Sunday 1 July 2012

Ave Maria


Today was one of those Sundays when the statue of Our Lady (Nossa Senhora de Saude to be exact) is brought out of the church and paraded down the street with the brass band following Her.

I was just coming out the shop (the building on the right in the photo above; I'd gone down to get a Magnum (white chocolate) for Carol and a jumbo packet of Lay's ready salted crisps for me for full enjoyment of the final of Dois Mil e Doze) and found myself standing behind the last man in the band as OL emerged from the church. Peering over his shoulder at the card clipped to the top of his trumpet, I tried to read the name of the music they'd be playing. Ave Maria, it seemed to say. How fitting, I was thinking, so was a bit taken aback when, moments later, the procession moved off and the band struck up with - of all things - Fernando.

Turns out my eyesight was deceiving me. It didn't say Ave Maria, it said Abba Medley

Knowing me, knowing you.
 

11 comments:

Luís Henriques said...

I Laughed a bit with this post. Actually the score's title is "Ave Maria" but as a subtitle it has "music from Abba". The crazy thing that band "composers (?)" do with "marchas graves" (procession marches). I was astonished when playing it in Pentecost day.

Best wishes,
L.H.

Kathie said...

Would "Mamma Mia" have been more apt? Or ABBA's Eurovision winner, "Waterloo"?

Kathie said...

À propos of Scots vacationing in the Azores and promptly falling in love with the islands, read "Cat Cubie: The Azores is my home from home":
http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/2833090

Anonymous said...

I was impressed by your Knowing Me, Knowing You photo of the brown shirted Giant of Flores, stalking his tea, the slow marching but delicious white shited bandsman. Is this the first time that this legendary creature has been caught on film?

David

Kathie said...

Have you seen this documentary yet re yonder Corvo?

"A Travelogue Two Years in the Making / Gonçalo Tocha’s ‘It’s the Earth Not the Moon’ Looks at Corvo":
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/movies/goncalo-tochas-its-the-earth-not-the-moon-looks-at-corvo.html

Movie Review: "Exploring Every Corner of a Remote Port of Call":
http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/movies/its-the-earth-not-the-moon-directed-by-goncalo-tocha.html

Lamentably, during my visit to Flores the ferry across wasn't running due to high winds and choppy seas. A próxima vez...

Anonymous said...

Carol and Neil,

Would you be willing to offer "insider" information about life on Flores? I have a couple questions for a novel I am writing that is set, in part, on Flores. I would love to visit the island myself, but will not be able to in time for the completion of my book. If you are available, please email me at: susan @ howardcorp.com. Thank you.

Kathie said...

Folks, I await with bated breath your next post, presumably on the surreality of watching the UK Olympics from the remoteness of the Azores. I note that some women's soccer ("futebol" to you) is being played in Glasgow already.

Odds on who will light the cauldron with the Olympic torch? Sentimentally I was hoping for Sir Dr. Roger Bannister, but he already did a leg at the stadium named for him. Although winter athletes, Torvill and Dean would be apt, since they not only won Gold but revolutionized their sport. But please, oh whatever forces that be, don't pick Becks.

Kathie said...

So, did you folks puddle up when your gold-medalist countryman sang GSTQ at Wimbledon yesterday?

Marisa said...

Hello, as much as I appreciate to see my grandmothers crochet window shade in the back door, I think it's time for a new post. Nothing new at the West?

Kathie said...

Olá, Marisa! I too having been awaiting with bated breath the latest dispatch from our correspondents in the westernmost conselho. Let's just hope they're well, but keeping occupied with a steady stream of vacationers.

Kathie said...

I don't suppose you stayed up late enough to see your countryman Andy Murray win the US Open (the match ran almost 5 hrs., till 9 PM EDT = 1 AM Azores time). We spotted, among his fans, Scottish nationalist (and erstwhile thespian) Sean Connery in the stands, looking like a very old man.