We did it – we survived 2016! It was definitely the most crazy year of my entire life so far. Nothing can compare to the roller coaster ride that moving to a new country can take you on. It has its ups, it has its downs, and while you’re riding it, you love every minute of not knowing what might come next. Comparing our year to a roller coaster ride is the best way I could think to describe what we’ve been through. You plan your trip to the amusement park, purchase your ticket, and stand in the line anticipating something amazing. Once you actually sit in that seat and buckle in, although you may be a little anxious about what’s ahead, you know there is no turning back and all you can do is hold on and enjoy! There are twists and turns along the way that scare the bajeebies out of you, climbs that seem to be never ending, and then the exhilarating drops that remind you why you worked so hard to get on this ride. This pretty much sums up our “ride to Aruba” so far.
Looking back, would we do it again – yes! Jump off the ride, get right back in line, and do it all over again:)
Now let’s talk about New Year’s in Aruba. Oh.My.Goodness. We really had no idea what we were in for. Many of our friends here have talked about it, we even saw photos of past celebrations, but until we actually spent the day (or maybe even the week) experiencing everything that is New Year’s Eve in Aruba, nothing can prepare you for what goes on. Everything starts just a couple days after Christmas when it is legal to purchase fireworks only for the next four days. There are shipping containers set up selling the fireworks and they are called KLAP stands. A LOT of them is an understatement. Klap is the Dutch word for “blow”. Yes, these people are serious about blowing things up! These are not your little whimpy fireworks that are available in the USA, in Arizona only for New Year’s and 4th of July. These are serious fireworks that shoot things into the air, light up, and fly like nothing we were used to. At first we said we weren’t going to purchase any, but as the week went on, we gave in and visited a KLAP stand and made some purchases, saving most of them for the 4th of July. Please don’t tell anyone that they will actually be illegal here after January 6.
Since everyone is so very excited to have their fireworks, there is no waiting until December 31 to shoot them off. The KLAP stands open, and the fireworks begin. Ask our poor dog, Molly, how enjoyable this was. It’s kind of cool for about the first two hours and then, it was a little bit of “enough already”. Constant. Non-stop booms. Some so loud they shake you right out of your chair. For days.
So here’s an interesting story about how to calm your dog during this week of craziness. About a week ahead, I called a vet located close to our house and explained that we knew our dog would be very nervous and what could we do to help her? They told me about the calming pills they have and it sounded like a good option. Now, in the USA this would mean a vet appointment, perhaps blood work, an exam, and not walking out of the vet under $300, right? Nope, not here! I said, “Should I bring her in?” And I was told, oh, no, you can just stop by and pick up the pills. Okay, great. How much are they? 15 pills for 10 AWG – that is equal to about $6 USD! What in the world?!? And by the way, they worked beautifully. Poor Molly was basically “drunk” for two days. It was funny and sad all wrapped into one, but she didn’t care about the fireworks at all!
Back to the fireworks….in addition to every citizen in Aruba shooting off their purchases for four days leading up to New Year’s Eve, another tradition here on the island is something called a Pagara. It’s basically firecrackers strung together that businesses shoot off in front of their establishments to ward off anything bad from that year. And they are beyond LOUD! We went into Oranjestad on the afternoon of the 31st and witnessed several going off. Seriously the loudest thing I have ever heard in my life. The biggest one was put off by the Renaissance Hotel and contained SIX MILLION shots. It went on for nearly 10 minutes. It actually hurt inside plus the debris flying wasn’t exactly lovely. But, it was definitely something to see and we were so glad we had this experience.
We also just found out that on New Year’s Day, the Marriott Hotel is shooting off Aruba’s largest Pagara – 12 million shots! We decided to stay home and let our eardrums recuperate!
Fireworks were constant throughout the day, but then we got close to midnight. We decided to try and go to a high point on the island and see as many as we could, so drove up the road near Alto Vista Chapel which is near the north end of Aruba. I cannot even explain to you what it looked like and how many fireworks were going off. It was the absolute most spectacular display I have ever seen in my entire life. And it went on and on and on and on. We stayed there for about 45 minutes watching, decided to start the drive home, and witnessed endless more going off the entire drive home. No disappointment in New Year’s Eve for sure.
So here we are on New Year’s Day. Every now and then, a boom will go off and people are still using their leftover fireworks that are legal for a few more days. We decided to spend the day at Eagle Beach and it was very crowded with people doing the same, tourists enjoying the perfect weather, and families getting together for a New Year’s picnic. Most businesses are closed today, even more than on Christmas. Barely any cars on the road. Truly an experience.
Looking back at everything we accomplished in 2016 makes us proud. Looking forward to what still needs to be done in 2017 could freak us out, but it doesn’t. We are staying on this roller coaster that will continue to take us up and down, twisting and turning, laughing at some points, crying at others. But we are committed to this ride. If we have to get off, we will jump right back in line and do it again. 2017 – we are ready!!!
Z Island Life 