So I don't know if you all remember complaining about how my new years sucked last year - to be honest all I can currently remember is the title.
This year I was in berlin and it was certainly not like anything I have ever experienced. So we decided like probably a million people to go to the brandenburger tor. We were told by our tour guide earlier today that it would be good to head there for about 8 so that's what we did, and like usual we walked there, and sure enough arrived on time. It was the strangest walk and as expected police were there trying to control the crowd. It was unfortunate because our hotel was located on the wrong side of the Tor. This meant that we had to walk probably an extra half hour around the entire crowd just to walk back to where we wanted to be.
We eventually went downstream to a spot that we thought we be adequate. Then we realized we'd have to wait for 3 hours and fifteen minutes for midnight. My mother who's body has suffered from the miles of walking we have done has suffered a little and she was feeling the strain. After some grumbles from all parties involved it was decided we would attempt to walk down to a place we originally came from to try and gain better vision into where the fireworks would come from. The walk back was certainly interesting and it's a really good thing I can control my anger because there were a few that needed a good shoulder check. It's our fault for going to wrong way. Oh - also I must say...I don't know who the music was but I only really enjoyed one band. I was hoping for to see the scorpians but they never came on.
As we were coming out of the gates we were made aware that there would be no re-entering and they meant business. There were lots of people around that were getting rejected at the gate. We made our way back to one of the main streets on the way to potsdamer platz and it just went crazy.
I should now inform you that on new years day fireworks are in fact legal. This is something that germans clearly took advantage of. On the small street just randomly in one of the squares so many people were setting them off. Then a flare here and there, one of those that just sprays sparkles or one that just bangs. It was a little un-nearving because I was worried about getting hit by something.
That fear was elevated greater once we hit the main street. Not only was I barely able to move, the amount of fireworks being set off was increased ten-fold. There was one point where someone decided it would be a fantastic idea to set of a flare within the crowd. All I could think was how easily this could go astray.
We kept on walking however and along the journey back to the hotel saw so much garbage everywhere, both bottles and exploded fireworks.
It was clear at this point that leaving early was not a poor choice. It was just so chaotic and I was worried about being hit by something. Give me a break it's my first time there.
When we got back to around a block in front of our hotel we encountered this group of people setting off fireworks so we decided to watch. This escalated to everywhere around us on this main road was setting off fireworks. My estimation is that there were 30 different groups within eyesight.
Then at midnight the Tor lights started to go off. We were lucky that we were able to see them from where we were (just barely) because it was laughable that one group had been going on longer than them and ended after as well.
It's also funny how at home they take so many safety precautions and here EVERYONE especially children are getting in on the action. To be honest the first thing I thought about was riots in the middle east where everyone is just running but no one really has any idea what's going on and there's just noise everywhere.
It was also just so strange because for me I think about the destruction and damage that was done in Berlin during the second world war and the fact that 90% of the city was destroyed and they have these fireworks that sound similar to bombs going off all over the city. It is a steady stream of sound and to think during the war it was anything like that was nuts because that's not you enjoying something pretty - that's you fighting for your life.
I wish that I could have actually recorded everything because this entry really doesn't give enough justice to the insanity of silvester.
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