Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year from Madrid! We celebrated New Year's Eve last night with Juan Carlos and Tina at their house, and their friends Andres, Mari Isabel and their two children Alejandro and Isabel. It was a great night, celebrated Madrid-style with touches of Venezuela, Denmark, and the U.S. Here we are on our way to the house on Puerta del Sol sporting our Madrileño New Year's wigs!


Puerta del Sol is the equivalent of Times Square in New York City on New Year's Eve. It was pretty crazy! This picture is at 9 PM before things really get going!

Wonderful dinner of lamb, Catalunyan spinach, rice, pan jamón, and much more. Andres, the master chef, prepared quite a delicious feast!

















The Madrileño custom is to eat 12 grapes, 1 each second during the last 12 seconds of the year. The bells on Puerta del Sol count down the final 12 seconds and everyone eats a grape at each toll. Then of course champagne, toasts, kisses, etc.

Andres and Mari Isabel, who live in Toronto but are from Venezuela, taught us their custom which was fun. At midnight, they also partake in the grapes and champagne, but custom is to hold in your hand your passport, some cash, and some gold for prosperity and travel in the new year. Then you must take all of that along with a suitcase and go out the door. They did all of this which was very funny. As we were all kissing they were dashing out the front door with their suitcase and clutching their passports, cash, and gold. Very cute! You are also supposed to discard of something old, as in toss it over the balcony. Very complicated!

We had a great evening and as always, Juan Carlos and Tina were the most gracious of hosts. We could not be more lucky in our experience here!

Happy New Year to all - we miss you and look forward to seeing you in 2008! We have a few more days here and we return home to Ashland on January 4. Hope to see you soon!