Happy New Year, from London!

Living in London for one year allows to me taking part in important moments of the city. The most recently was be present in London's end of the year. The atmosphere completely changed when tourists (and many, many Brazilians) invaded the city. Everything became a little bit difficult and getting the tube was challenging! On the other hand, it was amazing to see the so much life in the city while the campus was deserted.

I tried to make different plans to New Year's Eve, but as everything went wrong I've decided to do the thing that each Londoner says people not to do: go to Embankment to see the fireworks.
I had made a good plan: time to eat, to leave campus, which tube station go, where to stay to have a good view of the fireworks. However, as my husband had came (as a surprise!) to the Christmas and had to go on 31st, and we had gone to airport late, nothing worked as I'd expected. There was no Picadilly line service to Uxbridge, Picadilly line from Heathrow was terribly crowded and all the time delays were noticed at the train. As a result, I couldn't go home to have dinner with my Brazilian friends and they left home before me. I at least succeeded meeting one of my flatmates (and her relatives) in a tube station and we went together to central London.
After a long while, we (and a crowd!) left at Westminster underground station and couldn't go anywhere. The streets around had been already closed and we had to look for a good place right there. We stayed beside to Westminster Abbey from where is possible to see the Big Ben tower and a small part of the London Eye.

Me, Jessica's mother, Jessica and Jessica's aunt

I think we arrived there around 9.30 and had lot of fun waiting midnight even there were nothing to do, unless talk and laugh. =)
Ah, we also spent plenty of time talking about how amazing London Eye was changing its colour every time.

Some of London Eye colours

Some minutes before midnight, a video started to be presented in a big screen near us, showing a retrospective of London year, with many scenes about Olympic Games (which finished just before I arrived in September). Then, many lights illuminated the sky, London Eye changed its colours faster and faster and after a countdown, fireworks started followed by a mix of songs which touched me a lot!

Some pictures I took during the fireworks

Go home wasn't the most funny thing in the world. The nearest station opened was Victoria, 15 minutes away in normal days, but we spent around one hour just to arrive. Police controlled the flow and retained people every time the station was completely full. Then, another amount of people were allowed to enter.
Other stations opened some time after (2 or 3am).

It was for me an unimaginable experience and I DO recommend everyone who have the chance to have the same experience at least once in the life.

See the BBC video at youtube, discover what I felt and also fall in love!

Happy New Year, guys!