The champagne would soon flow into eager flutes and unsteady hands. The crowd was streaming in, like a funnel pouring people down the steps onto the sand, in anticipation of the fireworks and celebration. The beach was buzzing with people, suffocating, intoxicating with joy and delirium. DJ Leo and his family - complete with grandma, baby, cousin who's studying to be a priest, and stepmom - were gathered when I announced, "OK, champagne everyone, we've got 5 minutes until the- " KABOOM!!! A fireball erupted right next to us and terror took over the revelry; people began trampling one another to move away from the flaming colors, which from far away would be just another pleasant fireworks display.
The mob mentality, like bewildered animals, is a greater danger than the fireworks, I figured; if I caught fire the ocean water was 50 feet away. I just kept my eyes covered low, and my back to the flames, noticing the red and green eruption had not ceased in 45 seconds, which was only 10 yards away in the sand. The fun was over - it was time to rejoin with my hosts and make sure everyone was OK. Back at the street, lightning up the mood after our brief scare, we began pouring champagne freely, to strangers, passerbys, and whoever else had a glass or paper cup. The exuberance in the air was uncontrollable; I had the feel that even if people were injured and bleeding they'd still be laughing.
A moment of numerological coincidence back at the car; the time/date digital display read 01/01/07 00:17. This unwittingly brought our merrymaking to a heightened frenzy, and as I the driver kept the vehicle at a steady pace, DJ Leo the champagne server offered the bubbly satisfaction to whoever dared - including a moving motorcyclist, who somehow produced a glass made out of glass and held it out as DJ Leo poured and I drove. No one was hurt.
DJ Leo's father is a true Gaucho - a southern brazilian with a reputation for churrascos, yerba mate, and rough manners - so he had no problem starting the barbeque at 1AM. Within an hour the fillets, lamb, and chicken heart, heavily seasoned in salt, were being scarfed down. Around 3AM I took a night on the hammock. Luckily the mosquitoes were biting my feet so I woke up, so we jumped into the stepmom's Citroen and sped off towards Praia Mole.
Besides the lightweight carnage with the fireworks, we were witness to various displays of violence during those early hours of 2007: a fist fight at the gas station with girls crying on the ground; a drunk was run over by a bus; a guy ran off with our $30; a gang on the beach chased off an irritating fellow by hurling stones; then broke a glass bottle over a guy's head (which broke the lifeguard's attention - it was 9AM by that stage). Chaos and disorder not withstanding, I contemplated the new year with a dip in the ocean, then found a lovely bonfire with other folks keen to watch the 1st day of the year unfold.
Rainshowers kept us huddled at times under towels or beach umbrellas; then sunlight was burst through the clouds and light the green hills and our awed faces. Beer continued to be consumed by the rowdier types, while I made an attempt at a healthful breakfast by ordering an açaí smoothie with granola. By noon we were properly fatigued. Without resolutions, we welcomed the new year devoid of any particular hopes or fears or projections - living in the fullest despite the violence, magnifying the joy, meshing together and carrying on as one hopes to live during the ups and downs of life.
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