Munich’s crowd source fireworks

Declan getting ready to set off fireworks in the Munich snow
Declan getting ready to set off fireworks in the Munich snow

Last year Sydney; this Munich.

Last year an open-air pool; this a snow-field.

Last year water slides; this ice-slides.

Last year a Sydney fireworks display; this year we set off our own fireworks in a playground (and, boy, that was fun).

Last year drinks on our roof-terrace with friends at midnight; this year shivering on a rented balcony watching Munich explode.

Munich crowd-sources its fireworks. Everyone sets off their own. Houses, flats, roads, parks, every available surface is a launching site. It’s not as choreographed as Sydney’s professional show, but it’s just… extraordinary. It’s like being on the inside of a firework show – you’re absolutely surrounded and they are exploding within feet of where you are standing. The whole city just seems to be a mass of fireworks – and not the supermarket ones we set off, many of these look terribly professional. I’ve never seen anything quite like this, it’s an astonishing way to welcome in the New Year with a bang.

Happy New Year.

6 thoughts on “Munich’s crowd source fireworks

  1. Oh, not just Munich, world travellers, the whole of Germany! As my small Burg world exploded last night, I thought it would be cool to see Germany from above.

    Wishing you a fabulous year!

    1. Yes Google has let me down here – there don’t seem to be any pictures from above that I can find. The thing that sets this apart, for me, is that this is not 20 minutes of choreographed fireworks but 2 hours of bedlam. Surely someone should have thought to photograph it from bove.

  2. I have had the privilege of landing in 2 cities this year, that were going nuts with an evening of fireworks at the time. The first was Zurich on August 1st which is their national day. (It also includes lighting numerous bonfires which definitely adds to the effect)
    The second was flying into London on Diwali. Given one of the larger indian communities is very close to Heathrow where I was landing it was a good show…
    http://www.indianexpress.com/news/diwali-fireworks-light-up-uk-sky/707875/

    Anyway I can vouch for the fact that it is worthwhile seeing it from the air, although it is vaguely unsettling seeing a large cluster burst apparently directly underneath the wing of the aircraft you are travelling in (but probably a good couple of 100m away from it)…

Leave a Reply