Celebrating Sylvester, New Years Eve, is full of traditions here in Germany. After a full day of skiing on the Zugspitz, the highest mountain in Germany 2,962m, we ate typical dinner (Germans usually eat rachlette o fondue) and berliners, a sort of doughnut, for luck. On the table we had table fireworks, my favorite. They are benign and fun: after the initial bang, out pop hats, masks, noise makers,etc. At midnight, people light their own fireworks (not as benign), the church bells (we live in the Catholic part of Germany) ring like crazy and hotels have a firework shows. Needless to say, the vibrant energy of the excited people increases the palpable pulse here. All the kids shooting off fireworks, unnerved me and the thick smoke left behind smelt awful. Good thing Germany is so wet, Colorado would go up in flames under these conditions.
On new years day we saw Neujahrsspringen: the traditional ski jump competition in Garmisch. We saw the skiers jump into the new year, the blimps toodling around and tons of people walking about.
Thank you for all your holidays cards. It is so nice to receive your wonderful cards in the mail here. Happy 2013 to you all!
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