Holidays Part 2

As many of you probably know, the day after Christmas in the UK is Boxing Day - and is almost as big a deal as Christmas so families do things together. Also on Boxing Day, as in many places on the same day or New Year's or somesuch - a bunch of nutty people decide to take a dip in the ocean. This, in Pembrey -the next town over from Kidwelly - is called the Walrus Run.

Unfortunately, we didn't move quite fast enough on the day to arrive before these hoards of people jump in the water, but we did get there as many were leaving (as did literally hundreds or thousands of people who come to celebrate the event) - and the weather was perfect for the day.

I took LOADS of pictures as I was experimenting with my new camera (and deleted hundreds - literally).

The shot of 'beach boy' here is silly, I know, but if one is going to take pictures of 'nutters' - they may as well be young, buff and attractive :) Some might call me a Cougar for that! He actually posed once he spotted me but we were moving in opposite directions so I didn't get another decent shot. I think you can see how big the crowds were in the pics.

It was good fun. No, I'm not tempted to take the dip myself - ever!

As Alex had to be at the office before the New Year arrived (the pitfalls of a financial job with fiscal years that coincide with the calendar year...) we drove back a couple of days later (with me already coming down with the flu that has affected the UK awfully hard this year). I was 'down for the count' for a few days. On New Year's Eve we decided that we should take a wander around town close to Midnight.

The fireworks in Holland begin at 9 a.m. (the law allows for 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. on the 1st - and it is crazy - and in my opinion, pretty dangerous) and go all day. And at Midnight, as we expected, it all kicked off. These weren't sparklers - they were professional grade fireworks - the type that I've only seen managed by a fire department, usually over water and away from spectators. These were being set off in the middle of narrow streets, very close to cars, people and homes (although there is some kind of rule about proximity to thatched-roof buildings - but I have a friend who lives in one and she says it is VERY nerve-wracking).

BOOM, whistle, boom, BOOM, sssssssssssssssssssssss, BOOM BOOM BOOM! You get the idea :)

Rockets flew in every direction and I was a bit timid as there didn't seem to be any one place to just be still - made us a bit jumpy. I'm sure that it was much more eventful in The Hague or Amsterdam, but it suited us just fine and was a great way to bring in the new year.

Anyway, it was amazing to be in the midst of it. Because I'd been sick and not feeling terribly stable, I didn't take my camera so I've no shots of the pyrotechnics - but you'd have to be here to appreciate it anyway.

Here's another film for those of you who are interested ... Enjoy!