Watch out! Dreams come true: New Year in Istanbul

In last year I had one very special dream: I wanted to meet New Year in Istanbul. I can’t tell that I celebrated that date (New Year 2014) bad, but very long time in my head lived a wish, and that wish was very strong. I believe, that New Year – magic time. If you want something, and if you will make a wish from 1th to 19^th January, you will get everything you want. Maybe not so soon, but you will get in any case.

My Santa Clause, who presented me flights to Istanbul on 31th of December 2014, was my friend. Some of my girl friends asked me: “Are you sure, that in Turkey people celebrate New Year?” I wasn’t sure, but I answered: “Yes! New Year celebrates everywhere!”

I can’t tell that I was wrong, but New Year in Istanbul was not like I accepted. Maybe it’s because Turkey Muslim country, and New Year’s celebration not common there. Or maybe because I grew up in Ukraine, where everybody tries their best for organize perfect holiday in this date.

I will tell in course about my adventures, which happened with me in New Year’s Eve, and on New Year’s holidays:

New Year’s Eve: “wonderful” time in DNK airport (Dnepropetrovsk). I flied in Istanbul from Dnepropetrovsk 31th of December. I know, I risky, but I wanted to be in my lovely city in that special day.

The weather in Dnepr in that time was cool for playing in snowballs, for making snowmen, but not for flying in another country. My plane delayed on 3 hours. Careful staff of Turkish Airlines gave every passenger a cake (compensation for inconvenience). In the plane also was small accident: we hit in turbulence, we flied 3 hours from Dnepr to Istanbul (instead 1 hour and 40 minutes). Also electricity gone in the plane: was dark and cold. In that moment I tried to calm myself with words: “Turkish Airlines one of the best in the world. There work just professionals. Pilots don’t drink, even if it’s New Year’s Eve”. Of course, I had doubts about all these, but I tried to concentrate on positive thoughts (even if this plane will crash, I will die near my lovely cityJ). But everything was fine: our plane came to Istanbul at 9 p.m., and at 10 p.m. I left airport. There Istanbul made me wonder again with its weather! It was raining, and windy! In New Year’s Eve weather in Istanbul was terrible. We sat in the car, and went in Asian Part of Istanbul for celebration my favorite date.

Cool decorations for New Year in Istanbul. Not outside, but in every big Mall

Till we went to our house I didn’t see decorated Christmas trees outside, Christmas lights or tinsels in the windows, I even didn’t see any bigboard with congratulations! So, New Year’s Eve in Istanbul – just a usual day for Turkish people.

New Year 2015 in Istanbul: celebration. We came at home at 11.30 p.m. Thanks to my friend for Christmas tree in the hall, and for decoration. We opened TV. I thought at 12 a.m. on every canal polite Turkish President will congratulate his lovely people with such important day. But he didn’t… That’s why we passed a timeL. We opened champagne at 12.04 a.m., and I tried to formulate my wishesJ. We didn’t see any fireworks: outside was very silence. I suppose people went to celebrate New Year in Ukraine. Of course, if I could tell my friend exactly what I waited from the New Year night, we would stay near the bridge. Fireworks in Istanbul were there!

New Year’s Day in Istanbul (1^st of January, 2015). It was very interesting for me: is there any place in Istanbul, where I could go and feel that New Year came? Where I can catch Santa Clause and tell him my modest wishes! So, when my friend just woke up, I started to terrorize him with that question. His reaction was very operatively: we wore our clothes, and went to European part of Istanbul.

We found perfect places for celebration New Year's days. On the photo: Fulya (on the right), O'Cafe (on the left)

In general there were 2 places, which are centers of celebration New Year:

·                   Taksim. In 2015 Turkish government banned to make in Taksim any preparations for New Year, because of (small but very imprudent) accident, which happened in last year. That accident happened in New Year’s night of 2014 between tourist’s women and not adequate Turkish men.

·                   Fulya. Small part of Besiktas region. There was big decorated Christmas tree outside, Christmas lights everywhere. In the evening there was beautiful, but almost empty. Where were people I can’t imagine: maybe they rested after such “intensive” celebration, or maybe they hid from rain, which didn’t want to stop.

·                   Big Malls. Everywhere inside these institutions were decorated with Christmas toys, trees, lights. In one of them we found pretty café, where we had a snack. That café has simple name – O Café (This Café). It is on the 4^th floor of Cevahir Shopping Mall. This place decorated in special style: here 2 bars, many interesting statues and posters, trees, and palms (in Christmas lights).

Café divided on few halls: there possible to sit near the window and get pleasure from wonderful view. We sat in the comfortable arm-chairs, and ordered beers, peanuts, chips, popcorn. For all these we paid 46 TL.

So, New Year’s celebration in Istanbul was not bad, but could be much better, if we prepared more. I am happy that I used a chance to meet this date in my favourite cityJ. But other New Years I will celebrate in Ukraine, Prague, or other countries, where in New Year’s night all sky will be in fireworks, and all land will be under the beautiful snow J