Hello there, 2010

As my Italian friends like to say "Tanti auguri e buon anno!" which means "I wish you hope and a good new year!"  While most of you in Michigan were having dinner with your families and playing with all of the cool new toys you got for Christmas, we were in Piazza del Campo (Siena's downtown area) getting ready to bring in the new year.

Let me tell you, the Italians sure know how to throw a party!  When we arrived at 11 p.m., the piazza was packed full of people already - there was hardly any room for us to wiggle through (good thing I don't take up much space!).  Thousands of people from all over the city were singing along with the karaoke band on the stage up front, eating in the open-air restaurants and having a good time with their friends and families.

As you can see in this picture, there were lots of cool pictures and videos playing in time with the music.  What's even cooler is that the pictures weren't projected on any normal movie screens - they used the walls of the buildings instead!  We were basically surrounded by a four-story, constantly changing panorama!  It was awesome!

As the clock ticked closer to the new year, the music got louder and more exciting until finally, at midnight, everyone started cheering and lighting off fireworks to welcome in the new year.  There were big, sparkling greens, blues, reds and yellows bursting over the piazza while kids waved sparklers and others let of Roman candles and colorful fountain fireworks.  There were little pops and crackles going off to my right as huge, ground-shaking booms were coming from a circle of people to my left.  There were so many fireworks going off at one time, I could barely see the stage up front!

I was getting a bit sleepy around 1 a.m., so we decided to head home.  If you can believe it, there were still fireworks going off in the piazza when we left!  What an adventure to celebrate a new year the Italian way!

Until my next adventure, this is Flat Stanley saying, "Ciao amici!"