Happy New Year 2008!

Happy New Year!

San Francisco welcomed in 2008 with magnificent fireworks that sparkled and dazzled over the Bay at midnight.

From barges on the water they burst up and across the sky and cascaded down in all patterns and colours. Fiery starlets of fountains, flowerheads, strands and swirls that danced and dangled in the night.

Especially stunning where the enormous panoplies of golden filigree.

The finale was a frenetic explosion of colour topped with gold.

We might be one of the last major cities in the world to enter 2008, but we are not the least!

Thousands of people, some with balloons and party hats, celebrated around the Embarcadero and lighted dinner cruise ships lined up on the water.

Barrier fencing has been put up to keep people away from the water's edge. The city is providing free buses and trains up to 6 am to transport people around safely, drinking alcohol on the streets is banned and police are out in force.

Californian cities are some of the last major cities in the world to celebrate New Year. They are 34th of 38 time zones that circle the world.

With three hours still to go are five towns in Alaska and the Gambier Islands, next the Marquesas Islands, then Hawaii, Cook, Tahiti, and Adak in Alaska - the most western town of the USA.

Finally, are Niue, Samoa and American Samoa who will party as their neighbours on Christmas Island, who kicked off the celebrations, start their 2 January.

New Year?...old hat!!!

Happy New Year 2008!