Changes are a foot

In the 6 days that we been back, we have noticed  some changes have taken place around us. First of all, with all the nice weather, the trees have completely leafed out and there are lots of flowers blooming, or about to bloom.  Any day now, we should see the roses in full bloom.  The elderly gentleman who was a fixture on the meridian in front of the apartment has not been around.  We had been noticing that he was not around everyday before we left, and when he was, he often came later and left early.  There seemed to have been some confrontation on the day the Lourdes pilgrims were here, with one of the younger gypsies, and things have not been the same since.

He has been replaced by a middle aged man of Asian decent who spends all day walking up and down, trying to sell packs of pocket tissue to drivers.  Then one evening we saw a young couple of juggling buskers out in front of the traffic, doing their thing and collecting money.  The  were fun to watch and driver's were obviously enjoying the entertainment, because they were giving them money.  They worked the intersection for about an hour and a half.

A new ice cream place has opened up down the street, just in time for the increased summer traffic.  And has the tourist traffic ever increased!!  From 9AM to 7PM, there is a steady stream of tour groups going to the churches .  The attire of the Italians has been modified.  No longer are they in their winter gear, but now they wear lighter coats.  The tourists are more distinguishable now with their sandal feet and large amounts of exposed skin showing.  The kids are back in school now and the tour groups are more mature.  The cruise season on the Mediterranean is now in full swing.

Yesterday, May 1st, was Labour Day here in Europe, and around much of the rest of the world.  That meant there was a big concert in the park across the street.  Friday, the crews were in setting up the stage, light standards, sound system and big viewing screens.  For the next 4 days we were treated to some great music as various performers came and did their sound tests.  Monday the port-a-potties arrived.  On street parking was banned. Tuesday morning about 10AM  the road barricades started going up and spectators started arriving, even though the concert didn't start till 2PM.  But, you got to stake out your place, right??  Some even brought tents, I think, because the prediction was for showers later.  The Red Cross was setting up their command post.

           People listening and watching the set up - these two boys were having fun dancing to the music

April 30, the port-a-potties arrive

                         Port-a-potties have been moved and Red Cross command post set up
                                   - three of many food trucks setting up for later


We went out for a walk to discover more of the neighbourhood.  At lunch time we stumbled upon a little East Indian restaurant and had a great lunch. 

A courtyard we found on our walk

This stand alone tower, actually looked like it was someone's home, curtains on the windows,

 flower boxes outside

                                                         An interesting little vingette

Then we attempted to catch a bus back home, but nothing was running where it should have been.  Roads were blocked and festival service was on.  Also, when we left the house it was beautiful, but by the time we were finished lunch it was raining.  We ended up walking home and arrived back about 2:45.  Everything was in full swing, the vendors were out, the music was playing and the crowd was continuing to build. The rain continued on and off till about 4PM, then the sun came out and it was a beautiful evening for a concert.  I counted 26 groups listed as performers.  Everything from solo acts, to bands, to a theater troupe from "Stomp",  to a symphony orchestra performing all genres of music.

About 2PM, umbrellas out and enjoying the music

About 7PM the music stopped for about an hour or so, and everyone hit the food trucks for something to eat.  At 8:15 the music was on again, and people rocked away until 5 to midnight when the music stopped.  The bulldozers, street sweepers, garbage trucks, and city crews appeared to start the clean up.  Within half an hour the crowd of 200,000 plus had mostly dispersed and the cleanup had started in earnest

                                    7Pm - everyone heading for something to eat

                                                      9PM and the party is in full swing

  11:55 PM  Concert over, crowd dispursing, bulldozers, streetsweepers, streetwashers move into place 

This morning when we woke, you would never know there had been a great mess out there just 8 hours ago.         
               10 AM May 2 - little sign that 10 hours ago 200,000 plus people had been partying here

.   Life on the street was back to normal.