or: Carpark Picnicking
One of the 974 things I enjoy about Mauritius is the music. I don’t understand much of it as it’s often sung in Creole however I enjoy the beat, the sound, the instruments themselves and watching the dancing.
Last night I went to a concert of a guy I’ve seen here before. That time, I didn’t actually see much of him as I fell asleep due to landing after a long flight that day and quite probably a little too much to drink and not all of the one kind of alcohol.
This time I was determined that it wouldn’t happen.
No flights and only water to drink.
It worked.
I’m a bit surprised it happened the first time too given how loud these concerts are (it is an 11 piece band plus singer and includes a three person horn section and three different drum kits operating at any one time) and that they go for around three hours!
This all leads me to my next point. Actually going to the concert itself is a little different here to what I’ve experienced elsewhere. Yes, there are the usual beverages in the car but not quite in the same way.
Before the event, everyone prepares some foods (gadiak) to take and share. Everyone also brings the beverage of their choice generally also to be shared. Along the way to the venue, a few beverages are enjoyed from the back of the hired minivan (with a driver) or in the car (if there is a designated non-drinker for the evening). Once at the venue, all of mine have been about an hour from our starting point, that’s when the car picnic begins.
Our gadiak this time included some sandwiches, homemade wantons and pastries, some baguettes (this was a French colony at one stage), beef stir-fry, some fish aladds, crispy chicken (I’m addicted to this deep fried chicken and it’s one of my favourite snacks here), squid in sauce and I can’t remember what else. The baguettes are used by tearing a piece off and think spooning / or using a fork to get some of the foods inside as a filling. No plates are required.
Picture this, a car park full of people picnicking next to and in their cars and minivans. These are young children through to those in their 70s, all picnicking and having a good time before they even enter the concert itself.
The concert never seems to start on time and this could be the reason why. It’s difficult to rush a picnic.
Or perhaps the stars of the show are also picnicking and don’t want to miss out!
* Thanks to Colt_Ford for the title to this post.