Carnival Sunset

The carnival is over. Two days of dancing, of drinking, and laughing, sunshine and costumes and music. This poor town is tired. It's time for it to rest. But what many people don't know is that now is a rather exquisite time, a special time, as special as the carnival itself, when the town is extra quiet and extra still. The moment is ripe to take a tour and drink in the drowsy atmosphere. So let's take a little walk and see what there is to see. Before we set out, I always like to do a little wind down exercise. Tonight's exercise is a really simple breathing exercise. So when you're ready, let's begin. First, get comfortable in your bed. Now, just bringing the attention to the breath, noticing where you feel it, in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm. You're nice and relaxed. We're going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four, and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin. In for four, two, three, four, hold it for four, two, three, four, now breathing out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four, holding for four, two, three, four out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four, holding for four, two, three, four, out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four, holding for four, two, three, four, out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great and now, returning the breath back to normal. You approach an empty square. The square is normally locked but tonight, it has been left open for you. You walk along its gravel paths. You pause at the small fountain at the square center. The fountain is green. Its water is illuminated, it glows gently. You go and take a look. Beneath the water surface, you can see the floor of copper coins at the base of the fountain, each one representing a wish or maybe several wishes of people who have passed through this square before. Their wishes now constitute the sequined surface, the coins reflect the moon up above you. The sweet, luminous moon. The bell of a cathedral chimes, beneath a tree you find a stick or is it a wand? You approach a very old building that overlooks the square, its stones are fine, its Roman arches welcoming. A small sign says it is a library. All of the bricks of this building suggest books, lined in rows on a shelf, waiting for you to read the stories inside them. The parade is over. Nothing left but quiet streets. You have the city to yourself. Finally, all to yourself, the street lights sing, gentle suns, copper candle light, everything amber, everything gold. To the left are old mansions, to the right is a large, unfenced park, the lungs of this strange city. You smell the park's flowers, its night...