Portugal and the Party

So this weekend we will go the biggest rave between friends. Yes, rave. It does still exist.
I have to say that a small group of friends organize this every year, and the DJ and his wife are somewhat elderly. With that I mean in their early forties. Hence the rave-music. I don't care for the music itself, and is certainly not the reason why I went the past 2 years.

But every year around this time, I get butterflies again, because for me, this party was kind of the whole thing that started my online relationship with Miguel.
When we were just talking friendly, he would always invite my to the party in Portugal and he would set me up with his friends. Little did he know, that I wasn't really looking to be with his friends, but more interested in meeting him. Little did I know, that indeed 2 months later, I would be joining him for real!

The best part is when we all meet up on Carrapateira beach on fridaynight. It's a casual get-together of our closest friends, and usually people I haven't seen for months. When it's dark, we start with a BBQ, which is no more than a piece of meat with a slice of roasted bread. But it's yummy after being 4-5 hours on the road. We eat, talk, drink and laugh untill we're too drunk, too tired and find our way to our (if lucky, previously put up and organized) tent.

We sleep untill sunrise, go for a dip in the sea and collect our collectables to head of to the party. This is usually on another beach, as it is set up illegal. Camping on the beaches in Portugal is not allowed, neither in Spain, but in Portugal, the police don't tend to control that much. They only give a warning and saying you have to move your stuff in a rather scary fashion, but no more.
That's why we pick remote beaches in Portugal for the party. The more difficult to reach, the less likelier it is that police will show up.

What I love the most about the party, apart from seeing long lost friends, is that fact that The Algarve of South Portugal is so beautiful. The landscape is rough, the ocean is blue, the beaches are untouched by humans. At night, you feel so small, with those million starts in the sky, covering the world like a dreamy blanket. I feel more one with nature, and it puts a lot of things in perspective. Daily stupid worries dissapear for a while, home doesn't exist for a while, only the here and now.

The tent is standing at the front door, the sleeping bags are washed, the cooling box has been dusted off. Sandwiches are to be made, water is needed. Will it get cold? Where is my flashlight? We are going tomorrow!!