"Oh Sh(bleeeeeeep)t!" - Allie Swaney

Coming to Puerto Rico from late Dec - late Feb, means you get to celebrate many holidays in the land where Tuesday is a reason to party.  Puerto Ricans love festivals and parties and celebrating.  You would think New Year's would be a blowout, and it is in one regard and not in another.  New Year's Eve is not a night to go out and hit the bars and make a fool of yourself here in Puerto Rico.  Here it is a night for family.  As you walk the streets many homes are filled with the sounds of large families eating, singing, dancing, and laughing.  People are dressed up and the settings are elegant, but they are intimate and private.

We dressed up, grabbed a bottle of champagne, and decided to head out. Just as we exited our apartment and hit the street, Allie got her first opportunity to scream the expletive that is the title of this blog.  Puerto Ricans love fireworks, and they will set them off anywhere.  I mean anywhere, as in the car parked next to our apartment as a launching pad.  And the car next to that, and the top of the apartment, etc. etc.  Explosives and shrapnel in all directions gave us beautiful fireworks, and Allie's outbursts, as entertainment.

We headed to Paseo de la Princesa.  And yes, it is as magical as the name sounds.  A long lane covered by beautiful trees and decorated with holiday lights leads you to the fountain and up another lane to a gigantic tree covered in Spanish moss that we have named "The Tree of Life".  We walked out to the end of the pier overlooking the bay.  Champagne poured, countdown clock ticking on the iphone, we exclaimed, "10, 9, 8...."  when the year changed, Allie exclaimed once again as fireworks exploded overhead and across the bay.  It was spectacular as the sky filled with color.

It wouldn't be Puerto Rico without rain, and the heaven's did open up.  We stood under La Puerta de San Juan and waited for it to pass.  When we emerged, we wished Feliz Ano Nuevo to many people with their doors, windows, and hearts open to a new year.

From Puerto Rico - a sparkler isn't going to cut it!