This blog post is nearly a month in the writing. Which is a real shame because so many memories of this evening have faded in one way or another. But I'm proud to present what I do remember about the evening to get this blog back on track for the new year.
New Year's Eve is a huge deal in Iceland. The entire country holds huge bonfires and sets off an excruciating number of fireworks. I should probably emphasise FIREWORKS. Fireworks or skoteldar, are illegal in Iceland. Except during the Christmas season. During this time, Icelandic families purchase more fireworks than they can probably afford and set them off during the last weeks of the year. A few performances take place during the days following Christmas, but the real event is of course New Year's Eve. During the evening people set off fireworks, but at midnight all hell breaks loose. All of Reykjavík and the surrounding neighbourhoods/towns/suburbs explode in a frenzy of fiery flying things. The entire horizon looks like a firefly warzone or a massive ocean of colourful fires.
I attended a dinner party at the flat of a friend and enjoyed a ten course meal and some lovely drinks before heading to Hallgrímskirkja to watch the display. There were fireworks everywhere! It was quite a site. Afterward I went to a house party and reveled until the early morning, but made it home "early" by Icelandic standards. Good evening, difficult recovery!
-Nick
A spectacular display by a spectacular country. I may have to add it to my "Events to Attend" in this life.
ReplyDeleteAlso, TELL 'EM ABOUT THE NORTH! :D
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