Near Farol da Barra a young woman came to me. In her arms – necklesses for sale.

– I have a present for you, – she said to me. And gave me a bright strip of cloth. “Lembranca do senhor do Bonfim da Bahia”, said words on it. …Remind the Lord of Bonfim of Bahia.

The girl turned the ribbon around my wrist.

– I will make three knots. And you will make three wishes, – she told to me.

But my thoughts were far away, and my “wish list” was empty that day. She, seeing me confused, tried to help: “Saude? Amor? Felicidade?” She spoke Portuguese to me, and I hardly understood her.

I just nodded. My mind was empty.

In two days a guy stops me on the same pass, leading to the entrance of Farol da Barra.

– I have a present for you, – he says. And stretches his arm with yellow ribbon in it.

– Yellow. Color of sun. Make three wishes…

He talks to me in Portuguese, and I talk back to him. He doesn’t give me advice. This time I know what I want.

I want to be happy.

I want to warm people with my heart and smile and feel this warmth back.

And I want to know all corners of my home – planet Earth.

P.S. Those colorful ribbons people bring from Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim in Ribeiro, in the west of Salvador. Wind from the bay waves thousands of bright strips, tied on the fence around the church. Each color means something: blue – health, saude; green – happiness, felicidade…

Take a ribbon, make three knots and keep in mind three wishes. And believe in kind spirits of Salvador.

P.P.S. I apologize for publishing a photo that is not mine. Unfortunately, at this moment I don’t have a photocamera. But I do my best to solve this problem : )