso confiei em ti para te receber em casa e para de dar o carro para conduzir e acho que acertei pois és uma pessoa segura, respeitosa, reservada e muito inteligente.Que a tua vida continue assim cheia de historias bonitas, positivas e vibrantes.
muito obrigada "decadadenoventa." Eu estou muito agradavel que voce concorda com meus palavras. Eu tambem espero que voce vai haver as experiencas muito bonitas.
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