h. nazan ışık—
1 January 2019—
It was a rainy evening. It was a wet evening. Maybe it was the rainiest, wettest New Year’s Eve I experienced.
I had always heard about the New Year’s Eve Celebration in Times Square, about the ball drop, entertainment, crowd, tight security, energy, excitement, etc… but never been there, especially in the rainiest night. And, this year I decided to go there.
Streets were empty; on 6th Ave this yellow spot caught my attention.
It was a group of people in their yellow ponchos, in a Starbucks. What were they doing, escaped from the rain, or deciding what to do?
I continued walking. Streets were still empty and, even Rockefeller Center with decorated Xmas tree was empty.
But, the pouring rain didn’t stop this couple from enjoying the moment.
Jeremy, from Portland, Maine, came to New York to be with his girlfriend Teresa.
It was about 7:30 pm. “What are your plans for tonight? Are you planning to go to Times Square?” I asked. “Oh, No!” they said.
On 6th Ave, where checkpoints were to get in Times Square, were crowded with people, fixing their layers of ponchos.
They knew that one of the rules was NO UMBRELLAS!
It was about 10:00 pm when I went to Times Square.
People were in pens, waiting for midnight, the ball drop, and for welcoming 2019!
I talked with at least ten people. Some of them came at 7:00 am to get the best spot when police opened the barricades at 11am. And, they knew that getting in a pen, if one is determined to see the ball drop, means no getting out. One has to stay hours and hours without using the bathroom. And without sitting, one of the other rules was NO LAWN CHAIRS!
Debra and Jose who came at about 1:00 pm, “we stopped drinking last night,” said. Even though there were two more hours to ring in 2019 with a kiss, they were having fun!
Balloons, confetti drops, performers made the evening enjoyable for partygoers, even made the pouring rain bearable.
Counting down the end of 2018, and welcoming 2019 started. More confetti, the ball drop, fireworks welcomed 2019.
Fireworks exploded in Times Square during the celebration of New Year’s Eve and, New Year in New York.
I expected more fireworks, but maybe because of the weather condition it was cut short.
Revelers celebrated the New Year with a kiss.
The rain never stopped, my poncho over my raincoat wasn’t enough to keep me dry. I was soaked to the skin. The raindrops covered my protected camera’s lens.
Never seen a party ended this fast.
At 12:17 am, on 1 January 2019, everyone who managed to leave Times Square was already on 6th Avenue going to his/her destination.
And the rain started getting thinner….
Happy New Year!
Photos: © h. nazan ışık /NKENdiKEN