Dubai: A packed crowd cheered, whistled and took endless pictures as fireworks filled the sky next to Dubai’s Burj Al Arab on New Year’s Eve.
To the tune of a ship’s horn and an ecstatic crowd, the sail-shaped, seven-star landmark saw a dazzling, 11-minute display that at times seemed to light up all the whole sky.
Hours before, on the public Jumeirah beach, thousands of people flocked right up to the surging waters in search of the best view.
The crowd had swelled as the clock inched closer to midnight.
At times, people broke into shouts and whistles as the year ticked down and excitement built up.
A full kilometre along the beach, the throng of people twinkled with flashes from a sea of selfies. There was little more than standing room.
Waiting game
Although the Burj Khalifa tower and its grander fireworks display could also be seen, most eyes were fixed in the dazzling display from the seven-star Burj Al Arab's 11-minute spectacle.
Far off in the distance, several dozen yachts could be seen anchored off the shore.
Many residents and plenty of tourists waited for hours to usher in the New Year by the shore.
While many came well prepared, with camping chairs, mats, and tables, while others had to perch on the beach wall.
Resolutions
A Swiss tourist says he and his wife came to watch the fireworks on the public beach for a more authentic experience.
“We wanted to see how the normal people are celebrating the New Year,” the tourist, Tim Art, told Gulf News.
The city has left him deeply impressed.
“Honestly, I think I saw all the main cities in Europe. [But] this is definitely the most impressive city I have seen so far,” he said.
A Chinese tourist who sits near a food truck nearby is a shade less positive.
“Dubai is so developed, so modern. It’s very similar to Hong Kong,” said Guang Ming Hu. “But I don’t like it so much.”
As a New Year’s resolution, Hu hopes to get married.
Meanwhile, with Nazir Ahmad, an Indian expat who had come to the beach with his family, the look on his face shows a well-worn familiarity.
“I have seen several New Years in Dubai,” he says. “I sometimes go here, just for variety.”
His New Year’s resolution is simple. “To enjoy good health.”
Healthy focus
Sitting on a camping chair next to her young niece, Rhuneth, a Filipina resident, has a similar wish.
“For the next year, hopefully, my resolution is to focus on my health,” she says.
“I’m planning to focus on myself. Less work, less stress, and to have a long life.”
For others, the New Year must be marked through the soft, aromatic haze of a fine cigar.
A Turkish expat says he finds the beach to be the best option.
“To be honest, it becomes nasty in [at the Burj Khalifa]," said Noureddine, referring to the enormous crowds that gather there every year.
“It’s not just the fireworks, it’s just going out for the occasion, feeling the atmosphere. That’s the beauty about it,” Noureddine said.
