S is for Silvestersfeiern

Welcome to Saturday...the day of S.  Today stands for

Silvestersfeiern

Fireworks over the Prater with the Riesenrad on the left.

Lining up the tequila shots...yuck!

Oh what a fun, interesting, and sometimes life-threatening time.  Silvestersfeiern is the New Years celebration in Vienna, Austria.  It's the culmination of the month+ long holiday celebrations and it's freakin' nuts-o-pants!  Much like Hogmany, Silvestersfeiern is one ginormous street party.  City center is already a strictly pedestrian zone in Vienna from 6am to 4am, so they don't have to worry about blocking streets off.  The majority of the crowd gathers in front of Stephansdom and the immediate surrounding area to dance the night away to live music and fireworks, the majority of which are lit off by spectators in the crowd.  Needless to say you feel like you're going deaf because of the constant explosions echoing off of the buildings and you are also constantly on edge because you have absolutely no idea where the next firework will go off.  It could be right next to you...or around the corner.  Yikes!  Mix all of that with tequila kiosks and beer galore and you're placing your life in the hands of a bunch of drunk people.  Fun times.  Most of the time the city sponsored fireworks are all set off prior to midnight, so the majority of the crowds then descend on the Viennese bar scene around the city where they ring in the New Year to the wonderful waltzing of Mozart :)  At the end of the night (or rather the early morning), you have to be careful where you step and sit on the u-bahn...beware...it smells like vomit and a bunch of other stuff.  No bueno!  However, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat!

Meeting random people...me, random guy, Lindsey.