MOSCOW ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

TOUR TO MOSCOW ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

When it comes to celebrating the new year in destination cities, Moscow is one of the urban jungles that comes on the top. The Russian capital has one of the biggest firework celebrations on the planet on New year’s Eve. Moscow, the heart of Russia, organizes live shows powered by dazzling music in the city every New Year. The architectural excellence of Moscow makes the New Year even more exciting. Moscow is covered with snowfall during the New Year, which makes it right to say Moscow as the ‘ Winter Wonderland ‘.

I too was amazed at the New Year celebrations in Moscow. I yearned to go to Moscow in New year for a long time. Now, I was prepared to go to Moscow to celebrate the upcoming year in style. I had booked the flight tickets and the hotels in Moscow in advance so that there would be no complications while traveling. On the 30th of December, I got my backpack ready and reached the John F. Kennedy International Airport. From the airport, I took my Moscow flight at 6 PM and reached the Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow in about 10 hours. The journey was smooth and all the passengers seemed really excited about the New Year.

Then I took a cab from the airport and reached my hotel in about 30 minutes. My hotel is known by the name of Ritz-Carlton Moscow. I chose this hotel because it has some of the world’s best parties and fine dining. The live shows and the dance contests make it even wilder for the New Year. Upon reaching my hotel room, I made a mindmap of the various places that I would be visiting and a list of things that I would be doing. I also planned to take my camera. After some moments of rest, I was packed with full energy to enjoy the New Year in Moscow.

I started out with the Hermitage Garden which is located a few meters away from Chekhovskaya, which is one of the many subway stations in Moscow. The Hermitage Garden was a very peaceful place with greenery all around. There were also benches under trees specifically designed for lovers to make love. But I had left my love at home 😭. Well, I took some photographs of the natural scenery and some amazing insects and birds.

I had heard so much of the live music performances at the Hermitage Garden and I myself wanted to have fun watching music. So, I went into one of the theaters. The show was amazing. There was classical, jazz, and pop music. The Hermitage Garden also had free Wi-Fi for the tourists to use. So, if you are short of mobile data and you are want to access the internet in Hermitage Garden, then don’t worry. This garden has got your back. It also had a heart-shaped ice rink. It was made up of both natural and artificial ice. I rented a pair of skates and came upon the ice rink to do some adventurous skating. I was in the skate shoes after a gap of about one and a half years. The New Year seemed full of thrill and adventure. Many of the people there wished me a happy new and I wished them back as well. My mood was enlightened by the happy and cheerful Russians and tourists from other countries.

Finally, I had my share of Russian cuisine which was highly appreciable. It consisted of some palatable blini ( Russian term for pancake ) and a healthy Russian salad. The desert was composed of vegetable soup and pies. This was just the beginning. More was yet to come.

Then, I went to Gorky Park in Moscow, which is one of the most stupendous New Year destinations in Moscow. This park has the largest skating rink in Russia which is over 20,000 square meters. I once again put on my skating shoes and enjoyed skating. I didn’t know where the energy came from but it was certainly a pleasure. I entered into a music show where I could the vibes of the New Year in the music. After that, I performed a few dance moves myself and all people there had a good dose of fun.

From there, I moved on to the Muzeon Park of Arts, which is at a walking distance from Gorky Park. The Muzeon Park of Arts is the home to the historical Soviet sculptures, which are examples of ancient masterpieces. I liked the amazing photographs and craftworks that were being sold. I bought one image that depicted the people in ancient Russia. I myself took some photos of Alpine Rock Gardens and the snow cover. I also explored the Moscow Central House of Artists and the Tretyakov Gallery. I also spent some amazing time in the lounge area, warming my body for a fiery New Year.

Now, the clock depicted the time of the afternoon and it was starting of the hard party of the New Year which would last for more 12-15 hours. I was in the party mood after bidding goodbye to the Muzeon Park of Arts. I went straight to the  Tverskaya Ulitsa which is close to Yamskaya Street. This place was beautifully decorated with colorful modern lights and Christmas trees. I entered one of the local restaurants where the New Year party was on the high. I drank a glass of beer and enjoyed the famous Beef Stroganoff and lived the show to the fullest. I even danced and partied hard with the energetic people out there. During the party, there was a small firework show filled with crackers that were going up in the sky and making lovely patterns. The big firework show there was yet to come and the party was scheduled up to 2 a.m. there. But I had to explore other places too and so I set out for the Patriarshy Bridge.

The Patriarshy Bridge spans the Moskva River and Vodootvodny Canal. This modern marvel connects Cathedral of Christ, the Saviour with Bersenevka in downtown Moscow. I had nice conversations with many tourists there. We saw some amazing fireworks together. The specialty of these fireworks was that these fireworks were released simultaneously but they exploded at different times. So, this made it very interesting to see the fireworks.

Now, the next destination to spend the time between 10 p.m. and 12 p.m. was obviously the Red Square, which is the best place for celebrating New Year in entire Russia. Comprising of amazing St. Basil’s Cathedral, the marvelous Kremlin, and the stupendous Lobnoye Mesto herald’s platform, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What more does a tourist need? Looking at the amazing night sky and the architectural excellence in the Red Square, the time flew by easily. Finally, the reverse countdown for the New Year began. “… Three, Two, One, and a delightful Happy New Year. ” The people hugged each other and bade goodbye to the previous year and welcomed the New Year with open arms.

The fireworks at Red Square was one of the largest in the world. The sparkling fireworks and howling of the people made the mood for a perfect New Year. I returned back to my hotel Ritz-Carlton Moscow for some hard party and dance. First of all, I took part in the costume party. People from all over the world had put on different costumes to entertain people. I put on a cape and goggles, just like any other superhero. I had so much fun in entertaining the people and the tourists. These kinds of costume parties allow guests to put on their favorite costumes and play a vital part in such amusements.

Then there was some jazz music which was performed by artists from all over the world. After that, a dance show was organized and we continued the party. Meanwhile, I devoured some amazing cuisines along with a little Vodka. This banquet really felt out of the world. Some serious parties continued up to 3 a.m. in the morning although there were slight parties after that as well. My celebrations had come to an end but they will be mesmerizing always.

I took a nap in my hotel room. The day, I checked out of the hotel and went to the airport. There were still celebrations in the heart of Russia. O felt that I was taking something back with me and that was the love and the reminiscences that I got from Moscow. I did not feel like leaving. Meanwhile, I reached the airport and shouted cheerfully at the peak of my voice. The child within me had woken up. I took a flight and reached New York in about 12 hours (there was actually a flight delay). In New York, I could see the observance of New Year and this reminded me of my New Year celebrations in Moscow.  I took a cab to reach home and told my family about the various fun that I had in Moscow during the New Year. I would urge every one of you reading this to visit Moscow at least once on the New Year’s Eve. I’m 200% sure that you wouldn’t regret and consider it as one of the best decisions of your life.