Happy New Year 2012 from Spain: Feliz Año Nuevo! A Mouth Full of Grapes!

12 Grapes 

Along with a few hundred of my closest Spanish and American friends and my beautiful Rota family, I celebrated New Years Eve amidst bubbles, strobe lights, Jello-oh shots and grapes, in the beautiful seaside town of Rota, Spain.

That's right grapes!  This wonderfully unique Spanish tradition entails choking scoffing down 12 grapes - one per clock chime -in the last 12 seconds before the stroke of midnight, and splash them down with the Spanish bubbly: Cava.

Unlike in most countries where New Years Eve parties begin earlier in the evening, the Spanish celebrate the earlier part of New Years Eve in their homes with family dinners. 

Of course, being the eager beaver Americans - used to hitting the p*ss hours earlier - from 10:00pm we walked the streets, and it eerily felt like we were the last human's on Earth.  Rota was a ghost town!

But then with only a few minutes before midnight, like little ants, they filtered out into the main square, dressed to perfection with their grapes and plastic bags filled with bottles of Cava, Tinto and Sangria ready to party until the sun rose.

Are we in the right place - at 11:00pm.

The DJ warmed up, excited voices buzzed and hundreds of eager faces each more beautiful and drunk than the last, in between sips of wine, kept vigilant watch at the clock tower above.

And then, SILENCE!  

In an instant the crowd - us included - raised their grapes, and the first chime rang.

Gong: Chew. Gulp.  

Gong: Chew. Gulp.  

Gong: Chew. Choke.  

Gong: Choke...I'm just going to have fun watching everyone else!

Tu eres me vida te amo: You are my life, I love you

I honestly thought that this challenge would be a piece of cake, however, as I began stuffing possibly the largest grapes I could buy into my mouth, I decided that unless a Heimlich maneuver was in my future that the Spanish grapes had defeated me...this time!

Once the grapes were downed and the bubbly popped, the DJ pumped out Spanish dance tracks most of which I actually knew and loved, just had absolutely no clue what the song was about.

Through endless confetti, blowers, bubbles, and dancing feet, some more fancy than others, we continued to celebrate, loudly, the new year and all the excitement that it will bring.

However amidst the excitement and my favourite song of the moment, Follow the Leader , as I hugged my friends, something tackled my heart and I started to cry.  No, I wasn't drunk, nor did I get into a fight, walk into a wall or fall down a hole.  It was something far deeper than any hole I've ever fallen into.

Amigos para siempre!   

The early part of last year was tough for me with new 'friendships' - unexpected military spouse drama- so standing beside these beautiful girls, I realized that although horrible back then, it actually took in some morbid way, all of that nasty drama and bullsh*t to bring these girls into my life.

These girls were now embedded into my heart and soul as true lifelong friends, and that's why I cried. 

So, yes I'm starting a sentence with so, at 3:30am with tired legs and sleeping kiddies in tow, we pushed our way through the energetic crowd and said goodnight the first day of 2012.

Kiddies at 3:30am?  

Oh, yes, the New Years Eve party in Spain isn't reserved for adults alone, in fact in Spain it's common to see young kiddies out with their parents til' way past any 'appropriate' bedtime that we are familiar with.  But then, when dinner time here doesn't start til' at least 10:00pm, what else would you expect?

What about Resolutions?

This year I made six resolutions that are not only achievable but such that will strengthen and diversify my character and life even more.

1: To be more adventurous with my fashion sense: Spain certainly is the epicenter of incredible fashion!

2: Speak Spanish fluently: I start classes this week.

3: Travel Europe til' my legs fall off.

4. Become 'most excellent' at playing the guitar - yes I said 'most excellent'.

5: Not give a f*ck about the little people or things that try to cause trouble.

6: Stop saying f*ck!

Of course I wouldn't be a woman if I didn't add lose weight and look fabulous to that list.  So, with that said, goodbye 2011, hello 2012.  Now, where to celebrate the next New Years Eve:  Paris, Germany, Scotland? 

Happy New Year! - Feliz Año Nuevo!

  

Crikey!