Sunday, September 2, 2012

3 wishes.

This is, I suppose, finally! a continuation from my story of our perfect day on that beach in Bahia.

*


It was grey and wet, the day we took a bus from near the Mercado Modelo in Salvador to Igreja do Bonfim
The little church wasn't far away, though with the weather and traffic, the ride took longer than I expected. 

I'd first encountered the name, Igreja do Bonfim, and the lembrança do Senhor do Bonfim da Bahia ribbons for which it is famous, in capoeira. 

The name of the church appears in many capoeira songs. The ribbons were tied around wrists and ankles of fellow capoeiristas and usually looked rolled up, tattered and quite horrible. 

Somehow, I developed an obsession with these ribbons and they were all I ever asked for from friends who were travelling to Brazil. 

You can read about the history of the church and the meaning behind the fitas [ribbons] ...sometimes called wish ribbons in the commercial West]... and how to use them >>> HERE.I found out many new things myself, from the article. And 
Rose, you're right about the colours!

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When I was planning our own trip, I knew I would have to visit the place where the ribbons came from, and duly marked the spot in my trusty Lonely Planet and put aside a day for it.

Here is what the Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim looked like on that grey day when we visited.

Looking back at our pictures, now already almost 11 months old, I see we only have 3 of the church [but a lot of the ribbons]! So I took the liberty of finding a few more interesting ones for you.
Pic from HERE.
Pic from HERE.
Pic from HERE.
Read about the Sala dos Milagres or Room of Miracles in the link above.

Back to our pictures.
The fence outside has thousands of fitas, presumably tied on by people who made wishes.
The shops nearby had many more.
I include this sign here, in case any would-be traveller to Brazil chances by. 
Please note: there is absolutely no need to panic and buy 75 fitas for 20 reais at the praia in Salvador from a man who tells you he needs the money for his starving children, but whom you will later see in a loud Hawaiian shirt at the bar.

One of the other things I most remember about that now-long-ago day, were the dogs.
As usual, they seemed to belong to no one, but were placid and friendly.
We noticed a few locals put their leftovers from lunch out on the kerb for the dogs. We bought some food for them as well. 

I worry so much about what goes into Princess Georgia's mouth, whether it's nutritionally sound or has preservatives. These dogs, like so many around the world, will eat anything that fills the tummy.

Do you see what is around the neck of this dog?
Although he came up to us for food, we could not touch or catch him to remove the wire. We spoke to locals who told us they'd also tried but he was too nervous, and aggressive if anyone tried to touch him. I wonder how he is now.

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I finally thought to write this post because a couple of weeks back, a blogger friend asked me what those ribbons were, that were attached to Georgia's collars.
Thanks for asking, Rose! :)

I've always tied them onto Georgia's collars to make her look more girly, so passersby will stop telling me, "What a handsome dog he is!" [though that hasn't worked too well].

I also tied them on because I had [and still have] a lot of wishes for my dog. 

The 3 that I make, 1 with each knot I tie, has always had to do with her behaviour, her health and her happiness.

In the early days, the 1st wish I made was always "Please make her a good and gentle dog."

If you read the Very Interesting Link I provided up top, you'll know it's fairly dangerous for me to have told you that! But I think it's okay, because those fitas have long since disintegrated and been pulled or fallen off. 

Anyway, I like to think the wish has already come true.

*


If you had 3 wishes to make, for yourself or your dog, what would they be?


26 comments:

H and Flo said...

I like this... I'm going to think about my wishes as I suspect they're supposed to be a bit more cerebral than 'I wish Elsie would stop p---ing on the verandah'! :)

Rose ~ from Oz said...

They say better late than never Typist! I loved this 'continuation' story!
Cute header photo (hehe) and it does show off Ms Peas ribbons well.
It is interesting about the colours, but differing opinions as to whether the colour business is just legend or really part of the tradition. I'm ignoring the colour thing and just going with the glorious tradition of the wishes. Haha Typist, can't tell you the wishes, coz I don't think you're s'posed to do that! ;)
I would loooooove to go to Brazil one day.
Mmmm, don't reckon your 'Somewhere Else' will be in Oz anywhere......
xx

georgia little pea said...

H, please come back and tell us!

Rose, thanks for inspiring this post! I understand the colours have to do with orixás. I'm sure most people [especially us blur tourists] would ignore that :)

June said...

The black and tan unowned dog looks just like a sweet precious doggrrrl I had. It makes me so sad to think of those dogs wandering around hungry with no cushy bed to sleep on.

I just finished reading a book called Three Wishes and spent the whole book with half my mind wondering what three wishes I would make if I had the opportunity. And now you present it to me once again.
I always was of the school that believed in Be Careful What You Wish For and now I'm even moreso. Too many possible nasty little twists to the answers to those wishes.

georgia little pea said...

What a coincidence, June! I think wishes (if thoughtfully asked and not ridiculous) are often self-fulfilling.

Jan said...

What a lovely post. Yes we agree that reasonable wishes are often self fulfilling just like prophesies.

Friko said...

3 wishes?
My Benno back, my Benno back, my Benno back. Do you think your ribbons would work?

Tootsie said...

This is wotten waven. This is what we think about the three wishes: To wag (happiness), to walk (health), to wish (to dream - of wags and walks).

Love,
Tootsie

georgia little pea said...

Dear Friko, I think you already know the answer to that :( X

Jean said...

I love the wall full of coloured fitas (hmm....fitas....doesn't that sound like it should be some kind of Mexican food??).

I'm not sure what my three wishes would be, but I suspect one would be something to do with a comfortable level of prosperity, one to do with health (for me and for my critters) and one to do with getting that horrid wire off that poor dog's neck. I have seen dogs who have collars embedded into their necks and it is horrendous - I can only imagine what the wire will do to the dog in time. I hope someone soon finds the wherewithal to risk a bite and snip it off.

Sage said...

Three wishes? That's easy--health, happiness and lots of mud-puddles. Oh, that's Sage talking... :)

I've seen these dogs that are out there with no one to give them the comforts our dogs are lucky to have. My heart goes out to them.

Elizabeth said...

Lovely post!
Three wishes for Buster? That he gets to visit the beach soon and a long happy and healthy life.
For me --probably the same!

When we lived in Morocco there were lots of street dogs and cats that would eat anything

usually tried to give them something
anything
no worries unlike for spoilt Prince Buster

Unknown said...

The first thought when I read this post was that Brazil seems so much like India!

The street dogs seem happy and well-fed. Hmmm...my three wishes would be:
1. Puppy's health (in a sort of Benjamin Button kind of way!)
2. Street dogs all over the world getting medical care when needed.
3. Come to think of it, street people all over the world getting medical care when needed.

georgia little pea said...

Lucky you, Elizabeth! I would love to live in Morocco for a bit! As a woman, I found it quite challenging to travel there in the old days. Wonder if that's changed?

Swati - spoken like someone in the medical profession LOL. I guess dogs in "the third world" ... hate that phrase really... live much the same way. Less fuss for sure!

booahboo said...

woooooooooooooo.. arf arf arf :D yes yes.. we fell off the radar again and missed your posts.. and your new blog header :) love it!

3 wishes eh? hmmm... i love wishes... but there's a dark side to wishes if they are for oneself... i think :D

my 3 wishes would be..

georgia little pea said...

What a tease you are, Miss Oon!

booahboo said...

If you are a genie in a bottle dear GLP... please grant me my 3 wishes...

1) a perfect world where every dog/cat has a home and someone to love

2) tolerance for the strays.. in my country... there's lots of strays.. some get abused when they are in the way or in someone's yard trying to just take a nap

3) perhaps an ice-cream on this very very hot day

:) i sure hope the ice-cream don't come melted.

georgia little pea said...

Good wishes, Miss Oon. I think 2 out of 3 are achievable :)

Peggy Frezon said...

I love learning such interesting things from your blog. I saw something similar, couples put padlocks on a bridge in Paris (and I think other places too) for luck or something. Hmm, 3 wishes for Kelly and Brooks? health, health and health. And, to be a bit silly, they'd love a huge yard with things to climb on and play on, and a big pit of tennis balls for Brooks!

Jodi said...

What a lovely post. Oh the wishes I would make for my dogs, there are too many to count.

But I do wish Delilah would get the recall. That would be amazing.

Your pictures of the dogs just breaks my heart, but I think they are fed and seem to have good tempermants. I just wish they were loved.

Kirsten (peacefuldog) said...

Beautiful stories, beautiful street dogs. The ones I encountered in Guatemala and Peru were pretty calm and friendly too.

My first wish for myself and my dogs would be that people would limit themselves to one child. I wish for that so fervently that I seldom get to #s 2 or 3, but I guess I'd wish for planetary vegetarianism and an end to shelter euthanasia pretty quick after that :)

Amy said...

What an interesting place - I feel so bad for that dog with the wire on his neck. I hope he's better all these years later.

georgia little pea said...

Kirsten, I'm 100% with you on #1.

What Remains Now said...

Such an interesting and thoughtful post and I found myself snickering all the way through because of your header! You must coordinate header changes and post topics better...please.

My wishes for my pups...health, love & balance. Hmmm...for me, peace (in mind & spirit), kindness (to myself and others) and love (in all things). A more practical wish for myself would be that I wouldn't be such a dork with money.

chandra said...

The church is beautiful (along the Milagres room unnerves me) and I love the idea of the fiats! Right now, I would have to say that all my wishes would be for those street dogs.

Mmm, vegan acarajés!
-c at ddy.

Leslie said...

What a beautiful church! I love the ribbons - and really love your wishes. ;)