Sunday, August 21, 2011

SUNDAY IN THE PARK




O'Briens cafe and the Kebab/hamburger joint both close on Sunday so I strolled into town and had an Irish beefburger at another favourite eating place in Camden Street. The Irish are famous for tall stories, but you should have seen how tall this beefburger was! So I went for a walk afterwards to burn of some calories. St Stephen's Green is everything a city park should be, a whole city block surrounded by railings, and full of walks and statues. At one entrance Wolfe Tone surrounded is by granite plinths. I stopped beside the pond to see a variety of gulls swimming and flying above the water. At the main entrances a notice board advertised what attractions were in the park that day, including 'Romeo and Juliet'. I am afraid I have never changed my opinion since one of my fourth form English class told me, 'If I was her mother I'd smack her bum!' and I had to agree. I was about to head out of the park and find another walk when music stopped me in my tracks. It was a band, a Brazillian band, drums, maraccas, whistles, guitars and a vocalist singing in Portugese. I tried to get close to take some pictures, but half the population of Dublin was gathered around listening and responding to the music.On the grandstand the drummers, to one side a community choir, led by a girl in green parading with an emerald and silver banner. And giving the beat for the audience a tall girl wearing a Brazillian bikini, (3 postage stamps and a couple of bita of string) with high heels on her feet and silver plumes in her hair, and Dublin was dancing along with her. I tried to get a shot of a very respectable looking dad holding his toddler above his shoulders as he dances, and Irish matrons dancing for the joy of it. Alas I could not get near enough, but it was wonderful.
The fences around St Stephen's Green were hung with paintings. The artists sat on camp chairs at the edge of the pavement, ready to talk to customers. There seemed to be every level of achievement, from very skilled botanical studies, through landscapes, seas scapes, copies of old masters to impressionis to traditional modern.
Luckily I still have to watch my weight, keep my luggage down to 20 ks. so I know I can only look and admire.
Livia from Ceara in Brazil, one of my room mates, has just come in. She saw Romeo and Juliet this afternoon and was impressed with the beautiful modern costumes and acting.

Bur Sunday in Dublin is quite marvellous, believe me.

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