Postcards from Portugal
Partying with Saint Amaro & Sexy Saxaphones
With the Portugal’s deep Catholic heritage, I wasn’t surprised to see churches centered on every town square. What I wasn’t expecting was how these churches supported community celebrations honoring saints, and that these saints share my love for a great party.
Clues started appearing mid-week, when these colorful flower garlands along with branches and flags started popping up, strung across the square outside the church in Paul do Mar, just a quick walk from where we are staying. The next day, more decorations, a stage for a band and when the beer stand landed, I knew something was cooking.
By Friday, we really knew something was percolating but we still didn’t know why, what and when. Through Google Translate, John connected with the bakery lady and found out it was a festival for Santo Amaro, or “Amarus the Pilgrim,” the patron saint of the region — and that the music starting at 9 pm.
Did you say nine in the evening? That’s . . um . . . past Lisa’s bedtime. But sure enough, when we later saw a poster with the schedule, not only did the band start at 9 pm, the party continued with the last band starting at 2 am.
Let’s just say I could hang out a bit to see the lights pop on and folks starting to flow in, multi-generations from grandmas to toddlers, all dressed up and starting the night after mass at 7 pm.
It felt like a cross-cultural twist on Cheese Days back in Monroe, Wisconsin, where everyone local pops out and strolls the square and reconnects with folks they haven’t seen in a while.
We took in the community magic and sampled some vinho d' alhos, a traditional Portuguese dish of pork marinated (typically for days) in garlic and wine and pickling seasonings and then grilled and served with Boco do Callo, traditional bread.
We then walked back to our cozy bed and fell asleep as the band started to play. And a brief walk-up call with fireworks at midnight.
The festival also introduced us to Banda Municipal Paulense, the local community band of Paul do Mar with a long history (and even a website) dating back to 1874 and rumors that the group started after a family reunion.
The band would march down the narrow sidewalk passages about town, first placing flowers at the waterfront in honor of Saint Amaro and then going door-to-door in caroling fashion to play a song, with the cafes inviting them in for a drink and snack. Like caroling, but with beer and better temperatures.
At night the band gathered again for a jam session that (of course!) included this classic song for all saints. And what a wonderful diversity of ages of band members, from Gen Zers to seniors swinging tubas. Don’t miss the tall, dark and sexy saxophone player.
We still weren’t sure if this was all unique to Paul do Mar until the following week when we were driving through the northern coastal town of Sexial and we literally saw the same exact thing: Different saint and focus, different church and food vendors and band, but the same foods, flower decorations and caroling musicians.
Community at it’s finest indeed.
Check out more photos (and ordering options) from John D. Ivanko on Alamy