Algumas fotos

Ironies

Well, to begin my tryouts in writing in english language, I'll tell about a recent episode in my life, which, if not interesting, is at least curious.



First thing: girlfriend was in Poland, in holidays. For two weeks. And me, I was trying to enjoy the most I could the few days I'd have as a "single" man [if I'm not mistaken, only in three days when she was absent I didn't manage to take part in some party, make a party myself or go out with friends], when a friend of mine [if I can call somebody who I met only three times a friend] called me to tell me about a party where he would be playing [he's a DJ], and if I was interested in going to. Selected guests, a couple of DJs, and inside a boat! Whats not to like? I've aways wanted to go in a party like that, so I said yes immediately. Unfortunately, later, I found out that none of my friends would be able to attend. Except for one of them. I would be really very good news, as I wouldn't be in a place surrounded only by complete strangers, and as this friend is a girl, things would be even better, as that would make possible for me to enjoy the dancing part of the event [I'm too shy to ask a girl who I don't know to dance], but I was immediately thinking about the collateral of all that, as this girl who was going is one of the prettiest girls in town. All I could think was "Aga [Aga is my girlfriend] will kill me when she comes back [she's very jealous].



But let us not panic just yet! I still had a couple of days before the party, and I was trying to get more people to go. People from the town where I'm living, folks from work. But it turned out that nobody could go, for different reasons. I though oh, hell, what can I do? It's not my fault, I'm not doing anything wrong, and actually there's no reason not to go to this party. And like that I had made my mind. But there was a little surprise in the weekend [the first one].

On friday, I ring my friend to sort out thing about the time we were to the party, and she told me she would finish work around 7 o'clock in the evening. But the party would start as 8. In Galway. Forty minutes driving, plus the time a girl takes to take shower and do make up, you do the maths. I though humm, things don't look good, and I rang my friend to check the schedule. He confirmed there wouldn't be time enough. I got a bittersweet feeling, as I knew I was not going to enjoy the party that much without her, but at least Aga was not to be upset. And Saturday I was there, and the party was really very nice, good music, beautiful landscape, perfect weather. Couldn't complain.

Around 11, the boat was back to the docks, and the guys were getting ready to the afterparty in some pub. I was not going, as that day was fight night [as much as I can, I aways watch the UFC in home], and my friend, who would join me support our countyfella Minotauro, was in Galway to collect me. So I was back to Loughrea around midnight, and I had to wait some 3 hours before the fight. So I said to myself, fuck it, I'm going for a pint. And there I was, in the most popular pub in my town, when I see two familiar faces. My friend guitar player from Brazil, John, and her, the who was supposed to go to the boat party with me. There was a third guy who I didn't know, who I was to find to be a brazilian as well, but I didn't pay attention to him at this moment. After one drink, she suggested so, we go to the disco, yes?, and I said why not?. So to the disco we went.

The disco in Loughrea is awful. Bad DJs, bad decoration, and way too many irish guys, way too drunk. But I was drunk enough myself, so I was sure I could as least kill some time with my friend before the fight start [in Ireland all nightclubs close at 2 o'clock. The fights would start at 3. Good timing]. My friend John didn't join us, but the other guy came along. I noticed he was interested in my friend [what a shocker], so I gave some space to him, and didn't take her to dance all the times, so he could fire a couple of shots. The thing is, I know this girl for quite a while, and I was pretty sure she wouldn't make out with this guy tonight, so I stayed nearby. If the guy was inconvenient, she could aways come to me. But after some time taking turns with him, I though hell, she seems to like this guy. As I'm the only person here she knows, maybe she's just embarrassed to kiss him, or whatever, as she may think I would tell our friends tomorrow. So, to make easier for her, I just moved away to the other side of the disco, where we couldn't see each other, and there I stayed for nearly half a hour. When I came back, I danced once more with her, and suggested to us to go home. A few minutes later, she went to toilet, and while waiting, her boyfriend wannabe came to talk with me. The conversation was something like this:
You're a funny guy huh?
What?
You're a fucking clown aren't you?
I'm glad you like it.
You see I'm with the girl, and you were sticking around all the time, you, a brazilian guy as me, shouldn't be doing this.
[As this point, he seemed pretty aggressive, and he didn't look drunk. He looked stronger than me, anyway. I can't fight, myself, but my concern was that I couldn't even defend myself properly, as I got my shoulder hurt in the previous week, so I'm not embarrassed to say I was a little bit scared.]
I'll tell you what. I have no hidden intentions with this girl. She's one of the best friends of my girlfriend, we are used to party together. But if you like her, you can sort out this very easily. Call her to go out again, just the two of you, and everything will be fine.
Anyway, you should not do that. You are a man, you should understand.
Tired of this yepp-yepp, I finished the conversation like that:
Listen, my friend, the chances you have to make out with this girl tonight, are something between ZERO and NOTHING.[My friend liked this part specially, when I told her this story later]
But she asked me out tonight.
And she asked me as well [it was kind of true, as we were supposed to go out together].
He was a little confused at this point, so I moved out from him [I kept my eyes on him all times, just in case], and waited for my friend to come back, so we could go home straight way.

And so she came back, and I was keen to hurry things to go home, but as she didn't know about my little chat with her friend, she just took her time. We left, and I was walking a few yards in front of them, close enough to know they were behind me. In the crossroad, I turned right to go home, and when I looked back, they were walking in the opposite direction. We live in the same building, so the first thing in my mind was Fuck! She really liked the guy! And in shock, I walked a few seconds more, until I realised it was me who was walking in the wrong direction. I turned back, and started to walk fast, but not too fast so the guy wouldn't thing I was after them. When I caught them, they were talking by the doorway, I said some bullshit to explain why I was going to the wrong side, and asked her do you want come for a beer? [If she wanted to get rid of him, she had the chance now]. No, I have enough beer for tonight. Ok, so, see you tomorrow. So I passed by them, and came back home. I was just glad to be safe, and don't have to worry about anything anymore. One minute later, my friend enters by the door, and asks why did you leave me with him? Fuck, I can never understand women.

She stayed in my house until my other fella showed up for the fight, and I told her everything what happened. She was in shock, and told me she actually didn't fancy the guy that much as I was thinking...

Anyway, it was a very nice night, I had a lot of fun in the boat, a good time in the disco [well, sort of], and the fights were interesting. There was just one really bad thing in that night. Minotauro lost. First time ever she was stopped. A real shame. But life goes on...

Merecidissimas Ferias

Depois de trabalhar como um negro [parafraseando o falecido Dr. Corsindio] por mais de ano e meio, eis que estava a tirar ferias. Nao que tenha desanimado [a infantaria avanca], inicialmente tentei vende-las ao patrao, por pouco que me pagasse. Aconteceu que o contador alertou-me que, se por um lado eu nao as usufruisse, por outro lado nao seria tambem pago. Mais que ligeiro, preenchi o formulario solicitando-as. Uma semana apenas, pra nao perder o costume [de trabalhar duro]. Rumei pro norte da Irlanda [nao pra Irlanda do Norte], pro condado de Donegal, muito bonito por sinal, ainda que a capital, com o mesmo nome, ofereca nao muitas atracoes. Mas a viagem foi interessante, as paisagens pelo caminho, belissimas, e a companhia, agradavel, a maior parte do tempo. Seguem, abaixo, algumas impressoes de meus percursos.

Assim que chegamos em Donegal.



Bar estilo medieval, visual maneiro

A praia, lindissima, a temperatura, na faixa dos 5 graus...







Uai, to de volta em Pirenopolis?



Os portais eram baixos por problema de chifre, como voces podem ver nas proximas fotos.





Aga no castelo

Castelo de Donegal. Daqui parece grande.

P.S. AH, o prologo das ferias, um rapido passeio no vilarejo de Kinvara, fica pro proximo post.

Minha primeira vez (na corte) na Irlanda

Epilogo: Estava eu voltando de mais um dia de trabalho, ainda na pintura, na cidade de Shannon, dirigindo o trovao azul numa excelentissima pista tripla, quando de longe observo um membro da Garda entrando na frente do meu carro e sinalizando para que eu parasse. Nervoso, encostei e fiquei esperando o veredito. Sabia porque estava sendo parado. You were speedind. I Know. One hundred and forty two kilometers. Uhum. OK. E comecou a anotar no caderninho. Voce mora nesse endereco [apontando pra minha carteira]? Nao, eu mudei agora estou no numero 9, The Waterfront, quando a policial que estava com ele completou Gort Road? Isso mesmo, voce conhece la? Uhum. Bom, multa de 60 Euros, 90 se nao pagar em dia. O detalhe e que, se nao pagar em 58 dias, a multa fica impagavel por meios convencionais, sendo a questao levada ao Juiz, que foi o que de fato veio a acontecer. Dia de corte, compareco, nervoso, e espero mais de duas horas antes de ser chamado. Tudo muito rapido, dentro da rotina, 100 Euros de multa, pagaveis em ate trinta dias. Paguei tudo na hora, pra evitar mais problemas. Considerando aburrice, ate que saiu barato...

(Re) Comecar de novo

Bem, quando parece que as coisas comecam a caminhar numa mesma direcao, mudancas novamente. A dificuldade de alinhar trabalhos em sequencia, aliada a chegada do inverno, fizeram com que o trabalho que vinha realizando na area de pintura chegasse ao fim. Mas, nada tema! Depois de voltar um dia de Galway, ha mais de uma semana parado, parei no lava-jato de Craghwell pra lavar o carro, visto que conheco os dois empregados de la, o Chines Joe e meu camarada Clayton, vulgo cabeludo, lah da Samambaia [mora mal...]. De cara o Clayton pergunta Conhece alguem que esta parado? Eu to, mais ou menos, por que? Tamo precisando de mais uma pessoa pra trabalhar aqui, ja que de agora em diante devo trabalhar mais por lado de dentro, no shop do posto. Entao fechou, vamo lah falar com o chefe. E assim foi, comecei a trabalhar na quarta seguinte. Nessa semana tiro umas fotos pra ilustrar.

Eu e a(s) Agnieszka(s)

Trabalhava ainda no restaurante chines quando um dia, por um acaso do destino, o boiler parou de funcionar. Sugeriu o Billy que eu fosse pedir agua quente no restaurante ao lado, vizinho de cozinha. Chegando la, dei de cara com uma moca muito bonita, limpando o chao, a qual ja tinha visto, mas nunca conversado. Na epoca meu ingles ainda estava mais ou menos, o que fez com que eu tivesse que me esforcar ao maximo pra explicar pra ela que eu queria agua, por conta do nosso problema. Assim que terminei de falar, ela olhou pra mim e disse sorry, no english. Pode? Dirigi-me a uma senhora que lah estava, e ela resolveu meu problema. "Que desperdicio de mulher bonita", disse de mim para comigo. Alguns dias depois, tendo a Jadzia me ensinado a falar o basico em polones, me apresentei a moca e perguntei como ela se chamava. Agnieszka. Qual a chance. Nunca que eu conseguiria decorar aquele nome, dois minutos depois ja nao lembrava. Quando topei com ela de novo pedi que anotasse o nome no meu celular, ai sim conseguir gravar o nome. Mas, pra resumir a historia, ela tinha namorado e nada aconteceu.

Semanas se passam...

Estou eu na casa de meu camarada Demostenes [vulgarmente conhecido como Azul], conversando com os conhecidos, quando o Mauricio me pergunta como falar uma palavra em ingles. Cumpre ressaltar que ele conversava com uma loura a qual eu nunca tinha visto. Depois de explicar como se falava, comecei a conversar com a moca, e depois de emendar um assunto no outro olhei para os dois lados e notei que a festa ja tinha acabado, hora de ir. Papo bom. Despedias, fui embora, o Azul levou as meninas em casa. No outro dia, todos perguntando e ai, vai rolar? Eu, nem pensando em nada, nao dei muito assunto. Mas comecei a considerar a hipotese. O Azul me falou que eles a chamavam de Aga, o que me levou a pensar que ela se chamava Agatha. No outro dia, perguntei pra Monika sua amiga Agatha nao vem? Que Agatha? Aquela que tava na casa do Azul ontem. O nome dela nao eh Agatha, eh Agniezka...

Jesus Christ, pensei comigo mesmo. Pra fazer curta uma historia longa, depois de muito pelejar com essa Aga, nada aconteceu.

Semanas se passam...

Trabalhava eu no Kart quando o Russel mais uma vez me pede pra fazer o taxi pre eles depois de uma bebedeira. Tudo combinado, chego lah pelas 10 da noite quando o Igor me explica Joe, talvez voce tenha que trazer alguem de Portumna, alem de deixar o Russel por lah. Quem? Uma polonesa, garota de programa. Fiquei curioso com a historia, mas depois de ligarem pro Chris algumas vezes, descobriram que a moca estava com a agenda lotada e nao poderia atende-los no dia. Deixei o Russel em casa e fui embora. No outro dia ouvi os caras conversando algo em polones e o nome Agnieszka, perguntei pro John Quem eh essa? Nem queira saber, Joe, eh uma prostituta polonesa. Justamente a menina do dia anterior. Pra resumir, entre a vergonha de fazer uma visita pra moca e a pao duragem de gastar 50 Euros, nao cheguei nem a conhece-la.

Semanas se passam...

Combinei com as meninas de ir ao 903, um boteco chique lah em Galway, mas no fim das contas fique com preguica e acabei ficando em casa. No final de semana seguinte, novamente na casa do Azul, conversando com meu camarada Helio [vulgarmente conhecido como Lion], quando ele falou Por que voce nao foi no 903? Tava morgado, preferi ficar em casa. Po, quando a gente chegou la, a Ela (namorada do Lion) jah perguntou de voce, ela levou duas amigas lah do hotel onde ela trabalha, acho que ela queria te apresentar uma delas. Hum, se eu soubesse... Mas nao tem erro, vou falar com ela. Acabou que nem lembrei. Dias depois, fazendo um servico em Galway, liguei pra Jadzia pra oferecer um carona, no caminho, passando em frente ao cinema, parei um pouco o carro devido ao trafego quando minha carona abre o vidro e cumprimenta uma moca, czesc, mais meio mundo de palavras em polones que eu nao entendi. O transito andou, pedi desculpa pra ela e comecei a dirigir novamente. Ela me disse essa que eh a garota que a gente queria te apresentar, falei de voce pra ela, ela quer te conhecer. Nem hesitei. Vamos combinar alguma coisa pro final de semana, entao. Sexta-feira me liga a Jadzia me perguntando voce vem pro Devlin hoje? Nao, vou ficar em casa. Mas amanha voce vem, ne? Por que? Minha amiga vai estar aqui. Entao eu vou com certeza. Pra resumir, estamos agora namorando ha duas semanas...

Saindo de Loughrea

Tentando ganhar um dinheiro extra, fazendo bico, contratei um assistente, Marcelo [vulgarmente conhecido como Pink], por ele ser um vendedor nato, e bem relacionado com muita gente em Loughrea. Alem disso, pelo fato de ser muito oferecido, fica mais facil fazer amizade com as pessoas que conhecemos em outros lugares. Acontece que tambem temos saido pra outras cidades, pra conhecer outros ares. Abaixo, algumas fotos de dois dos eventos.

Em Ennis, muita gente vai fantasiada a disco.



O problema dele eh que ele acha que sabe dancar.



Eu nao bebi nesse dia [mas minha cara amarrotada desmente]



Essa eh uma amiga do marcelo, que conhecemos numa saida em Oranmore. Infelizmente, perdi as outras fotos.