#fuerwerk

[travel2view]

Trapped in my Silvester Groundhog Day

I’ve heard them already, outside, not many, just a few. Whizzes and bangs. It’s tonight. I’m dreading the night the rest of the world looks forward to. The countdown. Yes, New Year’s Eve - known as Silvester in Germany. But maybe I’m not alone, I guess my sister’s dog is too. I caught my neighbour yelling after her 18 year old son, “Be back before midnight!”. He smirked all knowingly as he shuffled past me on the stairs and she raised her eyebrows as I came into view. “Silvester! Chaos!”

 I used to love New Year’s Eve in London celebrating in Victoria Street because we couldn’t be bothered to queue half the day for 12 mins of fireworks on the Thames Embankment itself. And anyhow we could see the “Big Ben” tower, Westminster Abbey, half the London Eye and a heck of a load of fireworks for very little inconvenience. Everyone was jovial yet orderly.

NYE in Brazil shocked me a bit as a firework mortar battery was unexpectedly set off by neighbours in the residents square - and it fell over firing at the crowd. But this, my fourth New Year in Germany, makes me dread this night. There was no warning. I blindly fell into the trap on my first NYE in Dusseldorf.

Standing waiting at the river Rhine with two other newbie foreign expats we expected a spectacle to explode from the TV Tower at midnight. Colleagues had specifically told us to “Go and see the fireworks at the Rhein”. Our expectations high. The countdown came and went, the tower stayed quiet but all around us was utter mayhem. We were scared. OK, I was scared the most. I’m jumpy naturally and loud bangs freak me out. So there we were trapped and surrounded by people indiscriminately letting off fireworks behind my back as we were stuck against the riverside wall. “Thud” - yeah I don’t want to know what hit me. People were literally standing in groups and bending down and lighting rockets, roman candles, flares and the like all around us. OK it was a fantastic light display. All ‘Made in Germany’ for safety!

But these were mostly adults. Not teenagers - like those who set off fireworks every weekend in the UK on Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night (when the Brits get children to build an effigy and burn it on a bonfire - charming!) - and then fireworks on and off - right through to New Year’s. But what they don’t do is set them off in crowded places full of people. Mainly coz even they know the ‘Fireworks Code’ that was drilled into us British kids at primary school. The dangers ingrained in me further when a father was killed at a firework display organised by the Parent Teacher Association. So I have baggage. But always remember to ask more of your well meaning colleagues and their “recommendations”. Or take a local with you!

So my error, I hadn’t read about NYE - just seen the fireworks in Berlin on the TV. But then again most Germans I had met were sensibly acting people. Which led me for 2015 to do research and opt for the big set piece at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Having watched the sunrise while freezing on top of the Bundestag all was set for a wonderful day. Until the rain arrived and we didn’t see the fun of being in the ‘party mile’ in the wet. So why not view it all from ‘the other side’ on Unter Der Linden. Hmm. Big mistake. You can see the Brandenburg Gate but we saw no fireworks. It actually made me think that it’s computer generated on tv. But the same amazing impromtu displays were erupting all around us (see video below) . Amazing displays, amazing amounts of money that individuals splurge on their own fireworks. (btw you can gernerally only buy fireworks a couple of days before Silvester itself). Yes, it’s chaos, it’s bonkers, its quite bizarre - pop-up street vendors selling alcohol too. It’s a miracle there aren’t more injuries but there was a constant stream of Fire trucks and ambulances screeching through Berlin city.

2016 saw a trip to Cologne but to the safety of friend’s party with a balcony (main photo). However my nervousness returned as there were announcements at the station (in German) for people to ‘Not set off fireworks on the platforms or station buildings’. I guess after my previous encounters people here do need to be advised of this practicality. However to here the same announcement on the train adding ‘please don’t set off fireworks on the train’ made me smile in a surreal way as viewed my fellow passengers - some of whom were carrying big packs of rockets. I dreaded leaving the train.

The carnage on the streets afterwards is crazy. I don’t want to bring in analogies as the world is in too much real turmoil… But apart from the spent firework casings - especially these mortar batteries!!! All that bottle bank good citizen has gone out the window … recycling is for another day.

So it’s clear Germany is not boring! But they are crazy! Ok, it’s not a very scientific survey but I was happy to read Anja Samy (@anjasamy on theLocal.de 21/12/17 “Fireworks in Germany: what to know about ending 2017 with a bang”). She mentions eye injuries, burns and pollutution. So wish I’d read something like this sooner. But gratefully its full of all the warnings I appreciate from the authorities and health experts. So there are rules after all.

I’ve experienced New Year’s Eve in some far-flung and remote places from Bangkok to Brazil and London to umm Wales but Germany wins first prize in utter scariness. What? You say … a key part of travelling is to view and observe and experience different cultures and their festivals so I’ve witnessed this and it scares me!

So in the land of so called officaldom… the Germans forget all those rules and regulations for one night. A few hours of madness. And then we’ll be back to normal … unlike London, where youths would be setting them off for days to come…but on 2nd January…It’s over. Normality resumes. Hats off to them LOL

And to my 2017 Silvester Groundhog Day… I could use my slight cold as a good excuse to abstain, but the weather is mild at 12c but I’ve just checked outside. It’s raining. That’s miserable … but is it safe for me to run around the block to my friend’s party? … 

Wishing you all a Happy and safe Silvester/ New Year’s Eve :-)

[black-is-the-neew-white]

[monstertilda]

Silvester!!!

Happy New Year Berlin!!!