It’s April fools day. Before we know it, it’ll be June and then will be talking about fall.
I am not doing the Uxbridge Studio Tour this year. It was time for a break. At the end of September, I’ll be going off to the Orkneys with my son for my graduation ceremony in St. Magnus Cathedral. Another trip! Of course, you’ll be all invited along. You know I can’t stop yapping about what I do, and where I go, and what mistakes I make, and there are so many.
Today I started to clear up my two months of litter around this place. I did my laundry yesterday, and I thought I’d take stuff to the recycle. Luis was by here earlier with his huge van, unloading stuff, and he said there is some kind of bicycle tour around, but I thought by late afternoon that I could go down the road to put my recycle in in the bins.
As I left the driveway and turned on to the road, a cyclist went by, but I was on the other side of the road. All of a sudden I got screamed at, in Portuguese, by the GNR; that’s the police. And then further down the road, I was told to pull in, make a U-turn and come around. The officer approached the car. Yes, my heart was pounding. What the hell did I do wrong? He didn’t speak English. I had looked up information on this event, on Google for the area, and found nothing. Then an officer who spoke English, explained to me that I can wait and tour this lovely town, if I wanted, by foot, or I could wait until 5pm when I’m allowed on the roads. The officer told me it was on Facebook! I didn’t see it! Facebook for Zambujeira Do Mar? I asked if I could go back home where I’m staying and he said OK. Just wait until a motorcyclist goes by you, a cyclist and then a big police car. Then he signalled me to go. I didn’t receive any get out of jail card!
Back home again I searched Facebook and saw no information. There were no signs on the road. Do we in Toronto offer notice to visitors about what’s happening on the roads? I have heard radio announcements when the DVP is closed for competitions. That’s an interesting question. Does anybody know out there?
It is now after 5 pm and I am out again and I am still stopped by the police and told to detour and park! They are behind schedule.
I’m at the tail end of the competition. I follow the officer’s directions and park and go to the grocery store and then to the Azul E Mar, the friendly bar on the corner, opposite the grocery store. I can’t drive home so, I should pause and have a beer, and watch all the young men in their tight pants. The finish line is here and I have the best seat in town.
Cidalia, the owner of the bar and Rubal, the waitress from N. India are here. They have been so wonderful for the two months of my trip and I have stopped here many times. They were the ones who introduced me to the clear spirit that all the men seem to drink with their coffee.
