NEW YEARS EVE AT EL MANGLAR

Because it was Wednesday, we spent much of the day at the restaurant. We love that it is closed and we can enjoy the shade and ocean breeze for a day. The difference between the heat at our van and here under the palapa roof is amazing. All we need is a place to hang our hammock!

Cassia was pretty excited when the boys returned from shopping with a set of new cars - with a new little truck for her - to add to her collection.

The kids setting things up. Apparently, Cassia was too busy to look up. 

A RV Park get together was planned for 6:00pm. Just as with Christmas - the timing was right so that we could get together at the restaurant. 

I just caught the last sunset of the year.

The party getting started. 

Our usual RV Park friends - with one addition. Yesterday afternoon a family from Fort St. John BC arrived at El Manglar for the night. They are on their way to Central America - if you are looking for another travel blog to follow here is the link to theirs - Sand to Snow. A very nice family we wish them a wonderful trip.

Keller wasn't feeling well so he didn't come to the party until later. Here's Cas and Kaden looking over the stone wall at the crabs.

Another good looking spread - we don't starve with these get togethers.

Again, Lulu was the creative force behind it all.

After dark a few of us went out to the beach. Our neighbour Bill had told me in the afternoon that he had a couple of hot air ballon lanterns. I was surprised because I had just seen them on Contessa's blog and thought how nice that would be - especially for Cassia. Now - here we were with two of them.

I keep trying to take a good photo of Zihuatanejo across the water at night.

 I don't think it works well because we are so far.

Sadly, it was just to windy to get the lanterns airborne. We'll have to try them another night. 

Nice that we did see several of them up in the air after the fireworks.

At around 8:30pm the three of us headed back to the van. Cassia went to bed and Derek and I hung out on the internet. 

At 11:30pm we headed back to the beach. We decided to bring Cassia along with us even though it meant waking her up.

Many of us brought chairs out from the restaurant to be comfortable.

Earlier in the day Derek, Cas and I had walked down the beach. The size of the firework set up promised quite the show. We learned later in the afternoon that the same set up was at several points along the beach. 

Just before midnight the show began.

It's been a long time since I've seen a fireworks show - actually  I can't even recall the last time. 

Of course it was amazing! 

I wasn't sure how the photos would turn out.  I found that the best way was to just keep clicking - waiting for a burst only meant I would miss it. 

If you are wondering where to spend next New Year's Eve - I'd put Zihuatanejo on the list - it was magical.

One of my favourite shots.

I even managed to take a movie!

Even though we trust that Cassia will be able to experience fireworks many times in her lifetime we were happy that we woke her up brought her out for this. 

After our show at Playa La Ropa had finished, the fireworks continued for a few minutes more at the main plaza.

Too bad it couldn't go on ……. and on and on.

After a round of Feliz Ano Nuevo to all of our friends we headed home.

Cas was asleep in minutes. Before we turned in, I called my mom who lives on Vancouver Island and posted the pictures on Facebook.

A good New Year's Eve for the Wood Clan. 

Although rare in that we had a place to go - Derek and I, in previous years, have kept things low key. 

Teresa

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