Whenever I mention Lagos to people, they always say, "Oh, Lagos, I love Lagos, its lovely, I'd love to go back." Well, I love it too, and return whenever I can; but why do I love it?. Well, its pretty, its welcoming, its got fantastic beaches. No its more than that......actually, I wanna tell you a story.... and that may explain it better.
There we were, my friend and I, having a gossip and catching up - we only see eachother when both families are in Lagos these days - sitting outside one of the pavement cafes in a narrow cobbled street in early April. It was 11.30pm and the rest of the party had headed down to the square to see one of the regular buskers. So we sat and enjoyed the atmosphere and watched the people ambling by, on their way slowly to who knows where.
As we chatted, I heard a strange, clip cloppy noise above the buzz. No-one seemed to take any notice- all sorts of entertainers and travellers pass through these parts, and clip cloppy sounds are probably not uncommon. However, this obviously was uncommon because, as it got louder, the chatter in the restaurant died slowly down into silence. I turned around to see a hairy moustacheod man on a huge silver horse pause in front of the restaurant, in the narrow, narrow street.(the lack of room worried me a bit). He took off his hat and waved it at us, kind of like a cut-price Zorro. I half expected him to cut a Z in one of the parasols, but thankfully he didn't appear to have sword.. His trusty steed, reared onto its hind legs as if it was being ridden by the Lone Ranger (I suspect it wasnt), and turned around a few times., while we all looked on, all conversation suspended. because, well, what could you say....? Then he nodded his head - the man, not the horse, and trotted off up the road, to do the same thing in front of another restaurant, where the effects were broadly the same. It was like watching a foreign art house film with no subtitles. What exactly was going on...?
Then suddenly he trotted off, turning right into a side street, and was gone.
A narrow Lagos street
I am so glad I had a witness.....and I am so glad that this gentleman enjoyed riding his horse around the streets of Lagos late at night. Possibly to live out his Zorro fantasy. If only he had looked like Antonio Banderas, or even Anthony Hopkins, actually...
So, do you see what I mean. Lagos is the kind of place where all you have to do is step outside, and you will find something going on, even if its not something you could quite imagine looking for!!
Lagos is sun, sea, blue skies, palm trees,. It is swimming and ambling, and sitting in cafes. It is watching the paragliders as you sit on the long golden sands of Meia Praia. It is dipping your toes into the sea in October. It is watching the entertainers late at night in the square in the height of summer. It is hair braids and henna tattooes, and escape.....
Praia Porto do Mos in April
But if you go, don't go out looking for the man on the horse. He'll find you if he wants to.