Now . . . Bring Me That Horizon.

New Year's Eve. And I'm thinking that one of the top reasons to enjoy the expat life of Costa Rica will be tonight's festivities. This, from the gal who generally hates New Year's Eve. Resolutions -- bah! That obligatory must-have-fun thing -- bah! Finding the perfect dress . . . again, bah! Why do people make resolutions for a new year? Why not for each new month, week, day? This phenomenon is completely beyond my comprehension. I've not made a resolution in years (except for that November-gain-five-pounds-by-baking thing).

However . . . this new year's eve should be quite different. It's our first holiday season in Samara, and so far not one event has disappointed. Christmas Eve was perfect, Christmas Day was even better. Tonight we'll spend the evening at a lovely restaurant on the beach with our neighbors, awaiting the fireworks show.

I suspect that most towns in Costa Rica celebrate the new year with a big party. And perhaps many or most towns have fireworks shows. But we're especially blessed to have miles of beach (in fact, three separate beaches whose displays should be easily viewed) and miles of ocean over which the Ticos will compete with their fireworks displays. Rumor has it that the show is amazing . . . and we have an ocean-front, ring-side table with a view all the way to the horizon on a starlit, cloudless night.  

Our little village, like so many others at this time of year, has bull fighting and a small fair. And while we probably won't have time to attend this evening's fair events and bull fighting, we will definitely stop by one evening before the end of the fair in the upcoming week. From our hillside home we can hear the cannons that mark the beginning of the fair each evening; and last night we even spied a few fireworks above the fair. For you bull lovers, this event is more about gentlemen being in a ring with a bull . . . then running away while others simply try to touch the bull. Think hey, I touched the tip of a bull tail as it was running away from me. Yeah. Probably not a great deal of bravado involved in swiping at or petting a fleeing bull.

So Kat and John and Rusty and I will spend the evening in town. I suspect we'll see many friends at the restaurant or strolling the beach, also viewing the fireworks. I'm so excited that I've even brushed up (with Rusty's help) on camera settings for fireworks. Well see how that goes. 

So no resolutions, no empty promises to myself, no commitment to give up any vices (I spent too many years perfecting them). Just a wish for a great fireworks show and a lovely evening with terrific people. Who needs more when enough is as good as a feast? Lo que hay.