A Night In Dali

We sat around the table
exchanging stories
enjoying good company
a chance to taste western food again
succulent delights for the hungry traveler
and laughing,
smiling,
surrounded by beautiful landscape
and a rich people
a city decorated colorfully, filled with music and real, vibrant people
people who, below the surface and often visibly, suffer too

we left the restaurant,
walked around to shops
enjoyed a popsicle bought on a street corner
stopped briefly into a store with handmade jeweled shoes
popped into a disco club
then back out into the cool night air
walking slowly towards the hotel
with no agenda or time commitments
joyous

it all seemed surreal
otherworldly
and yet, it was flesh and blood experience
i remember and i long to return