¡Feliz 2009!

Today is only the first day of 2009, but it has been such a full day that I feel like it has been at least two days so far. First, we had a fantastic time with friends last night. As I have mentioned before in this blog, new friends here have welcomed us like family. Their warm and sincere hospitality gives me a sense of comfort in this far from home place. I am grateful for it.

After spending hours around the table enjoying good food, wine and conversation, we ushered in the New Year in the Uruguayan way – with besos all around and fireworks, naturally. Fireworks here are called “fuegos artificiales”, literally artificial fire. But soon we had real fire to deal with. All it took was one ember, and a large patch of dry vegetation by the front of the house was ablaze. The bomberos were called but we did not wait idly for them to come. With Cesar manning the hose, Neli with a bucket, and Marisa and I beating down flames with soaking green branches torn from Chilca bushes, we kept it contained. Dirty from smoke and soot, we called it a night around 1:30am. Nothing kills a party like a brush fire.

We did not get much sleep though, because we were determined to welcome the first rays of sun of 2009 on Playa Brava, in Punta del Este. Being married to the human alarm clock is really handy when one has to get up at 5:30am after three hours of sleep. On our way to the beach, we passed huge crowds of revelers just leaving the clubs after partying the night away. Sleepy-eyed, we rendezvoused at the beach with Gloria and friends and took in the warmth and energy of the rising sun. I had the fleeting but powerful feeling of rejuvenation; like this was not just another sunrise, but the start of something new.
Back at the chacra, we made a big American style breakfast complete with home-made biscuits, before trying to catch up on sleep. Before we knew it, it was mid-day and time to go back to Gloria’s house. None of us got enough of last night, so we gathered around the outside table one more time for a lunch of turkey, roast pork, arugula salad, caprese, stuffing, green beans almandine and of course, wine. Satiated, we wiled away the rest of the afternoon, either playing cards, napping, exploring the garden, or just relaxing.

From chasing a bull to putting out a fire, to soaking in the first rays of sun, it has been a pretty exciting couple of days. Here is to 2009 – may it be filled with peace and happiness for all.

Christmas Images from Punta del Este

Since I cannot attach photos today, here are some descriptions of things we saw on Christmas Eve in Punta del Este.

The large all-in-one grocery and department store, Tienda Inglesa, filled with locals and tourists finishing their last minute Christmas shopping. Some things are the same everywhere...

Now for something you will not see in Virginia at Christmas time - the bright pink bikini-clad girl peddling her bike through traffic on a busy street in downtown Maldonado.

A surfer dude crossing the road with his board, headed for the waves of Playa Brava.

Two men on mo-peds, shirtless and sporting Santa caps.

The sweet lady at the pastry counter at Devoto who offered me a free sweet, thrusting it towards me with a smile, saying "para ti".

A paunchy, tanned, middle aged man riding his bright yellow ATV down Gorlero street.

Cheerful, uniformed girls at the shops, providing free gift wrapping service.

Entire neighborhoods erupting with fireworks at midnight.

Seeing the Southern Cross directly over our house in the wee hours of the morning.

Obviously, from the attire to the constellations, things are different here from back home. However, some things are universal, like spending a delightful evening with new friends on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas To All!

Giving Thanks

It is easy to forget it here in Uruguay, where turkeys are scarce and exotic, but today is Thanksgiving Day. We have been blessed to know some good people here, who hardly knowing us have welcomed us like family. Trying to make one's home in a foreign country is difficult without some sort of support network. Thankfully, our new friends have helped us tremendously by showing us how to do things while providing good company and generally just making us feel at home.

Thanks to our friends and family back home for your love and support and for at least trying to understand our wanderlust. For those who wonder why we wanted to live in a foreign country for at least a little while, one reason is the personal growth of stretching beyond known limits. Having supportive family and friends makes that possible.

We are extremely thankful that our three furry kids arrived safely. The baggage handlers and airport personal we encountered -from the kind gate agent who boarded the plane to let me know our cats were on board, to the compassionate maleteros who whisked us through Customs and gave us water for the gatos - were a godsend. Thank you.

I am typing this enjoying the beautiful view from our front porch, looking forward to an afternoon of fun and good food with new friends and remembering that we do indeed have a lot to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day.