Village fetes in Paradise

As I mentioned in earlier posts, August is a busy month in Madeira with all the village fetes around the island - every weekend. The unbelievable turn out amazes me every time. I'm certain at least half the island's population attend these great events.

S. Vicente's  last week started tuesday and ended sunday afternoon, and I, along with the usual crowd of pals, attended thurday, friday and saturday nights. No sleep but who cares?

S.Vicente's do was superb - the best of them all...great sound
 from Vespas Club

this is only a fraction of the crowd...

Claudia, my dearest friend, her brother and husband at the
start of the evening. She is leaving Madeira on a job assignment -
and I'm not happy about it :( 

Sofia is famous for never getting drunk - until this particular night
when she overdid it with  shots and ended up at the
car, head out of the window, spewing up

The gang and I - this weekend is Ponta Delagada - woohoo! 

Last night after a session at Warm Up bar that lasted until 4 am, Lisandra and I  went back to my apartment for more drink and chat, and at 8:30 she decided a swim in the sea would be a good idea. 

And it was! Diving into the coolness of the deep blue with our bellies full of booze was absolutely magical. The best hang-over cure ever!  I now want to make a habit of it - after all, here in Madeira the sea temperature ranges from 25 centigrade in the summer to a "chilling" 20 centigrade in winter - oh yes, and plenty of sunshine all year round.

Lisandra and I swam to that platform and rested a while - before the
crowds arrived

So, very little time to blog at present. Busy busy with work and partying. 

It's tough going...but someone's got  to do it.

:)

I can't reach the sun...

I'm still in a state of emotional limbo.

I'm still chasing impossible dreams, like a madman reaching for the stars.

I'm still unattached, untethered, like a ship without anchor, drifting with the unpredictable currents of life.

I'm still happy; most of the time, just never completely happy.

I am still very much 'incompletely' happy.

Salvador Dali

Here's something  I wrote the other night that just about sums it up;


As dawn rises  over the city
I slip unnoticed into bed
with memories like silent movies
flickering through my head

Images may remain forever
like paintings on permanent display
but sound...is fading with time
and time...is fading away

:(

The briefest update yet!

The month of August is quite hectic in Madeira; village fetes around the island ensure that every weekend there's something happening. The village festivals take place around the church areas. Kiosks serve grilled chicken and beef and copious amounts of alcohol until 6am. One of the main disco clubs sets up a mobile outfit and the music  flows as freely as the beer. I'm certain most of the islands 250.000 residents turn up to any one of these events.

Ana, my cousin and fellow reveller at Lameiros

gets livelier around 2am

Work, work and more work and a lot of partying in between are preventing me from posting regularly. I'm sure you understand...

...it's a tough life

:)

Swift update

Lately I have been immersed in work - more than I can handle. I have the opportunity to gig every night of the week and also the responsibility of helping to run bro's restaurant-bar, Porta XXXII - hence the lack of posting.

But, guess what?

I'm loving it

Warm Up Jam Session at Porta XXXII - We all stayed
until 08:30 am.  I've been busy working here...

...and doing this kind of thing ...

 So, that's it! Little time to blog, but I'm working on something of interest to post soon

:)

Flames of hell in Paradise

For the last three days vast areas of Madeira, approximately 10% of the landmass,  have been engulfed by flames. See the satellite picture below.

Plumes of smoke billow from east to west 

Four major forest fires are causing havoc around the island - the one near Funchal is causing the most concern.

Close to the airport - and residential areas of Santa Cruz

Flames surrounding the motorways to the airport and east of the island

Funchal watches nervously as the flames create a halo of  fear

Residents do all they can to help the firefighters

The displaced are en route to sheltered accommodation

The heroes who have worked non stop for three days and nights

Perilously close- the smoke penetrates all the city's homes

Our beautiful purple-green mountains will take years to recover.
The Palheiro Golf Club area is worst hit

No comment required...

This plane has just taken off from Funchal Airport

Political message from the fire brigade "Today we are heros, tomorrow
we'll be forgotten and abandoned - but we'll never abandon our people"

Moderate winds are aiding the spread of embers and frustrating the fire fighters. Extra fire fighting crews and equipment have arrived from the mainland.

It is heartbreaking to see the devastation of our prized flora and the scarring of this very green and lovely land.

The saddest part is that the authorities are now convinced the fires were started deliberately.

If, as some suspect but I find hard to believe, this is some kind of political protest, I denounce the cowards who would rather scorch the land than face their opponents in open and democratic debate.

:(