Chinese Fireworks are - LOUD!!! (A video Post)

Last Sunday we took part in a huge party in China. We all said good bye to the (metal) rabbit and entered the year of the most important symbol - the (water) dragon with a big BANG - or two.

Chinese new year is more than just a new years eve celebration. It is the most important festival in China and it is something like a cross between our Xmas and New Years Eve celebrations. Everyone is going home to see their families and therefore the whole country (1,4 Billion people and us) get a holiday for one week.  There is a LOT  to tell about the customs of and around Chinese new year, but for this post I keep it short and let you be part of our celebrations which we enjoyed german style.

The actual "Chinese New Years eve" was on sunday. So the six of us met up at Benno and Kerstin´s place for a nice raclett dinner followed by games night - and beeing blown away from fireworks all night long. We chose their apartment because they live on the 17th floor overlooking Century park in two directions allowing us to enjoy a great view over Pudong and the fireworks around us.

Since taking pictures didn´t make much sense I decided to film some of the activity and the NOISE!!!
It is absolutley mad but well worth sharing with you. If you wouldn´t know it you could easily think that these films are part of a war documentary somewhere.

I appologize already for my (non existing) filming skills and in case you speak Chinese you might notice  that I shout "Happy Chinese New Year" completly wrong..(good that my Chinese teacher doesn´t know anything about this blog :-).

So sit back, relax and turn your speakers up on full volume. You might catch a bit of what it was like..
(Ah.. and please try to ignore my shouting...:-)

Here we go:
11pm - the neighbours are practising - and I feel like a war zone reporter:
click here: http://youtu.be/wLzvYUV2rt4

5 to 12 - Shanghai is exploding..
click here: http://youtu.be/n0jRAmQemWE

12 o´clock - Xin nian kuai le!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
click here: http://youtu.be/J-e7Ip8Tt-U?t=5s

If you wonder what Shanghai was like on the next day, if  China woke up with a big head from boozing too much, than wait until the next post.. you will be surprised!