The Summons

I was awoken this morning at about 8 to what I assumed could only be fireworks,  which continued about every two minutes for at least half an hour, during which I kept thinking, “I wonder what that is?  But by the time I get up it will probably be over.”

Finally, I decided it wasn’t going to be over, and got up and went outside in my pyjamas.  I asked the matron of the hotel what was going on, and she told me it was the church down the street, which I then visited.  There, I found a number of men in suits shooting off rockets, and when I tried to surreptitiously take a photo, they noticed me and I was invited over.  Apparently it is difficult to be surreptitious when you are the only white girl with a camera around.

Guys in Suits

I asked what they were doing and they told me that they were having a party or something like that, and it was traditional in the highlands to send off rockets or fireworks when you are having a party so everyone knows it is happening and where to go.  One man  said that it was better than handing out flyers.

The Band

I thanked them and tried to leave, but they insisted that I had received their invitation and must stay.  There was a band over to the side waiting, and I was given the impression that there was going to be a parade starting shortly.  Sure enough, soon the band started playing, but for no apparent reason – there wasn’t a parade, one of the guys in suits just told them they should be playing.

I watched and clapped when they were done, and tried to leave again, when they told me I should have breakfast with them.  Despite being in my pyjamas and having two girls back at the hotel room who I didn’t tell where I had gone, I couldn’t talk my way out of it, so they brought me a ginormous bowl of soup, full of beef and corn and other breakfasty food.  I finally managed to escape, but it was definitely an interesting morning, and then I went back to bed.