New Year's Eve was relatively low-key for us. Patrick has been battling an ear infection, and our car's breaks have once again started moaning, so our plans to drive up to the mountain and share in a bonfire celebration of the new year with some new friends we've made had to be canceled (would have been a great story!). We considered going dancing with a man we met in the guest house, but we couldn't be certain that he was all-together-trustworthy and suspected that if he came across a beautiful woman who wanted to entertain him late into the night, he'd leave us on the side of the road. So instead we spent the evening safely snuggled in with our French friends at the guesthouse.
We toasted the year past and the year ahead, talked about our frustrations and our hopes. We played with Christanor, drank wine, ate the special cheeses we splurged on in the grocery store, and toasted the new year quietly together. At midnight, fireworks went up around the city. I suspect the UN had a good party, because a pretty spectacular show rose up from around their central barracks. We climbed up to the roof to watch the colorful display in the night sky and had our own private countdown ending with hugs, kisses, a touch of melancholy missing friends and family, but happy contentment in a magical moment under the stars.
Today we went to the Villier's for New Year's Day. In Haiti, the 1st of January is New Years as well as Haitian Independence Day. Every family, regardless of religion or creed, celebrates by eating pumpkin soup. The history of the tradition came from times of slavery. We were told that pumpkin soup was a special treat only eaten by land owners, never shared with the slaves of the fields. After the revolution, the soup became a symbol of freedom, of finally being able to eat at any table the meal of free men. So this morning we were invited into the family celebrations in Villier's home, shared a hearty portion of delicious pumpkin soup—fortified with vegetables, potatoes, meat and spices, and had cake, chocolate and champagne to follow. After the feast, the whole family, the cook, and Patrick and I danced in the kitchen to Konpa music. Patrick and my blan body shimmies were quite entertaining to all, and belly laughs rose up nearly drowning out the music. That moment will stand as one of my favorite of the year.
Happy New Year’s! We send our love and hopes that this year will be a meaningful and plentiful year for all.
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Happy New Year to you! Our New Year's Day activities were not as interesting as yours, but our New Year's Eve celebrations sound quite similar! :) :)
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