Midnight at Taipei 101

There is something magical standing beneath the tallest building in the world and watching it light up like a candle at the stroke of midnight.
I was there, one of many at the gawking at the Taipei 101 tower before us, at midnight, on the first day of January, in the year 2006.

All that waiting and anticipation ended as the building completely dimmed before the final countdown. Gone was the usual brilliant rainbow-coloured ribbon with which Taipei 101 usually captures the night sky. The crowd let out a resounding awe, and counted down to the big moment, as each of the eight sections of the truncated tower lit up, one by one. Thousands of sparks burst into sudden motion. The top exploded with a dazzling display of flashes, bangs and sparkles, as if countless shooting stars shot themselves in all directions. Sparklets of gold and silver surrounded the tower at times like tinsles on a Christmas tree. Though the entire show lasted barely three minutes, each moment the eyes and ears were greeted with unexpected surprises in a mesmorising show of pyrotechnics.

Later I learned, the city government and organisers of the events in throughout the evening were fined a dozens times for violating noise control regulations...