![\"street](\"http:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/PragueStreetFountain-150x150.jpg\" "\\"Prague")
<\/a>Charles Bridge and the Vltava River bank is just the focal point of a whole city celebrating. \u00a0Every local square and park that I saw coming and going home had plentiful fireworks. \u00a0The official, commercial display at the bridge was just a chorus to the vast array of everyone’s personal display. \u00a0The intensity increased at about 5 to 12 and kept going strong until about 20 after it tapered back down to just a few each minute. \u00a0It was huge and awesome everywhere along the open river and the hills for miles. \u00a0I kept thinking about how many Chinese were working year around just to keep this one city supplied.<\/p>\nOne cool aspect that I had never seen before were small hot air balloons (12 to 15 inches tall) carrying a flame that caused them to rise and float away on the breeze. \u00a0When several were in the air at one time it gave an other world aspect to the whole scene which was already eerie with all the fireworks smoke.<\/p>\n
In addition to all the street drinking a great many of the men were smoking cigars, ![\"more](\"http:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/PragueNYLight-150x150.jpg\" "\\"Prague")
evidently another tradition. \u00a0Everywhere I looked people were having a good time all in good humour. \u00a0I only saw one minor argument when someone’s ground twirling sparkler landed on someone else’s ankle. \u00a0I also should mention that all the bars and pubs were teeming with celebrants as well. \u00a0Everywhere party, party, party. \u00a0So home I went to my Czech Mate.<\/p>\n
Who, it turns out, had experienced the full scale war zone atmosphere from the relative comfort and convenience of our our apartment balcony as it over looks a park and is around the corner from the Jiri\u00adho z Podabrad<\/em> Square. \u00a0Like I said, the whole city was alive for this winter time celebration; the choices are endless.<\/p>\n2 Jan Update<\/span>: \u00a0Here is a news summary from Radio Praha:<\/p>\n\u00a0New Year’s Eve celebrations less boisterous than usual
\n————————————————————————
\nPrague fire-fighters had a busy night on the last day of the year
\ngetting close to 40 emergency calls, mostly to do with firework-related
\naccidents, such as garbage containers on fire. In contrast to previous
\nyears the vast majority of these accidents resulted in material damage
\nonly, with people suffering only light injuries due to dangerous
\nmanipulation with fireworks. The CTK news agency notes that this may
\nalso have been due to the economic crisis, town halls organized fewer
\noutdoor events and unlike other years there was no mega-concert on
\nPrague’s Wenceslas Square.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTechnorati Tags: New Years Eve,Prague,Fireworks<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Karin and I have never been big party people so New Year’s Eve is usually quite quiet for us. \u00a0Our all time highlight was one year in Oregon when our son and daughter-in-law took us to a dinner\/dance at Timberline … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2MK34-v","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":404,"url":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/2011\/11\/12\/october\/","url_meta":{"origin":31,"position":0},"title":"October Miscellany","author":"Michael","date":"November 12, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"We are often asked what is the best month to visit.\u00a0 For Paros, Greece we say September or June; for Ireland it is June or July; for Prague, we are still learning.\u00a0 We have heard that July and August are bad because of the crowds at Charles Bridge and other\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel Planning"","block_context":{"text":"Travel Planning","link":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/category\/travel-planning\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2358,"url":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/2014\/10\/24\/five-one-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":31,"position":1},"title":"Five In One Day","author":"Michael","date":"October 24, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday we felt like tourists with limited time to see so many sites before moving on again. \u00a0Over the past few weeks we have been frustrated because there have been several events and concerts we missed due to not knowing about them in time to get tickets. \u00a0So we have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/PragueRampartGardens-300x224.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":442,"url":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/2011\/12\/10\/st-mikulas-night-in-prague\/","url_meta":{"origin":31,"position":2},"title":"St. Mikulas Night in Prague","author":"Michael","date":"December 10, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"As older expats with all of our family back in the US we miss sharing Christmas\u00a0with children. \u00a0So when ever we can we join in the family fun where ever we are\u00a0living. \u00a0We are still young at heart after all. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 In Prague and many other parts of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/OldTownAngel-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":541,"url":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/2012\/09\/10\/only-in-prague\/","url_meta":{"origin":31,"position":3},"title":"Only in Prague","author":"Michael","date":"September 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Lately we have been day dreaming about our return to Prague--wondering when and where.\u00a0\u00a0Karin was searching for available\u00a0apartments and came\u00a0across\u00a0this gem.\u00a0\u00a0We thought maybe it was a mistake and some museum photos got mixed in.\u00a0\u00a0We have paid admission fees to see rooms not as elegant as this! This three room flat\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Places"","block_context":{"text":"Places","link":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/category\/places\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":213,"url":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/2010\/10\/26\/a-mala-strana-sunday\/","url_meta":{"origin":31,"position":4},"title":"A Mala Strana Sunday","author":"Karin","date":"October 26, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Mala Strana (started around 1257) is a district of Prague and the name means Lesser Town or Lesser Side.\u00a0 One can reach it by leaving Old Town and walking across Charles Bridge.\u00a0 Voila!\u00a0 You are there!\u00a0 Right below the Prague Castle!\u00a0Mala Strana is home to Kampa Island, Petrin Hill, Maltese\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Places"","block_context":{"text":"Places","link":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/category\/places\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Infant-of-Prague-church-Karin-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":303,"url":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/2010\/12\/20\/christmas-memories-2009\/","url_meta":{"origin":31,"position":5},"title":"Christmas Memories 2009","author":"Karin","date":"December 20, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Last year, Michael and I spent our second Christmas in Prague.\u00a0 Our first stay the year before was only a brief visit of 10 days whereas our second time was much longer -- November through February. Because we settled in, we decided to decorate our apartment for the holidays.\u00a0 Of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Christmas-Decorations-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2020,"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31\/revisions\/2020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"street](\"http:\/\/parosparadise.com\/CzechMates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/PragueStreetFountain.jpg\" "\\"Prague")
<\/a>Charles Bridge and the Vltava River bank is just the focal point of a whole city celebrating. \u00a0Every local square and park that I saw coming and going home had plentiful fireworks. \u00a0The official, commercial display at the bridge was just a chorus to the vast array of everyone’s personal display. \u00a0The intensity increased at about 5 to 12 and kept going strong until about 20 after it tapered back down to just a few each minute. \u00a0It was huge and awesome everywhere along the open river and the hills for miles. \u00a0I kept thinking about how many Chinese were working year around just to keep this one city supplied.<\/p>\n