Edinburgh is known for the city's New Year celebrations, four days of events and parties called Hogmanay. I wanted to be here to celebrate, so I cam back from my cousins' house in time to join in the festivities. The first day of Hogmanay was the Torchlight Procession: a parade of mostly tourists carrying giant torches through the city center and up Calton Hill. At the top was a bonfire of viking ships (I'm not totally sure why), food, music, and fireworks.
Then entire thing took about two hours, and according to the announcements on the PA system throughout the route there were about 20,000 participants. I haven't heard that many American accents in one place since the airport! I know, way to be a tourist...but yay! FIRE!
gathering outside St Giles Cathedral-these are two of my friends from school at home who are both studying abroad as well (one here in the Scottish Parliament and one at Oxford)
the start of the parade on the Mile
A small child with a furry hat and a big fiery stick. Good parenting, sir.
the parade wound down a hill to Princes Street-this is from midway down, and we were towards the front of the parade
these awfully smart pipers passed us near the Omni Center. Their bagpipes are tricked out with Christmas lights.
the fireworks were above some ruins, and choreographed(?) to "Fire with Fire" by the Scissor Sisters
And not that anyone needs to see more fireworks, but I thought they were cool so watch them anyways:
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