(...)
Inbetween the first and the second course of the party Elcy came by to have her pictures taken with the outfits Lurdes and I (as her "grandparents") had brought for her and which she hadn't been able to try out the night before because of the lack of electricity. She was very happy with them all, which made us happy as well.
So did Mena, whom we had tried to locate the previous afternoon though in vain, as she was at school. She got the presents sent to her by "godmother" Silvia and was thrilled with them, irrespective of looking rather serious for the photograph.
In the next room the party was going on with the second course being served - a huge amount of "torresminhas", pizzas cut in squares, fish cakes, popcorn, crisps, "petits fours", marble cake cut in pieces, a pinapple cake, "doce de leite", two bowls of hand made ice cream of azedinha and strawberry, two birthday cakes (one covered in icing sugar and the second one chocolate), as well as an enormous variety of soft drinks (amongst other things I can't account for).
Some of the children looked astonished by the huge variety of "treats" on the table ... and so did we. Now we could better understand why Marlene and Dulce had spent part of the night preparing all this. Children were very happy after the initial shock and that's what really mattered, once the party was for them.
After having eaten and drunk all they wanted, the birthday candles were lit and we all sang "Happy Birhday" to one another ... and it was a sort of magical moment for us all ...
The dancing part of the party was soon officially "open", as the children started following the dance steps of an African music video which was going on ...
Between the children and the dance performers on the video I honestly don't know who danced best ...
(To be continued)
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