New Year Eve 2006

Gordon had managed to book a table for 12 at a restaurant at the resort - right next to the play room (perfect!) Booking the table proved to be trickier than Gordon thought, the table was booked under the name of Mabish, and they gave us a table for ten. They finally brought another table over to accommodate the 12 of us after Gordon got stuck into them. We settled in for a delicious meal and the kids had a great time in the playground. 

At least we were safe inside from the fireworks. In Germany, people get really cross with you if you don't use the pedestrian crossings, or wait for the Green man. They also get cross with you if you don't follow every little law perfectly. However, it is quite fine to give kids fireworks to set off however they would like, even kids younger than 10! So your kids know how to follow the rules but can play with explosives?? Where is the logic to that?? (or the sense!) 

From early morning, fireworks were going off all over the place. As the day (and then the evening) wore on, the intensity of armament fire (sorry, fireworks) increased dramatically. We could see kids without supervision throwing lit fireworks at each other. They were setting them off close to other people. They were sending up massive rockets anywhere. In fact, one smashed into the window of Stuart and James' apartment, and we could hear it from 3 doors down! As midnight approached, so did complete chaos. 

We went to the square to watch the professional fireworks being set off on the beach. However, whilst this was going on, there were rockets, crackers and all sorts of devices (some massive) going off all around us. One rocket from someone in the crowd didn't work properly, spiralled into the crowd, and exploded on the chest of a young boy. People rushed from all around and it was not too pretty. We had stuff exploding at our feet and we decided it was time to go back to our apartment. 

The view from the third floor of our apartment was better, and safer, and as we settled the kids and ourselves for the night with explosions going on all around us, I thought of those in Baghdad. 

However, except for the fireworks, we had a great fun evening with our friends and wherever you are, we wish you a safe and lucky 2007!