One of the last fireworks tonight.It is midnight and almost quiet ! Only some single far away detonations here and there... Tonight was the last day and this year there is a regulations: after midnight no more shooting. Oh, I am not reporting from a war zone, I am reporting from Beijing, China. Tonight we had non-stop firing since sunset. Not to forget that this all started over two weeks ago. Since February 6 every day and every night fireworks, firecrackers and these bomb like detonations... this is China. The highlight of a around 20 minutes firework at midnight of New Years Eve that we know from Europe or other countries is what we have here for hours and days.... and beautiful fireworks just in front of your windows on all sites of the house, every minute... it is soooo cheap here and Chinese love the noise!
Our driver bought tons of firework-boxes, no need to have a pyrotechnician. Our son preferred to watch from the car - too loud, too dangerous (some rockets explode too low and burning things might fall down) - and the air is totally polluted. A volcano eruption could not do much more harm to the air (today I really have breathing problems). Well then I should not go outside, but we did for some minutes and I took some pictures (above and below):
One of the biggest firework boxes I have seen (front left), around 600 RMB (60 Euro) for 100 rockets. 
Full moon over Dongzhimen with firework and leaveless trees. The full moon tonight (lantern festival) marks the end of the New Year celebrations in China.Just in case you are curious: 434 is the number of Beijingers injured by fireworks during the first seven days of the Spring Festival (People's Daily via That's Beijing online from Feb 14).
BTW, sleepless in Beijing - the other night I could not sleep because I was too busy and too much thinking about our housing project in Pizzo. This also kept me away from posting here.
But things are calming down. Good night from Beijing and Happy New Year !!
2 comments:
and i get annoyed around the fourth of july when i have to listen to a dozen or so fireworks go off every night for a week. the saying is true, "it can always be worse." love your blog.
Hi Suzi,
I love the photo of the moon lantern festival you posted. I lived near the EastBay Chinatown once and it got really loud there on New Year's too. It sounds exciting and fun although annoying after a certain point. Happy New Year's to you.
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