WE WELCOME 2016

Saturday, January 2, 2016




As I wrote earlier the Christmas season is not my favorite part of the year. Last Christmas I spent alone and in a way that was good. Because of all the people going shopping, I avoid going into town or to the market as much as possible. The past few days it was to be read in the Dutch newspapers that there were a lot of illegal (and dangerous) fireworks around. In my last years in the Netherlands, it already happened that young kids threw firecrackers at people. I witnessed it myself once when a guy threw a firecracker at a woman with a small child on the backseat of her bicycle. It nearly hit her and one can imagine what would have happened had it really hit her. A few cities now don’t allow their citizens to have fireworks and I thought that is a good initiative. But all over the country people can buy this illegal stuff so the annoying actions go on although, truth be known, it became less in the cities I mentioned here before.

Last June I went to Olongapo City and am still here. Completely new to me I learned that this city doesn’t allow private fireworks. And that definitely makes a huge difference. No more exploding, noisy firecrackers anymore these past weeks. The only noise now came from plastic horns, sold everywhere in the city. The sound is terrible but then again, they are meant to shoo the bad spirits away. It did remind of the old song “Johnny One Note”.  

On Facebook, I saw several pictures and read about how people were preparing for the last evening of the year. In the Netherlands, it is a big thing to bake several snacks and people like to gather together. In private that is. As far as I can remember many people play board games. Also, it is a tradition that goes back to the 1970s that there is a semi-live show broadcasted of a comedian. It is programmed so that it finishes at the strike of twelve. Only then each and everyone wishes each other a happy New Year, the Champagne bottles are opened and all drink on it. Meanwhile, others go outside to light their fireworks. This is mostly finished at 1 AM. That is also the time many bars open their doors and soon these places are filled to the brim. There is a lot of laughter of course. It is one of the biggest nationwide parties the country has.

Last night we had dinner with friends. We started quite late and when we left we went straight to the Boulevard where the big show was about to happen. We arrived at 11.55 and were happy to find this perfect spot. Of course, there was a lot of (Live) music and that stopped when a voice started counting down. And then an overwhelming show started. I thought the firework show took place on a boat or raft but later I learned it was on the other side of the bay. It was the biggest show of this kind I have ever seen and it lasted a little over 20 minutes. It is hard to tell how many people attended the show but for sure there was a lot of traffic afterward. Back home all was reasonably quiet. 

During the show, I involuntary had to think of the pictures of the bombings in Syria I had seen so often in the newspapers last year. The fireworks produce a lot of smoke and watching it I realized how much better it was to see this than the smoke coming from stupid wars. Another thought that came to mind that this way of putting up firework shows should be applauded by authorities all over the world. All the people attending the shows are cheerful and happy. The fireworks are well controlled and the cities are spared of pollution. And what to think of all pet dogs and cats. Most of them will have a less stressful transition to the New Year. 

The year started off well. I hope everybody will try to make it better than in the past year. For instance, you could become a follower of my blogsite. Tongue in cheek! (But still serious)





Love the ones you’re with and be loved in return.