Ola!
Ive just returned from a relaxing few hours on the beaches of Lagos, and as I sit here, im still covered in salt, sand and suncream, and loving the feeling.
I flew into Faro last night after a very eventful weekend in London. I finished work on tuesday, and headed up to London to catch up with people, esp Dani who had just arrived from Sydney.
Despite the best attempts by the London Underground, we managed to meet up, even if Dani didnt yet have a phone, and the station we had planned to meet at had been closed and we had not way of getting there but walking.
We had a very fun filled weekend, starting with the London Pride parade. It was a sea of colour, whisles and glitter - and that was just us two.
Later we met up with Lulu, and it was quite a reunion of sorts. We spent that afternoon wandering between Soho pubs, queing to get into Soho square, queing to go to the toilet in soho square...... and generally taking in the party atmosphere. Later we indulged our passion for duck at a tiny underground chinese restaurant which didn´t let us down!
Then I caught up with `Goat Queen` Amy. I found her having a VB at the Walkabout, but soon enough we were back touring the drinking holes of Soho. Just when we were wondering where all the ladies were at, we turned a corner, and low and behold there were all the ladies...
I woke up the next morning in a sea of glitter, and with writing in eye liner all over my arms. later as i was walking down oxford st to meet up with dani and lulu again, I thought that i looked and felt like I had been at a festival for the past two days. And I hadnt even gotten to the festival part of the weekend.
The weather at that point was not promising. It had been forecast to rain all weekend, and we had gotten lucky on saturday with perfect weather, but that morning it was certainly making up for it, and windy as hell.
By the time we had all met up, and done some last minute festival shopping in Primark, the rain had cleared and it was looking promising.
It was a pretty good feeling, being at a big festival in THE Hyde Park. But by the time it came for powderfinger to play, the clouds had re-grouped, and this time they had brought friends.
Neverless, we pushed our way to very near the front of the crowd and began to enjoy it. About half way through it begain to rain slightly, then more slightly, then heavily. Luckily not long after we had whipped out the brollies, it stopped. A few minutes later, mid-song, the sun burst through the clouds and shone right on the crowd and the stage. Everyone in the crowd eruped in a massive cheer, and from then on the clouds kept breaking up, until by the end of their set, it was blue skies.
Thats English weather for you…
However the next day it was raining again, and I couldnt be happier to be heading to the sun and sea in Portugal. After brunch in Soho with Alison, i was off again. Next stop portugal.
Walking round the streets of Faro last night, I couldnt get over how relaxed and calm I felt, after the intensity of London, it was a very nice change. It felt so amazingly good to be back on the road again, and I dont know why I left it this long.
Thismorning I caught the early train to Lagos, so I could have the whole day here, and tomorrow before heading to Lisbon.
Lagos is a really nice town, however I cant help feeling that it already has and will keep loosing a lot of its charm due to the massive ammounts of english and german package tour groups and all the english people moving here. My flight over was full of people going to their 2nd home in Portugal. Soon there will be no countries in europe, just one giant europe with no interesting places left. Everywhere will be full of the same people and the same things.
Anyway, I think 2 days on the beach is just what I need to relax, before setting off, away from the beach towns full of the English and Germans seeking their yearly fix of sunshine.
