Hi Trav.
First, let me tell you that there is no way I would not share what I have with all of you! We are all fireworks fanatics, so why not give each other extra pleasure, by living those precious moments once again?!? It's really my pleasure to share my recordings with you.
Like you, I am a huge finale lover. Everytime I attend a firework display, I constantly check my watch to see how close we are to 22:30. I always wait for the finale with great anticipation. When comes 22:28, I feel butterflies in the pit of my stomach....
What kind of finales do I like? I want them LOUD AND BLINDING! I want to feel the bridge move under my feet ( I always stand on the bridge to watch the fireworks). I specially love when the speed increases slowly, but constantly. I like to think that it cannot get any more intense and be proven totally wrong. I never want a finale to end....the longer the better! Most of all, a finale must be loaded with salutes. Those are a must for me. I want hundreds of thousands of salutes to fill the sky constantly, I want them everywhere, I want them to dominate the sky and cover the music entirely.....even cover my screams of pure pleasure....LOL Yes, this is when I start to lose control and to feel the fireworks in my chest. Deafening and blinding finales, fill me with energy.
This year, I could not attend to three displays...the one from Holland and France because held on Wednesday, since I start work very early in the morning (I still managed to attend the one by Panzera, because I did not want to miss the last one, knowing I would have to wait another 10 months and a half for the next display

) . Very sadly, I missed the one from Italy (IPON), held on the same day that I was invited for a garden party. Every year, a coworker invites all of us at the office, for a garden party at her countryside house, an hour and a half drive outside Montreal. Every year, I always had something else planned, so this year, I could not find an excuse not to go, so I accepted the invitation. I had'nt realised that IPON was the one representing Italy that evening, the same one who represented Italy back in 1998 (my favorite finale as of yet)!!!
I just wish I could turn back time and choose Italy's display instead....by the report Paul gave us and by all of the members' comments, I missed and excellent display and an opportunity to record it!
So there you go, Trav. Sorry I don't have IPON's finale, but you'll get to see Caballer's though.
To answer your question about the Panzera ending, it is hard to say how much the smoke covers the shells. I'd say that you can see 80% of what was exploding on my recording. The cloud of smoke was slowly rising and was positionned just above the area where the shells were exploding (you'll see it clearly on the clip). No shells seemed to explode behind the cloud of smoke from where I was standing. Somehow, I think the finale can be clearly seen on my clip, even though the conditions were not favorable. You'll be the judge.
Have a great weekend
Pierre
