Year In(d) YEar OUT 2

I realized I didn't really write about New Years- it's because we didn't do much! There were opportunities to stay up late or all night but we opted to rest instead- we stayed up til 12- Laura almost didn't make it- we took our drinks and grapes up to the roof to see all the fireworks- about as many as Christmas Eve. Apparently they eat a big meal too at midnight like thhey do for Cristmas eve so we saw lots of live piglets and turkeys about to be killed or being killed along the side of the Central Highway here on the way back from church. It's really relaxing for me to go up there though our feet were super dusty and dirty when we climbed down the ladder. Earlier that evening we went to the store- it was packed out- everyone getting their supplies to go to the beach or their champagne, I had wondered what the grapes were about and found out it is a tradition here to eat 12 grapes at midnight to get a wish granted each month, also to wear yellow undergarments ( yes mom they only save them for that day), also they burn old clothes in the form of a scarecrow to get rid of the old! One other curious thing is the women who take an empty suitcase and run around the block if they want to travel that year!???