Centre Travel

New Year's Eve on the beach? In Australia people are in bikinis and swimming trunks. The New Year starts in Sydney at 2 pm Central European Time.  The highpoint of the celebrations is the official firework display over the city. It lasts twelve minutes, is one for each month of the previous year

Austrians traditionally welcome the New Year with a waltz. The chimes of the Pummerin, Austria's largest and heaviest church bell, in St Stephen's Cathedral boom out at midnight, followed by the familiar strains of  Strauss's famous Blue Danube played on radio and television.

Stylish lucky charms and jazz notes Gluckliches Neues Jahr, Happy New Year, Feliz Ano Nuevo, Gullukkig New Jaar, Bonne Annee - with these wishes in different languages the New Year's Market SchloB Schonbrunn will greet visitors for the seventh time from 27 December to 1 January. Horseshoes , clover leaves and the rest To mark the New Year, numerous lucky charms will supplement the high-quality handicrafts and food at the New Year's Market:  stylish glass pigs. delicate pewter horseshoes, lovingly decorated gingerbread clover leaves, and hand-painted ceramic toadstools can be found at the 60 booths.  Some of  the snacks promise not only culinary delight but also wealth and happiness.  According to an Italian custom, lentil dishes are particular favourites on New Year's Day There are also soups, fry-ups, pan -fried wild boar, Hungarian goulash, all kind of dumplings, and hot and cold sandwiches. And to finish off, how about sweet punch doughnuts decorated wi...