The ups and downs of bboying in Calvario, after dark

The ups and downs of bboying in Calvario, after dark

The title might be a bit deceptive, as the following tale will tell.
After work on Mondays and Fridays I have 3 choices. I finish at 10pm, meaning it is late and the normal buses to my neighbourhood don't run. I can take the 24, which goes half way and walk the rest, take the 24 to Calvario then switch or get the metro into the centre then another bus bk up to Ajuda, via a longer route. All three take a bit of time, and all have their ups and downs, but I'll focus on Calvario as that's where the tale happened.

So after hearing that Monte Santo, the massive park that takes up half of greater Lisbon on a map, can be a bit dangerous at night I decide that the 30 min or so walk at 11pm through non light streets parallel to the forest, with deserted roads, might not be such a good idea. I've done the whole mission into town then out of town so I opt for going to Calvario.

To get the record straight I have caught the bus there before, maybe 3 times. First time I got on the transfer bus, the second one, and noticed some dodgy dudes that seemed to be eyeing up my bag. Then I noticed the route and the people, bit more dodgy than normal. I hadn't been bk for a while so decided to go back to the dark streets of Calvario under the idea that my initial suspicions were suspect, misguided and slightly paranoid.

I once read a book on criminals and fear by an expert on predicting human behaviour, I forget the name of it but it is a good book and one that is pretty useful if you want to pretect yourself from the seedier elements in our beautiful world. I read the book and promptly ignored most of the advice about listening to your gut feeling, which he goes on and on about.

Back to Calvario. I get off the bus. Bit tired but James Brown kicks in on my mp4 so I'm rocking it next to the bus station, a bit away from a few people when a group of young kids come over. They propmt be to dance doing some shit 'hiphop' fake style moves. 'Right, I'm on this', I think. I do a few sets on the street, swipes, flare or two etc. They are getting shiftier and start a bit by themselves, sketchy as they come. I put down my teachers pens and they pick them up to start tagging Calvario. 'Yo what the fuck' I say, still in control, but not for long.

They are eyeing up my bag, with my wallet and mp4 in. Meanwhile, other people at the stop have backed away, giving me some hints. They start asking me in English broken questions. They ask about fighting. They mimic some wack elbows, I don't let on I know a bit of muy thai, I stand back. They try some more dancing and I'm starting to regret doing anything with these kids as I see they are skinnier and dirtier than I thought. I didn't really get a good look at them before.

Then one kid looks me in the eye and flicks open a knife. His other mate laughs, these are really young kids, but two are now following me with knives. I'm kinda freaking here as I know I cant hit kids as the dispersed crowd would go mental. The knives are hidden from their view only I saw it, and lucky I did. I decide to back away, or my legs make the choice for me, I do so slowly.

So, luckily, the bus comes within 25 seconds of this. I get on, edging so I am facing them the whole time. With me staring at them they don't advance but are still pestering me with knifes out. As I turn, guard down for a MILLISECOND, they pull my bag and try to pull me back. kcuf, I think. I don't walk down the platform just in case they want to follow and get me from behind. I win. They don't get on. The bus pulls away, they scrape the knife along the bus, as that is the last thing they can do to try to freak me out some more.

All of this happened in like 1 min. So I was more surprised than anything, especially as the group were only like 12 year olds. No one was hurt but I am still not sure how I feel about the whole thing. Calvario has often got some sketchy characters, though through bboying my normal vigilant mental guard was lowered to be taken advantage of by a group of street kids. They were probably just playing, though knives freak me out whoever is holding them at me. Little punks.

Bboying at bus stops and train stations is me, I can't stop, won't stop; I just got to be choosy about where I do it next time!...

As I said the title was deceptive. So far there aren't many ups to Calvario.
The ups and downs of bboying in Calvario, after dark
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The ups and downs of bboying in Calvario, after dark

The title might be a bit deceptive, as the following tale will tell.
After work on Mondays and Fridays I have 3 choices. I finish at 10pm, meaning it is late and the normal buses to my neighbourhood don't run. I can take the 24, which goes half way and walk the rest, take the 24 to Calvario then switch or get the metro into the centre then another bus bk up to Ajuda, via a longer route. All three take a bit of time, and all have their ups and downs, but I'll focus on Calvario as that's where the tale happened.

So after hearing that Monte Santo, the massive park that takes up half of greater Lisbon on a map, can be a bit dangerous at night I decide that the 30 min or so walk at 11pm through non light streets parallel to the forest, with deserted roads, might not be such a good idea. I've done the whole mission into town then out of town so I opt for going to Calvario.

To get the record straight I have caught the bus there before, maybe 3 times. First time I got on the transfer bus, the second one, and noticed some dodgy dudes that seemed to be eyeing up my bag. Then I noticed the route and the people, bit more dodgy than normal. I hadn't been bk for a while so decided to go back to the dark streets of Calvario under the idea that my initial suspicions were suspect, misguided and slightly paranoid.

I once read a book on criminals and fear by an expert on predicting human behaviour, I forget the name of it but it is a good book and one that is pretty useful if you want to pretect yourself from the seedier elements in our beautiful world. I read the book and promptly ignored most of the advice about listening to your gut feeling, which he goes on and on about.

Back to Calvario. I get off the bus. Bit tired but James Brown kicks in on my mp4 so I'm rocking it next to the bus station, a bit away from a few people when a group of young kids come over. They propmt be to dance doing some shit 'hiphop' fake style moves. 'Right, I'm on this', I think. I do a few sets on the street, swipes, flare or two etc. They are getting shiftier and start a bit by themselves, sketchy as they come. I put down my teachers pens and they pick them up to start tagging Calvario. 'Yo what the fuck' I say, still in control, but not for long.

They are eyeing up my bag, with my wallet and mp4 in. Meanwhile, other people at the stop have backed away, giving me some hints. They start asking me in English broken questions. They ask about fighting. They mimic some wack elbows, I don't let on I know a bit of muy thai, I stand back. They try some more dancing and I'm starting to regret doing anything with these kids as I see they are skinnier and dirtier than I thought. I didn't really get a good look at them before.

Then one kid looks me in the eye and flicks open a knife. His other mate laughs, these are really young kids, but two are now following me with knives. I'm kinda freaking here as I know I cant hit kids as the dispersed crowd would go mental. The knives are hidden from their view only I saw it, and lucky I did. I decide to back away, or my legs make the choice for me, I do so slowly.

So, luckily, the bus comes within 25 seconds of this. I get on, edging so I am facing them the whole time. With me staring at them they don't advance but are still pestering me with knifes out. As I turn, guard down for a MILLISECOND, they pull my bag and try to pull me back. kcuf, I think. I don't walk down the platform just in case they want to follow and get me from behind. I win. They don't get on. The bus pulls away, they scrape the knife along the bus, as that is the last thing they can do to try to freak me out some more.

All of this happened in like 1 min. So I was more surprised than anything, especially as the group were only like 12 year olds. No one was hurt but I am still not sure how I feel about the whole thing. Calvario has often got some sketchy characters, though through bboying my normal vigilant mental guard was lowered to be taken advantage of by a group of street kids. They were probably just playing, though knives freak me out whoever is holding them at me. Little punks.

Bboying at bus stops and train stations is me, I can't stop, won't stop; I just got to be choosy about where I do it next time!...

As I said the title was deceptive. So far there aren't many ups to Calvario.

Late new years resolutions

These are really late, really late. But, better late that never.

A Non exaustive list of new years resolutions

- Get up earlier
- Go to bed on time, no need for late time tv- just a waste of time!
- Stop eating Portuguese cakes!
- Start buying fruit everyday, making soup and making smoothies yo.
- Think about the long term future, expand skills (possibly writing)
- Start learning the piano
- Get full capacity strength back
- Get camera fixed and get taking more pictures
- Make a video trailer, after many years of procrastination
- Save money for the future.
- Look into future tefling opportunities..
- Think long term.

That is it.

Review at the end of the year, I guess. If I remember, of course.