2009 or Ich habe Zwiebel am Kopf, ich bin ein Dönner
That was one of the silly German songs I've heard yesterday evening in the Theaterplatz, where we went to watch the fireworks.
Unlike many I know, 2008 was a very good year for me, so many good things happened to me and just everything I set myself to worked my way, even if sometimes it wasn't that easy to get through the hassle. My life changed a lot, I moved to a new country and... believe it or not, I got married. If someone would have told me couple of years ago that I'll get married, I would have laughed in their face. So, for 2008 I can't be anything than grateful. Dunno what 2009 will bring, I just hope it will be at least just as full of joy as 2008. So, happy new 2009! Now, let's get over the cheesy stuff and on to them pics.
For the I Can Has Cheesburger fans - Nom, nom, nom... (Not our car, btw).
So, we went to the Theaterplatz, which is in downtown Dresden, between Zwinger, Semper Opera, the terrace to the Elbe and the palace. There were already loads and loads of people, in the plazza, and the main interest point was this stage with a DJ and loud speakers where they played all sort of songs (German and others, not really our taste - Macarena, for example). Anyway, since we arrived only around 23:30, the place was full, we couldn't get to the bridge over the Elbe, so we could see the fireworks from there (reflected in the water of the river too, along with the city lights, etc), so we had to stay pretty far from everything, to the wall of the Zwinger, near the strings and fences that bordered the place where public could stay. It wasn't much to see anyway, only a crowd of already drunk people jumping and dancing along the (horrible) music.
A lot of young people, but also older ones too. It was freezing cold, so many were dancing on the music played, to warm themselves.
They were a lot of fireworks already, before the countdown. These fireworks were set by private people, in the streets and pretty much everywhere else. Usually people (mostly the young ones) gather in groups and stand somewhere on the street, drink and set fireworks on. Also, each restaurant has its own New Year party, and people go out near the restaurant and play with them fireworks.
Just to see how many people were there. In the middle was this huge clock counting down the minutes and the seconds until the New Year. At one point the DJ announced that there'll be the great fireworks near the wall of the Zwinger... which was like only few meters from us.
The wall was very beautifully lit, in blue. After the countdown and the happy new year.. it started.
On the soundtrack of Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain.
And it was awesome...
On that fairy-tale like music....
A cascade of fire.
Many rockets and explosions with it.
In all directions and...
Of many colors
Fuzzy explosions. My pics do them little justice.
And swirling rockets.
It was incredible, at least for me, seeing it all from such a close distance.
These fireworks were for only 10 minutes, but there were others, organized by the hotels and the bars/restaurants that kept for an entire hour or so, but not even close as spectacular as these.
As I said, here people gather in the streets and set fireworks. Well, when we drove back home, the streets looked like after a war, covered by remains of the boxes and from the rockets and many, many bottles. The bridge over the Elbe we crossed in our way home was literally covered by debris, and there were still a lot of people there setting fireworks, INCLUDING the street cleaner workers, that were there with their truck, waiting for the party to end, so they could start cleaning the street. Yes, the next day (meaning today) the streets have to be spotless clean.
Anyway, the air was so thick and smelly from the fireworks and rockets stuff, it was like a mist. But it was fun and it was nice to see people having fun.
Unlike many I know, 2008 was a very good year for me, so many good things happened to me and just everything I set myself to worked my way, even if sometimes it wasn't that easy to get through the hassle. My life changed a lot, I moved to a new country and... believe it or not, I got married. If someone would have told me couple of years ago that I'll get married, I would have laughed in their face. So, for 2008 I can't be anything than grateful. Dunno what 2009 will bring, I just hope it will be at least just as full of joy as 2008. So, happy new 2009! Now, let's get over the cheesy stuff and on to them pics.
For the I Can Has Cheesburger fans - Nom, nom, nom... (Not our car, btw).
So, we went to the Theaterplatz, which is in downtown Dresden, between Zwinger, Semper Opera, the terrace to the Elbe and the palace. There were already loads and loads of people, in the plazza, and the main interest point was this stage with a DJ and loud speakers where they played all sort of songs (German and others, not really our taste - Macarena, for example). Anyway, since we arrived only around 23:30, the place was full, we couldn't get to the bridge over the Elbe, so we could see the fireworks from there (reflected in the water of the river too, along with the city lights, etc), so we had to stay pretty far from everything, to the wall of the Zwinger, near the strings and fences that bordered the place where public could stay. It wasn't much to see anyway, only a crowd of already drunk people jumping and dancing along the (horrible) music.
A lot of young people, but also older ones too. It was freezing cold, so many were dancing on the music played, to warm themselves.
They were a lot of fireworks already, before the countdown. These fireworks were set by private people, in the streets and pretty much everywhere else. Usually people (mostly the young ones) gather in groups and stand somewhere on the street, drink and set fireworks on. Also, each restaurant has its own New Year party, and people go out near the restaurant and play with them fireworks.
Just to see how many people were there. In the middle was this huge clock counting down the minutes and the seconds until the New Year. At one point the DJ announced that there'll be the great fireworks near the wall of the Zwinger... which was like only few meters from us.
The wall was very beautifully lit, in blue. After the countdown and the happy new year.. it started.
On the soundtrack of Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain.
And it was awesome...
On that fairy-tale like music....
A cascade of fire.
Many rockets and explosions with it.
In all directions and...
Of many colors
Fuzzy explosions. My pics do them little justice.
And swirling rockets.
It was incredible, at least for me, seeing it all from such a close distance.
These fireworks were for only 10 minutes, but there were others, organized by the hotels and the bars/restaurants that kept for an entire hour or so, but not even close as spectacular as these.
As I said, here people gather in the streets and set fireworks. Well, when we drove back home, the streets looked like after a war, covered by remains of the boxes and from the rockets and many, many bottles. The bridge over the Elbe we crossed in our way home was literally covered by debris, and there were still a lot of people there setting fireworks, INCLUDING the street cleaner workers, that were there with their truck, waiting for the party to end, so they could start cleaning the street. Yes, the next day (meaning today) the streets have to be spotless clean.
Anyway, the air was so thick and smelly from the fireworks and rockets stuff, it was like a mist. But it was fun and it was nice to see people having fun.