After collecting all the fresh foods earlier in the week at the St. Germain market, we had everything we needed to make dinner at the apartment instead of going out to a restaurant. It was a great idea…very relaxing.
We made sure to dress very warmly for the evening and were on our way to the Champs-Elysées shortly after 9:30pm. The crowds were already thick when we got to Place du Concorde. People were singing, dancing, and drinking. Every once in awhile we would notice a group of people all huddled together and then realized they were all standing on a metro grate and taking advantage of the warmth coming up through from the subway.
The police seemed to have a significant presence, including a few with riot shields and shoulder protection (just in case). Some of the stores had already boarded up their windows earlier in the day, but this is typical of many city stores when big, potentially rowdy, celebrations are about to take place. We didn’t see anything that would warrant the use of it – everyone just seemed to be having a ton of fun, but better to plan for the worst.
The avenue itself was a sea of car lights and the sound of horns honking, but by the time we made it to the Arc du Triomphe and took a left towards the Eiffel Tower, things were significantly calmer (good for me, since I tend to get a little claustrophobic in crowds). We, along with hundreds of others, were making our way to find a place along the Seine or one of the bridges for the best position to see the lights of the Eiffel Tower.
With 10 minutes left to go, the tower was ablaze with a light show. We had brought along a small bottle of Mumm’s and a couple of plastic glasses. We were ready!
It’s hard to imagine that we were experiencing something similar, and yet so very different, a year ago in Amsterdam. Who knows where we’ll be on December 31, 2010. Whether we’re spending time with family and friends, or just the two of us exploring a new place…it is being together, arms wrapped around each other, grateful for our life together, and sharing hopes and dreams for the coming year…that’s what’s important to us.
Countdown begins…ten seconds to go…the lights make their way down the side of the tower, second-by-second until the cheers become deafening, the low barritone-like horns of the Bateaux Mouches (the tour boats of the Seine) were sounding, camera flashes everywhere, people kissing, and catching a glimpse of more than one ‘moon’ dancing across the bridge. People stopped and took it all in. The beginning of a new year…
2010 was upon us…Bonne Année!
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