4th of July Fireworks
4th of July Sunday seemed ideal for just one thing: lounging around the apartment shuttling between Angelo and my bed. I left my DVDs with Kristine so I ended up watching the 'Blues Clues Talks' DVD I will be sending to Gabbie shortly. We had planned to meet up at 42nd Street to view the fireworks from the East River but we were all tired and after exchanging calls in the afternoon, it was obvious I was watching it from the most comfortable location: my couch in front of the TV.
At 7PM, a friend called me up to remind me he was in the city and inevitably we were to see it as originally planned. Bugtong hininga... I jumped into the shower and pulled some hangers from the closet and half an hour later I am on the bus going midtown.
It was just 8PM when we got a view of the stage from the 27th floor of the UN Building, in a friend's office. Three barges were stationed in front of 37th Street with the bright Macy's lights to advertise who owned and was sponsoring this fireworks show. Ships had water sprouting into the air as a preliminary show. The tip of Roosevelt Island was packed with spectators and so was FDR Drive below. Boats, cruises and yacths were anchored as well for the show. Across the river, the Queens side also allowed for the audience and I am sure, it goes all the way to Brooklyn side.
At exactly 9:30PM, it began. Although we didn't have a radio to listen to which would have synchronized with the firworks show, the music from one of the boats below which was probably on the PA system was much audible despite the muffled booms.
The show lasted for thirty minutes and they say that this was the best in many years. Downtown, the celebration was even brighter around the Statue of Liberty and meaningful as it will soon reopen to tourists, the first time since September 11 tragedies.
The last 5 minutes of the show, I had put my camera to film mode and caught the finale with simultaneous bursts of colors to various heights. My friend was as speechless as I was. We were like kids in awe but we took a lot of pictures which we knew we would enjoy watching again. And when the last note of the music ended with a final blast of fire onto the crispy July air then silence was drowned by applause from the very grateful crowd and the horns of the boats on the river sounded. And then the human traffic began to disperse.
FDR Drive Post-Fireworks Show
It was great night afterall...
At 7PM, a friend called me up to remind me he was in the city and inevitably we were to see it as originally planned. Bugtong hininga... I jumped into the shower and pulled some hangers from the closet and half an hour later I am on the bus going midtown.
It was just 8PM when we got a view of the stage from the 27th floor of the UN Building, in a friend's office. Three barges were stationed in front of 37th Street with the bright Macy's lights to advertise who owned and was sponsoring this fireworks show. Ships had water sprouting into the air as a preliminary show. The tip of Roosevelt Island was packed with spectators and so was FDR Drive below. Boats, cruises and yacths were anchored as well for the show. Across the river, the Queens side also allowed for the audience and I am sure, it goes all the way to Brooklyn side.
At exactly 9:30PM, it began. Although we didn't have a radio to listen to which would have synchronized with the firworks show, the music from one of the boats below which was probably on the PA system was much audible despite the muffled booms.
The show lasted for thirty minutes and they say that this was the best in many years. Downtown, the celebration was even brighter around the Statue of Liberty and meaningful as it will soon reopen to tourists, the first time since September 11 tragedies.
The last 5 minutes of the show, I had put my camera to film mode and caught the finale with simultaneous bursts of colors to various heights. My friend was as speechless as I was. We were like kids in awe but we took a lot of pictures which we knew we would enjoy watching again. And when the last note of the music ended with a final blast of fire onto the crispy July air then silence was drowned by applause from the very grateful crowd and the horns of the boats on the river sounded. And then the human traffic began to disperse.
FDR Drive Post-Fireworks Show
It was great night afterall...