Madam Mayo Stood on the Duck

That's an Icelandic expression for taken aback--- and I was indeed last night when I saw the New Year's fireworks over Iceland's tiny capital, Reykjavik. Whistling, booming blooms of red, white, emerald, orange and blue all over, filling the horizon, nonstop for hours. I've been in Mexico City--- population 20 million plus--- on the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and boy howdy, those chilangos do like their firecrackers. But this--- I stood on the duck!--- was something else. And the air was sharp with gunpowder.