Frohes neues Jahr

I wasn’t sure what I would do NYE. One plan had been to pop across to London to see the fireworks. I bought a ticket for the viewing area just in case; it was only £10. Unfortunately, though they were in touch by email, the ticket didn’t turn up before I left Australia. That’s OK; it was only a soft plan and I knew there was a risk.

I researched NYE (Silvester) in Germany and became a little anxious from what I read. Seems that formal, organized fireworks are rare. Instead, this is the only time Germans are allowed to buy and set off fireworks and they can tend to go a little crazy. There have been injuries and even fatalities in recent years. There has been discussion this year in the german media.

Being a foreigner and alone I decide against getting in the thick of any NYE celebrations. Besides, I don’t feel the need to do anything in particular anyway. I’ve slept through the last 2-3 NYE and I am happy to do it again this year.

While looking through the photos from my day in Oberammergau I have the TV on. This year, my german language teacher had told us of the cult following around a vintage British sketch titled “Dinner for One” and we watched it in class with no understanding of why the Germans go crazy for it. In the couple of hours I have the TV on, the original English version has been played on 3 different channels as well as 2 newer german versions! Go figure.

From about 1830 the sporadic sound of fireworks begins outside. They are still going on when I go to bed around 2130.

At 2300, even with earplugs, I awake to a big round of fireworks. At first I figure it must be midnight but then realize we’re still not there yet. The bangs die down a bit and I go back to sleep.

At 2357 I’m woken again. This time I get up to look out the window. No carefully synchronized countdown here. They let their fireworks off when they feel like it. Then, around midnight, it erupts. Total uncoordinated chaos. But there’s something beautiful in it. I can hear lots of revellers in the area around the hotel. Facing inwards, I only see fireworks when they manage to breach the rooftops but I hear all the noise and see all the reflected flashes. They are going off all round me in all directions. Some are let off very near and the embers fall into the courtyard. This goes in for nearly 30 min before slowing down and I head back to bed.

In the morning, as I head out on my next expedition, I see the remnants of fireworks on the ground here and there.