NEW YEARS CELEBRATION IN LITHUANIA Boisterous Celebrations for the Millennium
66 Year Old Dies From Accident With FireworksVILNIUS, PALANGA, KLAIPEDA
Hundreds of thousands of people in Vilnius celebrated the beginning of the new millennium in the streets of the city. One group surrounded the television tower, that was decked out as a Christmas tree, another in the center of the city at the huge Christmas tree and other gathered at the concert and sports halls in the vicinity of the river. President Adamkus appeared here, raised his champagne glass and wished everyone in the country a happy new year, while the first ceremonial fire of the new millennium was lit on Gediminas hill by a laser. Three times in the night fireworks were set off - the first time at midnight Moscow time, the second at midnight Vilnius time and the third, as a powerful epilogue at midnight Warsaw time. Naturally, the most impressive fireworks went off at midnight local time. These fireworks covered Gediminas hill, the castle and the City hall minutes later in thick fireworks made smoke.
New Years in a Bus
The residents of Vilnius celebrated the new year not only on the streets and alleyways and town squares in the restaurants and bars or at home, but also on the busses on trolleys.
Many Vilnius families and associates of the flower store “Floralita” rode the trolleys back and forth through the city and wished passers by a happy new year from the trolleys. In Kosciusko street, from where the fireworks were best viewed, a gaily decorated trolley stood. Filled with happy people. For 100 Litas an hour, one could rent busses and trolleys to celebrate the coming of the millennium.
Celebrations on the Sea
Also on the coastal spa of Palanga tens of thousands of people celebrated the coming of the year 2000. For a half hour fireworks thundered on the wharf on the Baltic sea coast. The most beautiful fireworks came from the city council. Even thought the wharf was repaired after the recent storms most celebrated on the beach. There was a stranded Norwegian ship just off the coast that was festively lit up. In Palanga there was a lot of snow, but new years night was quiet and windless.
Victim of the Fireworks
The night ended in death for a 66 year old resident of Klaipeda. The woman was in the center of the city on the Atgimimo square during the new years celebration when someone inadvertently set off fireworks that hit her and killed her.
Millenium Babies
The millennium baby came into the world in Kaunas and, just like the first baby in Vilnius, got a gift of money.
No Computer Problems
As in many other countries, there were no serious Y2K problems. All computer systems worked normally. The government spent about 4 million Litas to resolve the potential Y2K problems.
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