Brazilian Dream in Porto Marina

Picture this:

Another year, another Eid. Once again you find yourself in the back of your family car, with baby Mido on your lap, your fat sister Dina to the left and your cousin Adel to the right, blasting music in his earphones, secretly disappointed he is going because your mother wants the family to be closer. Ever since you can remember, you have always fallen asleep when travelling through the desert with your family. You reckon you can sleep through at least 90% of the whole trip this time.

You arrive at Porto Marina expect it to be another trip where you spend your time trying to avoiding your parents yelling at each other and making up excuses to get out of baby watching duties. Adel is still off in his own world and your sister is eating everything in sight making up for missed time during Ramadan. It's the best trip of her life - Porto Marina has a whole host of cafés, restaurants and snack shacks, from Auntie Annes and Papa Johns to Golio's, Waffle House and Coldstone Creamery. After seeing her order her forth meal of the day, you remember someone handing you a flyer for something happening here during the Eid. Upon further inspection, you realise that it is promoting an event called From Brazil to Golf Porto Marina. Ah, yes. The exoticism of Brazil! That'll keep everyone busy. 

Instantly, you grab the opportunity to break your family's mundane Eid. You wait for your parents start arguing about something they forgot to bring. When they finally seperate, you go to Baba and suggest you go to the Brazilian parade. You sell him on the idea that it will be fun because of beautiful Brazilian dancers. You then go to Mama, and sell her on the fact that there will be clowns and magicians which will keep Mido happy and distracted. You go to Adel, and tell them there will be plenty of dancing and, if he wants, he can bring his headphones and dance to his own music with others. You turn to Dina and tell her there will be food.

All together, you arrive to the Brazilian Parade. The electricity is in the air, music surrounds you and your eyes find it difficult to take it all in. You look to your family and they are all smiling for the first time. You spend time dancing with the dancers, amazed by the magicians and laughing at the clowns. You see that none of this is amusing Adel, but then something you've never seen before happens. On stage, a band is setting up with a variety of objects, none of which look like instruments. As they begin, you notice they are using these objects to create sounds. Who knew broomsticks and medical equipment could create such an amazing rhythm? Loud Arabia, that's who. You look over to Adel and for the first time you see him taking off his headphones. He turns to you and says "Gamed." You feel like you are bonding.

From that moment on, you and Adel are the best of friends. You take off to head to the beach where, out in the distance, you see what looks to be a human rising out of the sea, flying like some fire cracker in the sky. Apparently, what you're looking at are flyboarders and best news is you can actually pay and get to have a go. You both take to sea and begin feeling like dolphins, twirling in the air. It's amazing. When your time is up, you're still high on the adrenaline. Just when you thought you couldn't get higher, you notice people on a very high crane, plunging into water. You and Adel look at each other, and instantly know what's next. You go bungee jumping.

Once night time arrives, everyone in the family chooses to go to a concert. Fat Dina goes to Khaled Selim, your parents go to Hisham Abbas, and Adel and you choose to go see Okka & Ortega. This time, Adel doesn't bring his headphones. When all is said and done, you and your family return home, happy with the decisions they made.

Just before you all headed to bed, everything turns sour. All of sudden, your parents are yelling at each other, Mido is crying and Dina is burping. Confused, you suddenly opened my eyes and realise that you're all still in the car, on your way there. What a beautiful dream, you think. That's when you notice that in your pocket is the flyer about From Brazil to Golf Porto Marina. In a flash, your sadness turns into excitement. You get to do it all again and for real this time!

This is going to be the best Eid ever.