h. nazan ışık—

January 1, 2014 —

photos © h nazan ışık—

There was a wide range of choices: from being one of millions of revelers in Times Square, to being part of a smaller group in Central Park, to going to a restaurant with friends, to staying home.

It was New Year’s Eve 2014. And it was a bitterly cold day in New York to stay out long. Since Central Park is within walking distance from my home, to welcome 2014 with friends in Central Park, with the annual NYRR (New York Road Runners) Midnight Run event was a perfect solution.

One doesn’t have to be a runner to enjoy the event; it is a party with a DJ dancing, costume contest, some offerings (this year it was Yogurt Bites) from the event presenter Emerald.

We arrived in Central Park at about 10:30 pm. It was crowded and the party had started already.

© h. nazan ışık

A couple in a costume at the annual NYRR Midnight Run event in Central Park.

The first thing that caught my attention was a couple in a very colorful, cheerful costume. They were wearing gold-coloured hats, which were matching his vest and her coat.  His red bow tie and her red eyelashes were the same colour with that big red sign read “2014” that looked like part of her outfit. They were ready to celebrate the New Year. 

It was very cold.  Some people were moving around to get warm, talking and laughing, some were singing and dancing.  Some runners were doing both before they get ready to run.

© h. nazan ışık

Two runners were dancing to the music while getting ready.

And close to midnight runners took their places behind the start line. Everybody was ready, waiting for 12:00 am. I looked at people around me; saw real wine and champagne glasses full with whatever they brought to drink.

The countdown started, and everyone joined loud and clear -10,9,…2,1, “Happy New Year!” 

Runners started running and the fireworks display began.

© h. nazan ışık

 The Fireworks started at midnight.

 I love the fireworks display in Central Park; it is so close, right above you, behind the trees, as if the trees are talking to each other about what to create, what to display next. It is smaller than the other displays we see in New York, but more intimate, so special, so beautiful.

This year it wasn’t different than other years’ displays; again small, intimate, colorful, special and beautiful it was.

© h. nazan ışık

Kisses…

It was so cold! People were in layers, in coats with hoods  which were covering the faces.

“Happy New Year! Cheers!” was echoing around me, and blending with the sound of fireworks.

Bitter cold didn’t stop people from coming to Central Park to welcome 2014!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Coney Island on New Year’s Day: The place to be!

The first day of New Year some brave New Yorkers, and maybe some visitors, join the Coney Island Polar Bear Club members for their Annual New Year’s Day Swim to celebrate the New Year. 

This year it was the 111^th Annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Plunge and about 2500 swimmers jumped into the cold Atlantic Ocean.

By the time I got to Coney Island it was 1:06 pm.  On my way to the boardwalk I ran into a photographer friend. “Are you leaving already?” I asked.  He was shivering “It is so cold, very cold, I am freezing” he said and continued, “ It is over, and you are late, I’ll call you later. Bye.” He didn’t walk, he practically ran.

That wasn’t very encouraging to see him like that, but I was there already. Besides, I knew swimming started at 1:00 pm sharp, and it was only 1:06 pm, so I continued on my way. I was glad that I did; I wasn’t the only latecomer, there were swimmers who came late too.  Lifeguards, police officers, Fire Department Emergency Medical Technicians on the beach, a big police boat and lifeguard boats in the ocean were there too, all ready to help swimmers, in case.

I took pictures of some people who jumped into the water and came out immediately, and some who went into the water, could not jump at the first try, but tried again. And some jumped, came out hugging himself to get warm and saw the cameras then went back into the ocean and came out smiling, arms lifted up, fingers showing (V) a victory sign. All was entertaining.

I was still waiting for something different.  Then I saw a woman, holding a girl in her arms, was going into the water. 

 

 © h. nazan ışık

She was crying after the plunge into the freezing water.

I started paying attention to them.  At every step the woman took into the ocean the girl was hugging her tightly and trying to lift herself up to avoid the cold water. When the water was close to women’s waist she stopped, plunged into the frigid water with the girl in her arms. I heard a cry; the girl was crying her lungs out as the woman was smiling.  Well! Of course, everyone with a camera was around them. The woman put her down, poor little girl didn’t know what to do for the cameras; cry or smile, smile or cry, or cry with a smile or smile with tears coming down!  A firefighter came and directed them to someplace.

It wasn’t a pleasant scene to see that the little girl was crying so hard. It pained my heart.

It was 1:35 pm. I went to the boardwalk. There was a party going on there. People were dancing to the music of a DJ, some drinking, talking at a bar on the boardwalk. Everyone looked having a great time. I didn’t even realize it was 3:00 pm already.

I decided to go back to the beach, hopefully, to witness something nice happen.

A small group of people – three men, one woman— came, ran into the water and came out.  They were well-prepared for the cold with big towels waiting for them.

© h. nazan ışık

A couple after the plunge into the cold water…

One of the men came to the woman with his big towel and took her under his towel, hugged and dried her very gently. The almost sheet size big towel wrapped them like an envelope. 

© h. nazan ışık

The towel was big enough to wrap them like an envelope.

They dried and warmed each other for a while before that gentle kiss.

There were no swimmers left. There was almost no one on the beach except for some locals doing their daily walks, lots of seagulls, and wet sneakers and towels left by the swimmers.

I kept walking on the beach towards the pier; to my surprise there were a lot of fishermen on it despite the cold. I watched them, spoke with them, took pictures of them and of the moving, jumping fishes in their buckets. It was a good day for them.

It was rather a very grey day, all day long, but towards the end the sun came out, changed everything. Now it was getting dark, the sky was cobalt blue, the sun was merging with the Atlantic Ocean.

© h. nazan ışık

Sunset in Coney Island   

Oh, my favorite time of a day: sunset! Such a magnificent palette of coulours it creates! I just wanted to take it all in, carve it in my memory, bring it home with me. I stopped doing anything and just watched the sun to disappear into the Atlantic Ocean. What a splendid moment it was!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

© h nazan ışık

Photos © h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN.com