A Black Sand Christmas

For the holidays, Rachel and Wren and I decided to leave Gamboa and head West--to Chiriqui. Our ultimate destination is an intensive Spanish program in Boquete, in the mountains. But for Christmas, we are at the beach.

This is Gwendolyn's second beach. The first was at the Black Sea, which was decidedly not black. This is Wren's first look at the Pacific Ocean, which is decidedly not pacific. The waves are HUGE. And here, the sand is black. Confusing!

"Uh, Mom, the sand is black."

Black sand makes black faces.

And black feet.

Our Christmas tree.

We are a little thin on presents, but we have the best present of all--a happy family. And here at the black sand beach in the middle of the tropics, we can happily daydream of a white Christmas.