Until this year, New Years Eve was just another excuse for a party with friends. I always imagined it was fairly similar everywhere, at least any cosmopolitan city (and I'd put Bogota in the cosmopolitan city category). But Colombia had me surprised. It turns out that New Years Eve is not the biggest party night of year, like it is in many parts of the world. Hey, it isn't even a party night to begin with. New Years Eve in Colombia is a family night, probably moreso than Christmas Eve. It's an evening of getting together with the family, reflecting on the year gone by, and sharing wishes and propositions for the new year. And then there are agueros.
Agueros are like little superstitions, things that people do to bring good fortune in the new year. There are a whole lot of agueros based on the New Year, and just after the family brings in the new year at midnight, people set about doing these agueros in a frantic rush. Here are some of the popular ones (maybe the Colombians can help add to the list)
- eat 12 grapes just in one minute, just after it hits midnight - make a wish with each grape (for good luck, 12 grapes for 12 months)
- throw rice around the house (for prosperity/abundance in the new year)
- run around the block with a suitcase/travel bag in hand (for travel)
- bathe jewelry in champagne (some people say bathe yourself in champagne too)
- wear yellow underwear (hahahahahaha)
There are lots more, some really bizarre ones. But the point is, here I was looking for a party on New Years Eve, but struggling to find anything, since just about everyone is at home with their families, chatting and aguero-ing away. I called about 15 clubs, some of Bogotá's biggest. Almost all of them were CLOSED. Imagine that. Culture shock. No rumba on New Years Eve. At least not in Bogota - Cartagena is where all the big parties happen (as we speak - Tiesto, PVD, Robby Rivera, etc... ). We finally managed to find a respectable party at Babar... which only began at 1am...
There are some cool photos from my new years eve, but my camera has accidently found its way to Rotterdam, thanks to this chica... : ) Something will have to be done to retreive my coolpix baby...
Oooh, and Happy New Year.
:: naazita ::
Sunday, January 01, 2006 at 22:25
New Years
Dan said...
It must just be a Bogota thing. I was in the quaint little town of Giradot for New Years, and although the clubs may not have been open, there was certainly a lot of partying on the street. And not just with family - the neighbours who you didn't know would come across to your place and say "Feliz año" to you. And various people would be kind enough to take turns blaring music into the street until 9 am in the morning for everyone to hear. And the fireworks, one cannot forget the fireworks. Despite being banned, everyone still had lots of fun setting off many many fireworks.
Culture shock is always good for the soul, anyway.
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Goose said...
Naaz, I wish you and everyone else reading these lines a very happy and prosperous 2006!
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Archster said...
But trust ya to find one in any case :)
happy new year!
Fun times for Madras starting feb-march i see
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Lavi said...
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Tartrazina said...
HNY Naaz!!! whats the deal with the yellow chaddis!!!??! hilarious! you have a sooperb year dear! xxx hugses
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JR said...
Should probably try the suitcase thing and see if that works ;)
bathe in Champagne?? Isn't that such a waste!!! why not just drink them all and then some more....
Happy New Yr!!
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sakit said...
Nice. So, how many did you manage to do? ;)
Totally digging the 12 grapes thing. That's a potential party entertainment or a freak choking accident waiting to happen.
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Juan-K-Mulford said...
Hehe what a cultural shock! I am from Barranquilla (to those who don't know is the fourth biggest city of Colombia located on Caribbean Coast) and here the parties were really big at clubs. At 1.30 every young person goes to the clubs to have fun until about 4, then we go to the clubs at the beach and receive the first sunrise and then have breakfast together. Try next year at the Caribbean Coast! it is so cool!
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Penny Lane said...
So did you try any of them aguer... whatevers?
Happy New Year Naazita
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UnknownSpiral said...
First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! After that i just want to tell that its also a tradicion in Portugal, the country where i'm from, to eat this 12 grapes ... The diferent thing is that the grapes are dry, and they are easy to eat in one minute, because you have to listen to the church's clock tower and eat one for every bell ring... After that you have to drink a lot of Champagne, what is go for the party :)...
About of the yellow underwear, i've eared as well but to tell the truth i think it as no point, but believe in what they want...
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