Man, what a day! Seriously, I’m still reeling from it. So, I’m an archivist, right? You’d think my life is all about dusty old books and boring documents. But nah, today was anything but boring.
I woke up in my tiny apartment on Rua da Liberdade. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and I thought, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. I grabbed a bica from my fave café, Café Tati. Best coffee in Amarante, hands down. I mean, if you haven’t had their coffee, are you even living?
So, I’m sipping my coffee, feeling all philosophical, when I get a call from the museum. They need me to come in ASAP. Apparently, they found some old documents in the basement. I’m like, “Great, more dust!” But I love this stuff, so I rush over.
I take the scenic route through the Parque Fluvial. It’s beautiful there, with the Tâmega River flowing and all. I’m thinking, “Wow, Amarante is so pretty.” But then I trip over a rock. Classic me, right? I almost face-planted into the river. That would’ve been a great start to my day.
Finally, I get to the museum, and it’s chaos. Papers everywhere! I mean, who knew old documents could cause such a mess? I start sorting through them, and I find this letter from the 1800s. It’s all about the history of Amarante, the bridge, the churches, and the people. I’m getting all emotional, like, “Wow, these folks lived through some serious stuff.”
But then, outta nowhere, my coworker, Miguel, bursts in. He’s all panicked, saying the roof is leaking. I’m like, “Seriously? Can’t we have one normal day?” So, we scramble to move the documents before they get ruined. I’m sweating, cursing under my breath, and trying to save history.
After the chaos, I finally sit down, and I’m exhausted. I decide to take a break and head to Rua de Cima. There’s this little bakery, Pastelaria Pão Quente. I grab a pastel de nata, and it’s like heaven in my mouth. I’m sitting there, enjoying my treat, when I overhear some tourists talking about the São Gonçalo Church. They’re all like, “It’s so beautiful!” And I’m thinking, “Duh, it’s Amarante!”
But then, I get this wild idea. I should give them a mini tour! So, I walk over and say, “Hey, you guys wanna see the real Amarante?” They look at me like I’m nuts, but they’re intrigued. So, I take them to the church, the bridge, and even the old market. I’m throwing out random facts like a history nerd on caffeine. They’re loving it, and I’m feeling like a local hero.
But then, as we’re walking back, I see this guy trying to sell fake souvenirs. I’m like, “Dude, this is Amarante! We don’t need your junk!” I get all riled up, but the tourists are laughing, and it diffuses my anger.
By the time I get back to the museum, I’m on a high. I’ve made new friends, shared some history, and even saved some documents. But then, I realize I left my bag at the bakery. Ugh! I sprint back, praying it’s still there.
Thank goodness, it is! The lady behind the counter just smiles and hands it to me. I’m like, “You’re a lifesaver!” I head home, exhausted but happy.
Amarante, man. It’s got its quirks, its surprises, and its beauty. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. What a day!