Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Feliz Navidad from Playa Flamingo!


What a difference a season makes! The scene during Christmas week at Flamingo Beach is famous if you are a Tico, possibly infamous if you're not. Meaning that for almost two decades, residents from the capital city of San Jose between the ages of 16 and 26 have made Playa Flamingo the place to see and be seen and to party away the nights from December 26th through January 2nd. During the days, the wide, white stretch of sand--normally quiet and uncrowded--fills up with dozens of Costa Rican families and gorgeous young people clustered in amiable groups along the mile-long beach. The gals are typically chatting and sunbathing, while the guys play soccer and frisbee. Occasionally there are beach volleyball competitions or concerts organized by a soft drink company or brand of surfer gear. The atmosphere is laid back and friendly, but there's a buzz of excitement in the air. Everyone gathers at 5 p.m. to witness the incredible show that nature puts on: sunsets like nowhere else on Earth! The sky goes from a gentle blue-gray to a hot orange to reddish violet and pink-purple tinged with golds and greens and aquamarines. The ocean calms, the waves grow gentle and both sand and surf reflect the incredible palette of the sky. Of course, the North Americans, Europeans and other tourists appreciate the beach and its beauty, but maybe they weren't expecting the crowds or the craziness. Still, if they happen to be vacationing with teenage or young adult children, they have hit the jackpot! The kids will think they have died and gone to heaven, with the parties that go on every night! It's like a giant tailgate in the tiny town of Flamingo, mostly due to a tradition started by the local nightclub/disco/casino called Amberes, that quite frankly, has gotten a little out of hand. But that's a viewpoint from a person already "over the hill," because I have to admit that the street parties are one of the reason my now adult children continue to want to come here year after year. December 30th is the craziest night of all. Forget about driving in or out of Playa Flamingo, you just want to stay around and enjoy the show. It reminds me of that old Van Morrison tune, "Wild Nights": with the "girls, dressed up for each other" and the boys "doing the boogie woogie down on the street." It's all in good fun, and all the local businesses contribute to pay for private security and clean up the mess early the next a.m. It's actually one of the things that helped to make Flamingo a united community, really, everyone coming together for a common cause: to keep the young people safe, and the town clean and tourist-friendly. The next day, while the 18-25 year olds are mostly nursing their hangovers, older and younger folks are gearing up for New Year's Eve.
The Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa puts on the best party in town, and everyone knows it! Residents who have condos in the area invite all their friends to see the spectacular fireworks the Resort puts on every year at the stroke of midnight...even better than 4th of July! An amazing dinner is served at the Resort, while guests are drinking and dancing to the music of one of Costa Rica's best live dance bands. The fun is to see the locals getting up and teaching the "gringos" to dance Latin! It is such a blast! The party is for young and old: there are grandparents dancing with their grandchildren, honeymooners having a romantic evening, families of all nationalities sharing an unforgettable time with one another. OK, it's not peaceful, it's not pristine, but it's the other side of Costa Rica: the zest for life, the emphasis on family, the hopeful attitude that each coming year will always be better than the one before.
Experience Fin de Año en Costa Rica just once, and you'll never want to spend New Year's Eve anywhere else!