214.
Say what you like about the Portuguese (and I am not about to speak ill of them), but they certainly do know how to throw a party! Not only that, but they know how to make it last longer than perhaps it ought to. But, hey, we won't hold that against them, will we? After all, with finances being the way they are in this country, who can blame them for wanting to escape the daily struggle by watching a huge firework display, even if it is only for a couple of hours? I had to go to the National Library today to finish off the photocopying that I couldn't do yesterday because of there only being one functioning photocopier in the library. A quick (and disappointing) trip to El Corte Ingles, then it was back to the flat to get ready for the big fireworks display at Belem to coincide with the switching on of the lights on Europe's tallest Christmas tree. And what a display it was. It was superb - it made Dundee's GUY FAWKES' DISPLAY seem like a back garden bonfire with a couple of sparklers and a banger. While watching the fireworks exploding in the sky to the sound of Wagneresque music, little did we notice the 'tree' erupt into life. Nice though the 'tree' was (and spectacular as the fireworks were), I still felt a little cheated that the 'tree' is not real. Nevertheless, the show was superb, and the 'tree', despite being wholly artificial, is beautiful. What better way to round off a day of photocopying and fireworks than to go round to the restaurant with some friends to eat some picanha and vitela? I could think of none, so Sílvia, Alexandre and their friend Anabela and I all went and did just that. Even Celtic losing 2-0 to Rangers couldn't spoil an otherwise good day. Now, where did I leave that caipirinha...?