Happy 2009

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Cities take on certain personalities. Paris is the city of love, Chicago is the second city, Gallup NM is the armpit of America. Sydney seems to be the city of New Year's (really it is the harbor city). Aided by the International Date Line, Sydney is the first major city to celebrate the New Year. Aussies relish the role and title of first New Year's. After witnessing the New Year down under, my hat is tipped to the Aussies.

Thanks must be given to the prodigious efforts of my sister who planned the whole New Year's Eve. Knowing that I am not fond of the large crowd and a bit of a cheapskate, she booked us at the Royal Botanical Gardens for the festivities that evening. Dining aside fellow guests, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge makes beautiful sense. It was hard to beleive the views presented before us were real. They seemed to be Hollywood backdrops.

Ever mindful of the young ones, Sydney has a children's firework show at 9pm. It was a let down, and in 15 years, lots of parents are going to have to explain to their children why they weren't allowed to see the real New Year's kickoff. On the other hand, it certainly gives young ones a reason to look forward to adulthood. Fireworks took over the night as the clock struck midnight. Explosions and fire bursts shellacked the sky. No one or thing was removed (minus the little kids that departed early) from celebrating 2009. Buildings shot off an array of sparks and booms. Growing up with a firework obsessed Mayor (Richard Daley - Chicago), I had become rather apathetic towards firework displays. I must admit the impressive array and stylistic charges within the show left me feeling rather inspired on a day I normally reserve for solitude. Cheers to Sydney. The post firwork crowd found a beautiful neon light guiding them to Harry's Pies stand to help welcome in the New Year and to help soak up some of the drunken revelery as they headed home for the evening.

Harbors inhabit every crevice of Sydney and the people of Sydney cherish the water with every opportunity. Well-known Bondi beach was packed with the post hangover crowd - some still in there NYE wear from the night before. Equally impressive Manly Beach touted surf schools and a multitude of body surfers as well. Post New Year's hangovers were made all the easier with hot lazy summer days to lounge about soaking up sun and water.

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Photos

The pre-firework prep work
Matt, Karen and I settling in for the evening.

More Fireworks
Not a bad seat for the show

NYE Fireworks 1
Fireworks over the Opera House

Bondi Beach
Lifeguards await the next bad swimmer.

Comments

[Tami]

Happy New Year
Sounds like you started the New Year in an awesome way. I hope that 2009 brings you happiness, adventure, and weird foods to try!

[Connie]

Nice
Nice work on the fireworks photos. It does look impressive. It is news to me that you consider Gallup the nation's armpit. My Aunt says the same thing. I have to consider the matter settled now!