Celebration Time

Every place has its unique way to celebrate special occasions and while you get to know how it works, the best way to go is to flow with locals.

The 4th of July was my first time in the US, and it seems very common to summon at the beach to watch the fireworks show.

Pompano Beach was the chosen place to be, and my wife and I got there a little too early: 4:30 p.m. and the heat was at its peak by that time. We had two options: try to cope with the hot weather or find a shadowed place and wait for the sun to come down. We decided to visit an Irish Pub and spend a few hours listening to some good rock n´ roll played by a local artist and having a beer to freshen up.

By 7:30 p.m. we headed to the beach, set up our chairs, and find out that the audience was changing. People who had been the whole afternoon were packing and leaving while some newcomers were arriving.

It was the end of the day and a perfect time for some landscape pics and a few shots of candid people around.

By 9 p.m. the fireworks show started, and the sky became a canvas enlightened with all kinds of colors and wonderful sparks.

The wait was worth it and way back home the night sky kept sparking with fireworks that happen to be open for the public to buy and burn with no problem at all. It reminded us back in time when fireworks were very common at Christmas and New Year eve in Bogotá.

There´s always a first time, and this 4th of July was mine.