The Un-Christmas

Dec 24

It's Christmas Eve, and I know what you're doing: last-minute shopping … circling for parking spaces … baking … plotting out your circuit of parties (and what to wear) … wrapping gifts (and worrying that you've forgotten someone) … posting late Christmas cards … putting the last few ornaments on your Christmas tree …

Here there is none of that. It's green and tropical and steamy hot -- not a spec of 'white' to this Christmas. In hopeful anticipation of our departure from the flat overlooking the casket factory at the swamp-dump (deceptively named 'Puerto Ecological') adjacent the astillero we refused to decorate (abhorring the thought we might still be there for Christmas!) and instead wrapped red ribbons, like candy canes, on DOMINO's two aft pillars. At Rafa and Estella's house we ate and sang and enjoyed their holiday decorations, and at various stores and business establishments we admired the fake Christmas trees and plastic poinsettias (neither being native to Paraguay) and sang along to the occasional carol on the radio, but otherwise – it has been an undeniably un-Christmas in the Upside Down Summer.

And then …. Dec 22 DOMINO made it the last five meters into the water (with the help of 6000HP from a tugboat capable of towing 12 barges up the river) … Dec 23 we packed and provisioned and loaded the camioneta (SUV) shuttling things back and forth in SCRAPPY (the dinghy) … Dec 24 we awoke aboard DOMINO – at anchor, still in Mariono Roqué Alonso - finished packing and stowing and equipment trials and tests and on the water maneuvers … and at 3PM bid a final, blissful, hope-to-never-see-you-again farewell to the Puerto (non-)Ecological and proceeded down the rio at a sweet 15-22k as James played the harmonica; honking at Claudio in Chaco-I along the way; past the skyscrapers of Asuncion, a shanty town clutched to the red clay cliffs, and children swimming alongside cows, to the yacht club – and side-tied to a hulking powerboat (after nixing the gnarly end tie) in the small basin, where we later spotted a tiny but serious looking crocodile swimming alongside the boat!

Suddenly it was Christmas. We enjoyed champagne amidst our meager decorations, exchanged small gifts (for me: my own cooler and gaumpa) and at 9:00 hopscotched to the neighboring boat, the rickety float, the wobbly plank, up the pyramid-of-stone jetty, to the restaurant at the YC/hotel complex for a Christmas buffet (where I refused to eat anything but seafood – even though it was grossly overcooked – having been in the meat-lovers paradise of South America for three months now). A chamber orchestra played carols and hymns, dinner was lovely, the wine good, and we were all dressed up and feeling awfully happy and smug at DOMINO's first port of call. At midnight Papa Noel arrived, while friends and strangers alike shared besos and 'felicidads' all around.

Now it's Christmas morning. The most delicious (and I will add 'uncharacteristic') breeze is blowing through the basin (it is only 85F) and I am feeling very content. 'MISSING COCO and all my family and other friends more than I can put into words (because it will no doubt make me cry to dwell too long on that thought) but delighted to be here, now, with Marie, JP and James – and having shared their epic and well-deserved first voyage on DOMINO, and looking forward to more adventures together now that we are finally rollin' on the rio Paraguay.

Merry Christmas with so much love. You are all in my thoughts this happy holiday. ~ xxoo Betsy

PHOTO: A beautiful manger scene in an otherwise useless (in 90 degree weather) fireplace