I think pink floral dresses are magnets for weird things and weirder people. Adding up to make a quirky, interesting and somehow, perfect day.

Start off: After another failed attempt at retail abstinence, we bought more bread and headed to the docks to fatten the swans again.

First weird encounter: a girl, about 16, sat beside me and asked for bread too, saying that her friends are making fun of her because she likes swans. So, we shared bread. I could hear the guy behind us laughing. After a while, he joined us, shook my hand and was about to kiss it, but I pulled away fast “Normally, I’d kiss your hand”, “What’s your name?”, “Ah, beautiful names…”

My thoughts: Ack! Yuck! Are they drunk? Mid day? Where are the garda when you need them? And where are all the usual big happy families? Why are we the only ones here?? Don’t push me into the water…

That was the first time we threw in huge chunks of bread (to the delight of the swans), said goodbye and walked off. But not before they waved us off with a “Konichiwa!!”

Second: We sat on a stone wall, in the shade of the big circus tent, just admiring the view, people watching and talking nonsense (“I wonder what consultants do on a day like this? Wear Hawaiian shirts and straw hats?”). From afar, I could see a guy on a bike smiling as he approached us. He started chatting about life and asked if we’re free and single. My mouth opened and out came a perfectly crafted story “Yeah, I already have someone, a chef specializing in cucumber dishes who lives in the tropics, in Terengganu to be exact.” “But I have a nice house in the country bla bla..” He was actually quite an eccentric looking guy and Lemon asked if she could take a picture of him, when he pulled us down from the wall and asked a couple who were passing by to take our picture.

The couple grinned, nodded and the guy who took our photo shouted to us, “I’m going to put this in my blog!”

Are we really that strange/weird till we can even become blog topics?

I forgot to ask for his blog address..

And then, a match :)

Third: We’re still on the stone wall, still talking. The circus’ 2 o’clock show was in full swing and we could hear the music. I was imagining the ringmaster as a man with a curly moustache, a black top hat and a red coat with shiny buttons whipping everything that moved. Sitting on the wall next to us were a group of Italians/Spanish/Some guys who were probably working at the circus. One of them came to us and handed these two green pieces of paper. “For you. At 5pm” *wink* “Shhh…don’t tell anyone” I opened my hand and read: CIRCUS GERBOLA ENTRANCE TICKET.

I think our faces showed this ‘Huh????’ expressions because he came back and reassured us, yes, he’s giving the tickets to us because we’ve been sitting on the wall for so long.

So, we went ahead into the circus and had a blast, even though it’s small and has a horsy smell. Love the acrobats, the juggling, the clowns… Still felt as if in  a dream when we took our seats. The ringmaster was a lady in a tophat and a very revealing outfit :( There goes my Mr Galliano. But as I said, it was amazing (for someone who has never been to the circus before).

Also saw Mr McM, the plastics surgeon consultant and his family sitting by the ring, bouncing his son on his lap. He wasn’t wearing a Hawaiian shirt or a straw hat.

Fourth: Coming out of the circus. Scene: a hotdog van with plumes of smoke coming out from the window and firefighters trying to douse flames. Poor hotdog man…

Fifth: We sat in the field, did cartwheels, rolls and jumps. The circus acrobats somehow made us feel like jumping about too. Our spectators were the ponies, horses and flowers.

Lemon + Me

Lemon’s Sony alpha

Trying to be an acrobat

I am burnt and happy.