A Happy New Year - January 2007

New Years Eve in the Prague. Wrapped up against the cold, I set out to meet friends outside the Bata building on Wenceslas Square. The streets are filled with people, lit up by Christmas lights. Market stalls are selling svařák – mulled wine - and hot food. Although it’s still early, fireworks are already lighting up the dark sky.

Six of us are planning to meet, stroll through the Old Town then over Charles Bridge with the aim of being at the Castle for midnight. Rob and Gabi have brought their own mulled wine in a couple of flasks. Laurie and Ray have brought a bottle of Sect – Czech champagne – a cork to pop as the clock strikes twelve. I’ve brought nothing and Sara P is late; this is becoming our signature theme.

Pushing through the crowds on Wenceslas, we break into the open space at Mustek which is ringed by police and paramedics. They watch, curiously unperturbed at the setting off of fireworks in this busy central square. We move on to Old Town, icy hands clutching tepid cans of beer we bought from a stall.

Laurie isn’t happy. She wants a cold Gambrinus and a warm seat while we wait for Sara P to arrive. We all know this is not wise, but ten minutes later we are scraping together the 800Kc we have been charged for five small pivos which we sip as we sit bunched together and balanced on the only stools left in the bar. Sara P arrives and we wave and shout ‘No! no! no!’ as she is intercepted by a barman ready to take her order and her hard-earned cash.

Before we get to the bridge, Rob becomes aware of the warm, wet feeling on his back. In his careful preparations for the evening, he’s somehow managed to forget to put the sealed lid on his flask and the mulled wine is trickling from his backpack. He smells very Christmassy and we share what’s left of the wine.

The view from the castle is breathtaking. City lights and fireworks light up the horizon – I can hardly believe I’m here, that I live here. The crowd moves back in unison as someone places more fireworks on the ground – from what I can see it’s an old paint can filled with sand and dangerous explosives. I stand in awe as rockets and sparks fly above our heads.

At the stroke of midnight, Ray produces a bottle from the inner pocket of his raincoat and we toast the New Year, 2007, with Bohemian Sect in plastic cups.

Much, much later, we are dancing in an Irish bar in Mala Strana. It’s one of those moments when I concentrate on the feeling, the knowledge, that I’m really here, now, in Prague, celebrating a new year with new friends. I feel so lucky.