I signed up to join a New Year’s Eve junk boat party so we could catch the fireworks and light show on the harbour to welcome 2023 at midnight.
We each had to pay H$400 and bring our own food and drinks. I packed chips, a bottle of Riesling wine, and some round food – chocolates and a small packet of 12 round fruits (just grapes) – which is a Filipino tradition for prosperity. I also packed a small flask of coffee in case I got sleepy before midnight.
My friend Jemima and I first met up for dinner at IFC before heading to Central Pier Ferry 10 at 8:45 pm where we boarded our junk boat – which is actually a yacht. Junk boat is a term that is used in Hong Kong.
When I told my friend Nantoy I was going to a junk boat party, he thought it meant it was a party where we ate junk food, so I took this picture for him:
Aside from junk food, someone also brought mulled wine ingredients and made them on the spot. It tasted good and also helped us feel warm.
At midnight, we did a countdown, and lights and fireworks exploded from several building rooftops. The government did not allow full blown fireworks across the sky, but it was still nice to watch what we did get, and it was nice to watch from our vantage view directly in the water.
I’m glad I decided to do something different this year, even though I could not easily find a cab afterwards and had to walk far away from Central Pier to IFC, because it was a fun, memorable experience. And with that, I look forward to more new memorable experiences in 2023!
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