Beautiful days

[Petra]

It's about time summer started - better late than never. :)

I took Zoe to Cambridge today for an African festival. What a great afternoon! The African musicians were excellent, the dancing was lively, rhythmic and sexy, the colours were hot and vibrant, the food delicious, the beer (South African Castle) was cool and cheap, the beads and jewellery, the paintings, the people - they were all wonderful. Smiles everywhere. And what was lovely, I thought, was that the African community - both black and white Africans - worked together to put this day on for everyone. They sung trogether, they danced together, they had food stalls together, they laughed together. I thought it was magic. :)

I spoke with one guy who did the limbo all the way to the floor - seriously, he limboed under a bar set at about 6 inches high! - so that I could share with Zoe the history of the limbo - from children's game to the slave ships; and the history of tap dancing, which originated after drums were taken from them, so they used tap dancing to communicate instead of drums.

I love multiculturalism. Just love it. :yup:

More festivals! That's what we need in the world. Fuck all the wars an' shit - what we need is food, music, cultural exchange and street parties. Especially street parties.

:hands2: :hands1: :hands2: :hands1: :hands2:

[Ronin]

I know what you mean.

I try to make it to some of the festivals in New Orleans like JazzFest and SwampFest when they roll around.

And, while wandering off the beaten path one year, even learned the cultural history of lap dancing...the details of which I cannot divulge at this time.

:vogue:

[JoeP]

Castle? :bleh: Not the greatest example of African culture. Or life. Or anything. Oh, I suppose it's all right in the sun if you don't have anything else

[livius drusus]

It sounds like you and Zoe had a great time, luna. I agree totally about that street festivals are where it's at. Not only is it great to hear the music and browse the art, but I just love seeing a part of the city dedicated solely to people, not their cars.

My favorite Roman ones are the Tevere Expo -- contemporary and classic art and music, crafts, food, wine, all served on the wide sidewalk banks of Tiber which are normally closed to the public -- and the antiques fair on Via Dei Coronari, when the fanciest antique stores you've ever seen stay open well into the night and the medieval street is entirely candle lit.

I'm such a hopeless city girl. :girl: