Dia De Los Ninos...Fun and Free

Dancing and music dominate the venues along the Malecon this day called 'Dia del Nino'...Childrens Day here in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. To my surprise about 99% of the thousands of guest are Mexican families.

Sometimes the best activity is simply to watch. And 'watching' I did as 'break dancer's' included two boys in a dance contest. Then there was the two year boy while standing amongst the giant crowd watching a fabulous band that played for several dance groups. The little tike would glance back at me and point, as if I didn't see the dance directly in front of me. After his third time of being so cute I finally noticed what only he had. It wasn't the band, nor the dancers or even the crowd of 2,000 plus, no his attention was focused on the fireworks off in the distance. 

Finally while strolling down the Malecon I decide to sit adjacent to what Karen has termed the 'Alien Circle', i.e. 'La Rotonda del Mar' (The Roundabout of the Sea). My location provided the perfect spot to simply watch. Mostly my attention was captured by the families taking, or attempting to take a photo while sitting in one of the 'roundabout' chairs that was directly in front of me. There was the family of eight all with brilliant pose and smiles less one boy. His attention was on anything but the camera. When the word was given to smile he would force a glance and his best smile. The photographer must be fast though, because in only a moment his eyes were surrendered to all the activities elsewhere. Then there was the family of four with grandpa taking the picture. The youngest daughter never did get in the picture, because no sooner as they had placed her on the chair, she was off to jump back in the rented push car which brought just the smile they hoped for, only not with the family. Later a husband captures a photo of his wife, all the while their two teenage boys were making faces as if to say, "here we are waiting for our boring parents taking 'another' picture, while all these cute girls are passing our way". 

Perhaps the greatest of sites to be watched...was just that of of families enjoying a fun evening together. Smiles, laughter, holding hands and the occasional wayward child was more than one could expect of a free evening out.