New Year's Even in Holland... Bombastic!
Dec 30th, 2010, 11:39 AM
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New Year's Even in Holland... Bombastic!
If New Year's Eve 2009 was any harbinger then tomorrow night, New Year's Eve 2010 will be a truly bombastic night in Dutch cities like Amsterdam and Haarlem - I can say this after having witnessed the New Year's Even events in both cities last year.
I was staying in Haarlem (a really neat city often overlooked by tourists) and the bombs - yes I would call them ordnance and not mere fireworks - started early in the afternoon and intensified as the night went on until at midnight an incredible cacaphony of fireworks and blasts could be heard all over the city - from my upstairs window I could see many folks on tops of their apartment buildings firing off large fireworks.
The din did not dim until the wee hours of the morning. And the next morning the streets were literally covered by remains of fireworks.
Ditto in Amsterdam the next day - everywhere were firework shells, mini bomb craters, etc.
Though I had to leave Amsterdam at 8pm because that was the last train that night back to Haarlem even by them blasts were occuring everywhere - on one narrow lane in the RedLight District - Zeedijk - I though it was even dangerous - younger folk just throwing M-80 type ordnance around - I turned around and left that scene.
Even the iconic Dutch coffeeshops closed early on New Year's Eve, which surprised me - but I guess staff had their own parties to go to - and the queues to buy take-out cannabis were really long - folks were stocking up since the coffeeshops were to be closed until about noon - high noon - the next day.
Amsterdam had a huge concert event on Museumplein (same venue as the World Cup coverage on huge open-air screens - and by the looks of the beer trucks - long milk tankers - it looked like it would be a rather raucous youth-oriented affair. The next day Museumplein looked like a war zone.
So if in Amsterdam or any Dutch town New Year's Even is not your average New Year's Eve I think.
I was staying in Haarlem (a really neat city often overlooked by tourists) and the bombs - yes I would call them ordnance and not mere fireworks - started early in the afternoon and intensified as the night went on until at midnight an incredible cacaphony of fireworks and blasts could be heard all over the city - from my upstairs window I could see many folks on tops of their apartment buildings firing off large fireworks.
The din did not dim until the wee hours of the morning. And the next morning the streets were literally covered by remains of fireworks.
Ditto in Amsterdam the next day - everywhere were firework shells, mini bomb craters, etc.
Though I had to leave Amsterdam at 8pm because that was the last train that night back to Haarlem even by them blasts were occuring everywhere - on one narrow lane in the RedLight District - Zeedijk - I though it was even dangerous - younger folk just throwing M-80 type ordnance around - I turned around and left that scene.
Even the iconic Dutch coffeeshops closed early on New Year's Eve, which surprised me - but I guess staff had their own parties to go to - and the queues to buy take-out cannabis were really long - folks were stocking up since the coffeeshops were to be closed until about noon - high noon - the next day.
Amsterdam had a huge concert event on Museumplein (same venue as the World Cup coverage on huge open-air screens - and by the looks of the beer trucks - long milk tankers - it looked like it would be a rather raucous youth-oriented affair. The next day Museumplein looked like a war zone.
So if in Amsterdam or any Dutch town New Year's Even is not your average New Year's Eve I think.
Dec 30th, 2010, 12:38 PM
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They've already started here. Fireworks went on sale yesterday, and can't be legally let off until tomorrow, from 10 am (which is a pain for animal owners!), however the kids over the road - all old enough to know better have been letting them off tonight. We can't complain though - their father is the local cop. 
Got my earplugs ready for tomorrow night though
.
Got my earplugs ready for tomorrow night though
.
Dec 31st, 2010, 07:17 AM
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bombs bursting in air - is Haarlem still there?
Must be cranking up right now into a bombastic scene - hope hetismij' canine(s) do not come away with lasting physchological scars - one Fourth of July here, where we have a miniscule amount of fireworks than the Dutch at New Years, the neighbor's dog got freaked and then forever refused to go out the front door - only the back!
Hetismij - if not wasted already from New Year's Even parties - how long has this bombastic tradition been so in Holland - did not someone say last year that it was a fairly recent tradition.
I also wonder how many fingers, etc get blown off Dutch hands each year?
Tot Ziens
Must be cranking up right now into a bombastic scene - hope hetismij' canine(s) do not come away with lasting physchological scars - one Fourth of July here, where we have a miniscule amount of fireworks than the Dutch at New Years, the neighbor's dog got freaked and then forever refused to go out the front door - only the back!
Hetismij - if not wasted already from New Year's Even parties - how long has this bombastic tradition been so in Holland - did not someone say last year that it was a fairly recent tradition.
I also wonder how many fingers, etc get blown off Dutch hands each year?
Tot Ziens
Dec 31st, 2010, 07:27 AM
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It's been going on for as long as I have lived here (25 years this time, 2 years before that) and was going on long before that from what neighbours tell me. There are more fireworks now as people have more money to waste on them.
In the past they made do with carbide in a milk churn - and in the north still do. Now that is a big bang!
My dog is well used to it, though it is his first year without his canine companion. So far no reaction from him. I shall ignore him as I do every year, best thing for him.
The number of injuries is falling thankfully though there are always some. People are now wearing special fireworks glasses more and more too. Plus the number of illegal fireworks entering the country has dropped dramatically so the fireworks available are more suitable for tonight's events.
I do not understand why people spend a fortune on fireworks and then let them off in broad daylight though.
Beste wensen voor een gezond en gelukkig nieuwe jaar.
In the past they made do with carbide in a milk churn - and in the north still do. Now that is a big bang!
My dog is well used to it, though it is his first year without his canine companion. So far no reaction from him. I shall ignore him as I do every year, best thing for him.
The number of injuries is falling thankfully though there are always some. People are now wearing special fireworks glasses more and more too. Plus the number of illegal fireworks entering the country has dropped dramatically so the fireworks available are more suitable for tonight's events.
I do not understand why people spend a fortune on fireworks and then let them off in broad daylight though.
Beste wensen voor een gezond en gelukkig nieuwe jaar.
Dec 31st, 2010, 11:42 AM
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Beste wensen voor een gezond en gelukkig nieuwe jaar> to you too!
You do not know how much I appreciate being wished a best wishes for a Happy New Year in Dutch by a Dutch resident - sincerely - makes my day.
Dank u very wel!
Tot Ziens until 2011!
You do not know how much I appreciate being wished a best wishes for a Happy New Year in Dutch by a Dutch resident - sincerely - makes my day.
Dank u very wel!
Tot Ziens until 2011!
Jan 1st, 2011, 12:36 AM
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Sadly this year has begun with the deaths of two teenage boys.
One, just 13, was killed at a camp site when unknown people let off a firework bomb, killing him.
The other was killed, in another part of the country, when his home made bomb exploded.
A third was badly injured when the base of a milk churn full of carbide hit him full in the face.
Two police officers injured when a huge and illegal rocket was thrown at them, and several other reports of injuries coming in. Mostly young people this year sadly.
One, just 13, was killed at a camp site when unknown people let off a firework bomb, killing him.
The other was killed, in another part of the country, when his home made bomb exploded.
A third was badly injured when the base of a milk churn full of carbide hit him full in the face.
Two police officers injured when a huge and illegal rocket was thrown at them, and several other reports of injuries coming in. Mostly young people this year sadly.
Dec 31st, 2011, 09:32 AM
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I really miss the bombastic experience of New Year's Eve day and night in Holland - wish I were in Amsterdamned right now! Well may be there in a few months I hope to catch last call for ferrniers at the Coffeeshops!
Tot Ziens!
Tot Ziens!
Sep 19th, 2013, 11:35 AM
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWvfJt3dLdw
Amsterdam New Year's Eve 2013 - you'd think you're in a war zone and why I call New Year's Eve in Amsterdam bombastic!
Amsterdam New Year's Eve 2013 - you'd think you're in a war zone and why I call New Year's Eve in Amsterdam bombastic!
