Happy New Year!

Wow, what an intro to 2008 we had.

A few years ago we were out in Idaho for the Fourth of July where normally it is illegal to light off fireworks privately, but for just that one night, anything goes. For about a week before, there were stands set up in just about every parking lot around selling anything and everything that you can blow up. It was kind of like Christmas Tree Lots. And then on the 4th everyone blew it all up. There were explosions everywhere and the heavy cover of smoke was overwhelming. It was like nothing else I had seen before ... until now.

During my last few trips to the grocery store I had noticed people checking out with some nice packages of fireworks, of course everything being in German I had no idea what they were. I figured it was your usual US styled bottle rockets and noise makers. I was very wrong. When midnight hit last night the entire hill we live on came alive with explosions and the resulting show was amazing. There were fireworks like you would find at a professional show. All kinds of colors, changing colors, sparkly things that twirled. And the haze, well actually smoke, was amazing. It was a very heavy thick fog that enveloped the air. This went on for about 30 minutes straight.

I guess it makes sense, to me fireworks are a 4th of July thing and although in the US we use them for other events, that is the big one. Here, although there is a 4th of July, it just doesn't have the same meaning. Of all of the celebratory holidays New Years makes the most sense of any to blow things up. Christmas and Easter just wouldn't be right.