2018 is about two hours old here in Germany. So first of all, a happy, healthy and successful 2018 to all of you and may it be better than the trashfire of a year that was 2017.
I spent New Year’s Eve at home with my parents, since my Mom still doesn’t feel well enough to go out. What is more, the restaurant where we usually went for New Year’s Eve the past couple of years has closed. And whatever desire I might have had to attend some of the big public parties, which was already close to zero, was further reduced by seeing the extreme security measures which make partying at the Brandenburg Gate look about as much fun as a visit to a maximum security prison. Besides, the fireworks are pretty good in our neighbourhood and require no security checks to view.
A potted four-leaf clover plant and some good luck symbols for the new year.
For dinner, we had mussels. The broth for steaming the mussels is based on this recipe and was very flavourful. Though we didn’t serve the mussels with pasta, but just with baguette. The broth also makes a great soup a few days down the line.
Steamed North Sea mussels for dinner.
And here is the champagne, ready for the new year to begin.
After drinking our champagne, we went outside for the fireworks. Well, my Dad and I went outside. Mom stayed indoors and watched from the window. Luckily, the rain stopped just in time for midnight. And because some of the people who’ve moved to my parents’ street in the meantime are enthusiastic igniters of fireworks, we had a great show.
Photographing fireworks is notoriously tricky, especially if you only have a smartphone camera, but I managed to catch some good shots:
A close-up shot of fireworks.
The Russian family who moved into the house behind my parents are enthusiastic fireworkers.
And even more fireworks, courtesy of the Russian neighbours.
The people a bit down the street are enthusiastic fireworkers as well and apparently have a lot of money to spare for the 25 to 30 EUR a piece fireworks batteries.
And here is another look at a fireworks battery burning up in its full glory.
No, the smoking bush is not the first miracle of 2018. Firework smoke simply got trapped in the foliage.
sending...