Carlos Santos, a native of Santa Comba now 78 years old, worked during the day at the Feiras Novas of Ponte de Lima as a transporter. He loaded pigs for the restaurants preparing "sarrabulho" (a traditional pork stew), as well as wine, tents, "pilinhas" (small amusement rides) and people coming from various lands, including Arcos de Valdevez and Paredes de Coura. Many came on foot, accompanied by the animals they intended to sell at the festival. Carlos remembers a curious story in which two pigs fell from the van during transport and one stayed eating grass by the roadside.
The Feiras Novas represented an opportunity for many people to earn some money and return home with purchases made at the festival, such as "regueifas" (sweet bread) or lupin beans. Carlos considered himself one of the few forms of transport available for those coming from far away to participate in the fair, which was a very busy event in the town.
At night, after finishing the transports around 10 PM, Carlos did not go to sleep. He returned to the Feiras Novas and joined his friends in the "bullfight," as he himself called the festival. He spent the night at the pagoda and in the fun, among taverns and tents where, in his words, "they were all drunk," some already asleep slumped over the tables. "Sometimes I also got drunk and was in a bad way," he admitted with laughter.
The night of fun ended between four and five in the morning, but shortly after Carlos had to start work again. When he arrived home, people were already waiting for him to do the transports again, in a continuous cycle of work and party during the festival days.
