The chimes of Big Ben rang in the New Year of 2012 in London, and in Edinburgh, the castle blasted Scotland into Hogmanay and the New Year. Both cities celebrated with spectacular fireworks, including streams of light that exploded outwards from each side of Britain's most famous clock. In advance of the change of years, the London Eye lit up mauve and BBC World Service commentators excitedly commented on the lighting of spotlights, London's answer to New York's gleaming ball.
Crowds of thousands lined the Thames to see 12,000 fireworks pop, while, in Scotland, Hogmanay had started a night early with a Viking light parade and burning of a longboat. Both celebrations had in common that they lighted up the oldest and most iconic buildings in the nation's two Parliamentary cities and that they were above-average special; Edinburgh's was the longest New Year firework show yet.
Edinburgh was host to 80,000 souls, while London, according to “The Telegraph,” boasted a quarter-million. Another half-million are expected in London tomorrow to see the New Year's Day parade.
In London, it's the first chime that marks the hour; Big Ben isn't the name of the clock tower, but of the largest bell inside. While hangovers are likely to waken the British world up tomorrow night, they probably won't be cold; the United Kingdom is expecting temperatures as warm as 60 Fahrenheit.
A new year is always a fresh start and, after a year of riots, protests and painful cuts, the British, as much as any, will be looking for something better in 2012.
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Sources: BBC World Service; Edinburgh's Hogmanay; Getty Images; The Telegraph
Linda Gentile is the British Royal Family Examiner and British Life Examiner. You can be the first to read new articles on either topic by subscribing or adding the RSS feed. You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook.
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