Rabu, 28 Desember 2011

Best Places to Celebrate New Year Eve – 2012


New Year is fast approaching and all of us are eager to welcome the New Year with open hands. When a New Year arrives things that come to our mind would include New Year resolutions, celebrations, and finally the fireworks. What are the best places to celebrate this New Year Eve?

1.     Times Square, New York City:

Times Square is a place that is always buzzing up with energy and if it is going to be New Year, more power and energy comes into foray. Have you watched the ball drop on the television last New Year? Ball dropping is a New Year tradition being followed since 1904; a must watch celebration. This ball is made of Waterford Crystal; this ball is descends 23 meters a minute and will rest at the bottom of the pole at midnight.

The Waterford Crystal at Times Square

Image courtesy: Wikipedia
Are you a party animal and wish to party the whole night? Clubs in and around Times Square would be opened for night parties and you can really have a blast. Make yourself available on the New Year Day to watch the ball dropping and party all night.

2.     Tokyo, Japan:

Do you wish to celebrate New Year a few days earlier and extending the celebrations even after New Year? If yes, Tokyo would be the perfect or best place to celebrate New Year for you. The actual New Year celebrations start on the 29th of December and ends on the 4th of January. Majority of the tourist spots may have been closed down during this period, but places like restaurants and pubs would be crowded with people. How about watching fireworks? It will be a spectacular event.

Kadomatsu, the traditional decoration for the New Year holiday in Japan
Japanese have a New Year tradition where the gongs in the Buddhist temples would strike 108 times at the stroke of midnight; watch it. You can eat their traditional noodles called the Toshikoshi Soba or even visit “The Imperial Palace.” This palace is opened for public just for 2 days in a year, which is 1st and 2ndof January.

3.      London, United Kingdom:

Are you keen on watching fabulous fireworks? If yes, London is the best place to celebrate this New Year. A recent statistics says that nearly a million of people gathered near London Eye last year to watch the spectacular fireworks. How about you being one among millions this year to watch the brilliant fireworks? This year (2012) you can watch the fireworks in London from viewing areas on both the North and South banks of the river between Waterloo and Lambeth bridges.

Trafalgar Square at London

Image source: Wikipedia
If you feel the place would be too crowded, you can watch the fireworks display at London Eye or at the big screens kept in Trafalgar Square. Pubs and clubs are opened almost all through the night on New Year just for party lovers.

4.      Sydney, Australia:

New Year at Sydney, Australia

Image courtesy: Wikipedia
To be one of the first in the world to ring in the New Year, go to Sydney. Here, you can witness absolutely stunning fireworks accompanied by music exploding over the Sidney Harbour Bridge, the magnificent center piece of beautiful Sydney Harbour. More than a million people gather around Sydney Harbour for Midnight Fireworks, countdown and party. There are plenty of vantage points around the harbour, but probably best views of fireworks and all the New Year’s action are from one of the boats in the harbour. What can be better than to party on a boat at New Year’s Eve wearing shorts and flip flops? Don't forget to book your place on board in advance! Don’t miss to watch the “Harbour of Light parade” that will be held before the midnight fireworks.

5.      Scotland, United Kingdom

Do you wish to celebrate the New Year in a place that has several customs and a world famous street party? If yes, head to Scotland. They celebrate the New Year as Hogmanay. One of the most widespread traditions followed in Scotland is “First-footing;” a person who crosses the threshold of being a friend or neighbor comes to your house with lots of gifts such as coal, whiskey, salt, shortbread, and a black bun. This symbolizes good luck and prosperity for the entire year.

Celebrations at Edinburg for Hogomanay, the New Year in Scotland

Image courtesy: Wikipedia
 Edinburg is the Scottish capital and this holds the world’s most famous New Year celebrations called the street party held at Princes Street. At the stroke of midnight, cannon is fired and this is followed by fireworks. The celebrations in general start on December 28th and goes on till January 2nd.  

6.      Gisborne, New Zealand

Fireworks at Sky Tower, Auckland, New Zealand

Image courtesy: sacbee
Gisborne is 496.3 km west of International Date Line and therefore, this is the first city to see the beginning of the New Year. Visit Gisborne and be the first person to celebrate the dawn of the New Year. It is really a treat to the eye to watch those beautiful street carnivals and fireworks. Visit the Sky Tower, one of the tallest freestanding structures in the Southern Hemisphere for the spectacular fireworks.

7.      Marina Bay Area, Singapore

Be one among the nearly 250,000 people who watch the impressive New Year celebrations at the Marina Bay Area in Singapore; this starts at the Marina Bay Area and extends to Esplanade Promenade, Esplanade Bridge, Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Merlion Park, and the Padang. You can also hop on to “The Singapore Flyer” which is the world’s tallest ferry wheel to watch the spectacular New Year celebrations.

Skyline of Singapore on New Year

Image courtesy: Telegraph
Visit any of these places and enjoy the New Year celebrations. If you are like me who wishes to stay home with family and friends for the New Year, cook a delicious meal and enjoy sharing it with your near and dear. Isn’t this the best New Year celebration?


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