Times Square 2000 - The Crowd

looking forwards over the crowd towards the ball

Shoulder to shoulder, here we stood for eleven solid hours.   I had already figured out that it wasn't a smart idea to eat or drink anything much on the day, but some of the other people obviously hadn't, or didn't care!

looking backwards over the crowd

As people filled up each area, the police blocked it off with barricades.   For a while I wasn't sure that I would even get to a location where I could see the ball.   After a few false starts I got to within three blocks, but lots of people who followed me weren't so lucky.   They reckon that the crowd spread back twenty blocks!

a view of the crowd around me

I love this photograph, there's so much happening, and so many different personalities here, which is pretty appropriate for a place like New York.   From left to right, look at the yawning Indian guy, the one immediately behind him, the pensive looking one in front, the dark complexioned John Cleese character, the girl in purple behind him enjoying herself, the two young guys in baseball caps, the girl right at the front looking at me taking the photo, the blond guy next to her, and the girl behind him taking a photo of her friends.

group of unsmiling people

Look at this group of shiny, happy people!

Each one ecstatically and enthusiastically waiting the brief period until the ball drops!

Unafraid to let their bubbling emotions show, an inescapable and overwhelming torrent of joie de vivre swept over the entire multitude!

Of course, all crowds are made up of individuals...

photographer climbing up power pole
A beast standing on his friend's shoulders

This guy's either very tall, or he doesn't mind standing on people to get ahead.

girl taking photograph just after midnight

Oh, my, how embarassing.  I'm certainly glad to have this photo, and it's particular fortuitous that someone was holding a balloon with "Happy New Year 2000" on it right next to me.   But look at that funny half up, half down smile - a university psychologist professor could make a career out of explaining it, and a psychiatrist could make a fortune fixing it.

photo of myself in Times Square