December Serenade
It was 6:20 a.m. when I suddenly awoke and realized today is the 1st of December. The sounds of a marching band and a hundred or so people walking past singing a patriotic anthem in praise of Portugal was not a dream. I had heard the same band and song before. In fact, that's how I immediately knew it's Dec. 1st. Every year on this date, at precisely 6:20 a.m., the procession passes by in front of our house, and as soon as they finish the final chorus, they start all over again. They march off down the avenue and the sounds fade away. Silence.
The troupe goes to the next street corner, turns left and comes back down the street on the other side of our house. Having regrouped on the street below our house, the band strikes up again, and after singing through the song a couple of times, the final words again fade away as they march back towards the center of the village. "...Portugal! Portugal! Portugal!" However uncertainly the words of the verses of the anthem are sung by the hardy lot of marchers, the last three are sung with gusto.
It's Restoration Day, in commemoration of the revolt in 1640 that ended the 60-year reign of the Kings of Spain, Philips II, III, and IV. A crisis in the royal succession in Portugal in 1580 opened the way for the crown of Spain to take over the crown of Portugal, as well.
Thus in 1640, Portugal regained its independent rule over the western chunk of the Iberian Peninsula, first recognized in the 1100's. Therefore, be informed: we do not speak Spanish in Portugal. And some people are so enthused by that fact that, 369 years later, they're willing to get up and start marching through the streets at 6:00 a.m. and at the top of their voices remind those of us still in our beds that we live in Portugal, not Spain.
The troupe goes to the next street corner, turns left and comes back down the street on the other side of our house. Having regrouped on the street below our house, the band strikes up again, and after singing through the song a couple of times, the final words again fade away as they march back towards the center of the village. "...Portugal! Portugal! Portugal!" However uncertainly the words of the verses of the anthem are sung by the hardy lot of marchers, the last three are sung with gusto.
It's Restoration Day, in commemoration of the revolt in 1640 that ended the 60-year reign of the Kings of Spain, Philips II, III, and IV. A crisis in the royal succession in Portugal in 1580 opened the way for the crown of Spain to take over the crown of Portugal, as well.
Thus in 1640, Portugal regained its independent rule over the western chunk of the Iberian Peninsula, first recognized in the 1100's. Therefore, be informed: we do not speak Spanish in Portugal. And some people are so enthused by that fact that, 369 years later, they're willing to get up and start marching through the streets at 6:00 a.m. and at the top of their voices remind those of us still in our beds that we live in Portugal, not Spain.
posted by EP | 1:01 PM | Permalink
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