HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2007 here we go. 

Here’s what I wrote then:

Dear friends, I hope that the year’s passage has been as good (or better) than mine! I always like to think that my year will be based on that night of the NYE. If so, I can rest assured that this year is going to be awesome.
We started the day planning on going to Zapatilla, a beach we were told to be one of the most beautiful in Bocas. But our tour failed us. With him, we were going to pay $5, where elsewhere it was $15.

Zapatilla was about 45 min by boat and the weather was not good, so we went with our new Panameños pals to Red Frog. We saw dolphins on our way to a floating restaurant, which was like a bungalow on the transparent green water sea. The boys did not want to stop there, but the boat captain said that Red Frog beach had been destroyed by a storm and there was nothing left to see, so we stayed at this restaurant to snorkel. I loved the idea, the water was very clear and we were swimming with fishes “face-to-face”. They kept looking at me with the face of “what is this strange human doing here?” We paid $5 for this tour and it was perfect, I guess it could not have been better.

We went back to Bocas Town, took our shower – yesterday I discovered 1 bathroom that ran the shower (no mugs needed) so I can say I took a queen bath! LOL
We gave ourselves the luxury of eating a new year’s “supper” pizza, it was great (as Marina says: “The best seasoning is ‘hunger’). We returned to our hostel and our friends were already there, drinking and starting the party.

At midnight, countdown, everyone hugged, popped champagne and Peter, a New Jersey nut, got naked! We had considered the idea of skinny dipping in the sea (our natural swimming pool), but I did not believe it when I saw him naked! Then a couple of Americans also followed; the bravest ones started to go for it and of course, we were not left out. We quickly took our dress off and splash! Just fun, no evil and what a way to start the year. You can rest easy, we were among friends and we knew we could trust them.
We were a bit shy in the water (and the shame to exit?), then we danced a little and we went to Iguana, a bar with music to finish the night. I think there was no better place to spend the New Year.
We woke up in the morning, tanned a bit and came to San Jose, Costa Rica, and tomorrow we’re going early to Granada in Nicaragua. The hostel that I am now is a luxury, has breakfast, free internet, and friendly people. This backpackers life is so much fun!