Happy New Year, everyone! We hope you had a wonderful night and made it safely into the new year, which we hope will be filled with health, joy, and plenty of laughter for all of us.

Bonaire certainly did not disappoint on New Year’s Eve. When the immigration officials asked whether we would be staying for New Year’s and we asked if there would be fireworks, their reaction really should have been our first clue.

But nothing could have prepared us for what happened on the 31st. Rockets were already flying long before midnight, and when the new year finally arrived, the entire island seemed to detonate into a glorious mix of colors, noise, and pure chaos—in the best possible way. The show lasted for hours!

It turns out fireworks are only legal here on two days a year… and wow, do they commit. Sadly, no video can truly capture the madness.

We started the first day of the new year with my now-traditional morning jog, followed by some truly amazing snorkeling. Over the next few days, we plan to rent a car and explore more of the island. What a treat it is to be here!