Hong Kong Fireworks, 1/1/11 !

Eight hours ago it was midnight in Hong Kong and this is how they celebrated! By standards of previous years this is pretty sedate (the economy's hurting) but it's also classier and more elegant. Even the 30 metre high Xmas tree in the city centre decorated with Swarovski crystals is pretty understated. If 20 million Swarowski crystals can be discreet, but it's more "designer" than usual.  Which itself is very style-conscious Hong Kong. Puts everywhere else to shame, though Sydney's done a great retro 2000 display. Learn how to countdown in Cantonese and shout Sun Nin Fai Lok! In Hong Kong individual fireworks were banned from 1967 but it's still a good idea because in crowded small spaces, there'd be mayhem. Traditionally, you set off ropes of firecrackers to chase away the bad, but in modern apartment blocks it would bring bad, like broken windows, fires, injuries etc. So instead, massive, elaborate community party, several million people in the street having fun even if they can't see a thing.