A good crowd on the Balcón de Europa for the New Year celebrations which this year did not include the traditional pyrotechnic display due to austerity measures.
There was much confusion and amusement with the grapes and chimes of midnight. One group of Spanish families merrily tried to munch their grapes with the first tones that boomed out at a machine gun pace and looked like gobsmacked hamsters when they suddenly stopped and more chimes started.
The second set were also a false alarm so when the real ones (presumably) eventually arrived, about half the assembled throng had already consumed at least some of their grapes.
But no matter, it was a time to celebrate. The music was provided by the band Los Hados Negros.
No bars set up on the Balcón de Europa itself this year either, and the trend of the past few years continued with many people leaving the Balcón after a relatively short time to continue their partying elsewhere, such as Plaza Tutti Frutti or in one of the local bars.
