Worldwide Countdown of 2011

Countdown to a new year naturally means party but every year people want to do it differently either going to a beach party or staying at home with loved ones near their television sets watching the countdown program and ushering in the new year.Some others who want to keep it simple will  message everyone at midnight till their last penny gets over.


As such,this year, how is it different in various parts of the world?

In Chennai, Hotel Accord Metropolitan ushers in the new year with party at OPM themed "flow with the glow".Best known as a party hub in Chennai, offers a  price of (Rs 3,500 per couple) includes unlimited beverages and snacks throughout the night from 6pm till 1am. 


In Hong Kong,hundreds of thousands of people gathered along Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor to watch fireworks explode from the roofs of 10 buildings.


In Japan's Zojoji temple in Tokyo, monks chanted and revelers marked the arrival of the new year by releasing silver balloons with notes inside.


In South Korea, up to 100,000 people participated in a bell-ringing ceremony in central Seoul, which involves officials and citizens striking the large bronze bell hung in the Bosingak bell pavilion 33 times at midnight.


In Europe, Greeks, Irish and Spaniards partied through the night to help put a year of economic woe behind them.In Greece, thousands spent the last day of 2010 standing in line at tax offices to pay their road tax or sign up for tax amnesty. 

In Australia, multicolored star busts and gigantic sparklers lit the midnight sky over Sydney Harbor in a pyrotechnics show which was witnessed by 1.5 million spectators. 


Italians welcomed  the new year with illegal fireworks, shot off in squares and alleys which is a tradition that usually results in numerous hand and eye injuries.


In France, police were on alert for terror attacks and for celebrations getting out of hand. Rampaging youths typically set fire to scores of vehicles on New Year's Eve. 53,820 police officers were mobilized, 6,000 more than usual.

In Singapore,  Marina Bay Countdown Party 2011 took place at Marina Bay, which is the centre of Singapore.Theme this year is Celebration of Collective dreams. It will bring together the collective wishes and aspirations of thousands of Singaporeans, and unite all in counting down the final seconds of the year to celebrate the beginning of a new year full of hopes, challenges, changes and dreams.Fireworks, world class DJ music and live coverage by Channel News Asia( TV channel) is the speciality of the program this year.


As it is obvious from the facts given, countdown is casual for most of us but some countries like France are still weary of Terror threats like Al-Qaeda and Greece is worried for its economy.Thus, it is not the parties which matter.As world countries are still concerned with economic recovery and terror threat, the onus is on the world countries or the leader, US to unite world countries on this and international efforts be taken in conjunction with the new year celebrations.We have to build territorial and economic security before we rejoice.


http://www.ayczone.com/articles/countdown-2011-celebrating-the-new-year-in-the-city-of-hope.html
http://bpdgtravels.blogspot.com/2010/12/marina-bay-singapore-countdown-20102011.html
http://www.allvoices.com/s/event-7760146/aHR0cDovL2FhanJhdC5ibG9nc3BvdC5jb20vMjAxMC8xMi9uZXcteWVhcnMtZXZlLmh0bWw=