Hogmanay, or otherwise known as New Years Eve, kicked off in fine form this year (or, actually, last year). We had been having a pretty harsh winter with a lot of snow fall and icey cold winds. Which was quite unusual as in 2008 we didn’t see any snow until February and even then it wasn’t much.

Anyway, to kick off the festivities, was the anual Torchlight Procession up to Calton Hill where they set a light a massive bon fire. Literally thousands packed the streets with torches alight. It was really something that must be seen in person. It’s was like watching a river of fire make its way up to Calton Hill.

It was quite hard walking up there safely, not because it had been shocking weather and there was ice everywhere but because anyone could pretty much get a torch — so we were walking next to 6 and 8 year olds who’s arms were getting tired and their torches were dangling right about the average persons head height — was a mission to make it up there with both eyes and all of our clothes intact!

As soon as the majority of the crowd reaches the top and everyone is settled, they then kick off the bon-fire which in itself is quite a beautiful site to see.

Straight after the bon-fire began the amazing fireworks display from the old ruins that sit up the top of Calton Hill. And even though it was only the 27th December and still a few days away from the eve of the new year, these fireworks went for quite a lengthy time and it was a pretty good show!

And that was that for the night. Now, if you are into photography as I am, I would highly reccomend heading up to Calton Hill (if you ever get the chance to be in this part of the world) in the evening, as there are some amazingly spectacular views to see.

We could have stayed up there for hours and we probably would have if didn’t start to lose the feeling in our fingers and toes dues the extreme cold that was engolfing our bodies!

In the days leading up to Hogmanay we were lucky enough to be joined by my cousin kelsey and her boyfriend Rob. Since it was their first time in Edinburgh I did the tourist guide gig and showed them around. It was the eve or New Years Eve and after the day we had, I tell you, they saw more then me and Theresa did in the first month of living in Edinburgh!

One really cool thing that came from the horridly cold weather was that the water froze over in certain areas. One place in particular was down by Arthurs Seat outside of Parliment Place where they have a few man made mini-lakes. Below is a picture of me doing my best Toyota advert jump on the frozen pond. It was frozen over with a tick 20cm layer of ice. Pretty fun stuff — am pretty glag it didn’t decide to give way when I was being a tool on it though =D

December 31st — the day we had all been waiting for! New Years Eve/Hogmanay! It was a pretty cold day but that didn’t stop us from getting into the party mood. We must have been having a pretty fun time because we didn’t leave the flat until after 9pm! Off to the street party, where everyone drinks, laughs, dances, sings and watches one of the best fireworks displays on Earth!

We were in for a big night so it was good to see the guys getting some extra food in their bellies!

It is amazing to see how many people travel from accross the world to experience Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party. The amount of different acesnts flying around is something to be heard! Below is a Californian couple we met who flew over just for this even!

Now this may be a testiment to how much fun I was having or it may be a sign that I really need to learn to drink slowly and at a steady pace but I can not seem to remember the fireworks AT ALL! I remember the lead up and the after party but nothing at all about the fireworks is in my memories from that night! It’s not like they were not memorable — they are amazing! So how is I can’t remember them? I dunno, but I was definitely there and they were brilliant:

Great fireworks aye. No matter how many times I watch that clip and see myself jumping around like an idiot, I still can not believe that I canna remember anything from that five minute spectacular show!

And, by the looks of me below, I think there is no doubt I was well past gone. This is at the Voodoo Rooms, normally an awesome palce but on NYE it was just too packed. But in saying that, their tickets were only 5 quid so you can’t complain about that!

It took us a couple of days to recover from Hogmanay and needless to say January 1st was spent spread out on the couch and playing Monopoly! When we did manage to drag ourselves outside, we found that there was still plenty of snow about and that, in the Meadows, someone had built a man just to good for Theresa to keep her hands off of!

Biggest snowman I have ever ever ever seen! So that’s it, that’s how we spent Hogmanay 2009/2010! Bring on the new year — lets see what it has in stall for us ….

For more information about any of the Hogmanay events in Edinburgh, visit the official Edinburgh’s Hogmanay site