STRUMA OLAYI (TÜRKİYE VE İKİNCİ DÜNYA SAVAŞI)

İkinci Dünya Savaşı yıllarında Romanya’dan bir gemiyle yola çıkan 769 Yahudi İstanbul açıklarında 72 gün boyunca mahsur kalmış ve içinde bulundukları gemi daha sonra Karadeniz’de bir Sovyet denizaltısı tarafından batırılmıştır. Batan bu geminin ismi Struma’dır.

İkinci Dünya Savaşı sırasında Nazi Almanya’sı Avrupa’nın her kesimindeki Yahudileri hedef almış ve Avrupa’daki her Yahudi kendisini tehdit altında hissetmiştir. Aynı tehdit Romanya’daki Yahudiler için de geçerliydi ve o zamanlar İsrail’e dönüşmek üzere olan Filistin topraklarına doğru yolculuğa başlamak istediler. Bu yolculuğu başlatacak olan geminin ismi Struma idi. Struma gemisi Panama bandıralıydı ve daha önce hiç insan taşımak üzere kullanılmamıştı. Bu nedenle insan taşımacılığına uygun olmayan koşullar barındırıyordu. Örneğin geminin sadece bir adet tuvaleti vardı. Gemiyi işletenler yolcu başına yüklü para aldıklarından olabildiğince yolcuyu istiflemişlerdi. Gemideki olanaksız yerleri kamaralara dönüştürmüşlerdi ve 769 adet yolcuyu gemiye doldurmuşlardı.
Gemi eski ve harap olduğundan dolayı motor bakımları da yapılmamıştı. Geminin motoru seyir sırasında iki kez arızalandı ve ikinci sefer arızalandığında Türkiye sınırları içerisindeydi. Gemi Sarayburnu açıklarına demir attı ve motorunun tamir edilmesi beklendi. Bu sırada Almanya, Türkiye Büyükelçiliği’ne gemide salgın var dedi kimsenin karaya inmemesi için baskı yaptı. Öte yandan Filistin’de egemenlik kurmuş olan İngiltere olacakları öngörmüş ki çok sayıda Yahudi’nin Filistin’e gelmesinin sakıncalı olacağını söyleyip geminin yola devam etmesine izin vermeyeceklerini söyledi. Türkiye ise mültecileri Türkiye’ye kabul etmedi. Çünkü hem Almanya ve İngiltere’nin yoğun baskıları vardı hem de Türkiye savaşta taraf olmak istemiyordu. Romanya da geminin dönmesi halinde gemiyi kabul etmeyeceğini açıklamıştı. Gemi içerisinde 769 Yahudi ile Türkiye karasularında bekliyordu.

Struma Gemisi Yolcuları

Bu sırada Kızılay ve Yahudi örgütünün ortak çalışmaları sonucu gemiye her gün düzenli olarak erzak getiriliyordu. Gemiden sadece Standart Oil Company of New York Petrol Şirketi'nin Romanya Müdürü Martin Segal ve ailesi şirketin Türkiye temsilcisi Vehbi Koç'un girişimleri ile çıkartıldı. Segal ailesinin yanı sıra kanaması olan hamile bir kadının da gemiden inmesine izin verildi ve hastaneye yatırıldı. Gemide kalan yolcuların akıbeti ile ilgili haftalar süren müzakereler sonuç vermeyince, 23 Şubat 1942'de Türk hükümeti, motoru halen çalışmayan gemiyi Karadeniz'de Şile açıklarına çektirdi. Gece boyunca sürüklenen gemi, 24 Şubat sabahı büyük bir patlamanın ardından battı. 103'ü çocuk olmak üzere 768 kişi öldü. Sadece David Stoliar adlı 20 yaşında bir yolcu ve Ivanof Diko isimli ikinci kaptan sağ kurtuldu. Stoliar ve Diko sabaha kadar bir tahta kirişe tutunarak hayatta kalmaya çalıştı. İkili aynı zamanda donmak üzereydi. Daha sonra tüm umutları tükenen Diko kendini akıntıya bıraktı ve yaşamına son verdi. Stoliar ise çaresizlikten bileklerini kesmek istedi ancak donmak üzere olan elleri çakıyı açamadı. Ölmek üzereyken 12 kürekli Türk Kurtarma Kayığı tarafından bulundu ve karaya çıkartıldı.

1970'li yıllarda yapılan araştırmalar sonucunda da geminin bir Rus denizaltısından atılan torpido ile havaya uçurulduğu belirlenmiştir. Büyük Britanya'nın Sömürgeler Bakanı Lord Moyne ise 1944 yılında Struma faciasındaki sorumluluğu nedeniyle bir suikast sonucu öldürülmüştür. Bu yolculuğu düzenleyenler 1942 yılında ölüme sebebiyet vermekten Romanya'da yargılanmışlar fakat geminin batma sebebinin bir denizaltı olması nedeniyle beraat etmişlerdir. Bu olay birçok uluslararası tarafından Türklerin Yahudi soykırımı olarak addedilmeye çalışılır. Fakat işin gerçek yüzünün çok başka olduğu belgelerle kanıtlanmıştır.

Kaynak: http://www.tarihiolaylar.com/tarihi-olaylar/struma-olayi-155

5 Psychological Thrillers You Must See Before You Die

Kill List

Something a little closer to home, Kill List ranks as one of the best British films of the last decade, and one of its best psychological thrillers, period. Heavily indebted to The Wicker Man, the film is basically one of two parts: the first 3/4, which deals with two hit men (Neil Maskell and Michael Smiley) going about their business, and the last stretch, which turns into a surreal, pagan nightmare. Much has been made of the film's shift, but the ending marks one of the most baffling, dazzling denouements on this list, and the tunnel sequence in particular is stunning. Directed by Ben Wheatley, Kill List, despite wearing a few of its influences on its sleeve, is ultimately a unique film, touching on horror and even family-drama in its short run time to announce its director as a major force in a few different styles. It's that aforementioned ending that truly earns Kill List a place on this one, though, which surely serves as one of the most disconcerting finales ever put on film, especially in Britain.

The Silence Of The Lambs

A classic of the genre, Jonathan Demme's multi Oscar winning The Silence Of The Lambs has seen its status slightly reduced over the years. Despite this, it's still one of the purest psychological thrillers ever made, helmed by an iconic Anthony Hopkins performance and a dogged Jodie Foster one (both won Academy Awards). Based on Thomas Harris' sophomore Dr. Hannibal Lecter novel of the same name, the films sees Foster's Clarice Starling seek out the cannibalistic, genius doctor to ask for his help in catching another serial killer, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). As is his want, Lecter gets inside the young agent's head, and Lambs ultimately becomes more about their twisted relationship than it does the actual hunt for Bill. Hopkins has roughly only 16 minutes of screen time, but he makes full use of it, turning in a macabre, lip smacking performance full of great lines, many of which are now classics of film lexicon. And, though some would have it that Mads Mikkelsen is better in the TV version of Hannibal (myself included), there's no reason why they can't coexist, and Hopkins' incarnation remains one of the eeriest of any on show here.

Prisoners

Another morally dubious film, and one in which a number of characters suffer altered states of mental well being, Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners is one of the best psychological thrillers of recent years, full of great performances (including a career best from Hugh Jackman) and, like many of the films on this list, complete with a finale that heaves one final level of psychological strife upon its protagonist. (It's also one of the best looking films of late, but with Roger Deakins in charge of the cinematography that really shouldn't come as a surprise). Jackman stars as Keller Dover, whose young daughter, along with a friend, go missing on Thanksgiving. Frustrated by the police's supposed incompetence, Dover takes matters into his own hands, granting the film its title. Keller, a 'good man', descends into increasingly violent, desperate behaviour, and Prisoners begins to pose questions of how far is it acceptable to go for your family? and, at what point to you stop being good, despite the goodness of your intentions? There's no easy answer, and the film, despite its visual splendour, is a tough watch which pangs with moral ambiguity.

The Shining

One of the most influential horror films of all time, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is also an exhausting psychological thriller, both in the dramatic drop in Jack Torrance's (Jack Nicholson) sanity, and in the audiences understanding of it. Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, Kubrick's adaptation is regularly cited as as one of the most iconic films ever made, and it's true that the picture is chock-full of famous film moments: "Here's Johnny"; "Red Rum"; the flood of blood pouring out of the elevator; "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy"; the closing shot (see above), which confounds our comprehension of the ending. Notable also for its troubling shoot, in which Kubrick well and truly put his stars (Shelley Duvall, who plays Wendy Torrance, in particular) through the proverbial wringer, The Shining is a true classic of the genre, and the emotions it conjures - excitement, confusion, fear, even hate - are the byproduct of a film essential to a list like this.

Caché (Hidden)

I've wrote about the genius of Michael Haneke's Caché - and specifically it's ending - on here before (again don't click if you haven't seen it), so I'll keep this more general: it's one of the greatest psychological thrillers of all time, a truly disturbing, disquieting film, made more so by what it implies rather than what it shows. It is a masterwork in every regard. The setup is deceptively simple: a family are tormented and baffled by the mysterious videos and drawings that begin showing up at their house. As Georges (Daniel Auteil), obsessed, delves deeper into the mystery, he begins to suspect someone from his childhood. This results in the film's masterful final frame, which amounts to one of the most chilling moments in all of cinema. One of the great films of the last decade - perhaps the greatest - Caché ('Hidden' in English) is a monumental achievement, using a family's worst fears to reflect our own. See it.

Source : http://whatculture.com/film/20-psychological-thrillers-you-must-see-before-you-die?page=20

SANATÇININ VERDİĞİ GÜZEL DERS

Bir Tabloya Tüm Servetini Ödemek

by Keyifhane

Bir sanat merkezinde tanınmış bir ressamın sergisi vardır, ressam sergisini gururla dolaşırken resimlerden birinin karşısında durmuş resmi hayranlıkla izleyen bir kız çocuğu dikkatini çeker…

Kız bir yandan tabloya bakar arada çantasını karıştırıp bulduğu paraları avucuna alır… 

Ressam babacan bir tavırla çocuğun yanına yaklaşır “Resmi beğendin mi?” diye sorar.

Kız çok ciddi bir sesle “evet” der ve “Acaba satılık mı? Anneme almak istiyorum” diye devam eder.

Tablo yüzbinler değerindedir. Ressam gülerek sorar kıza “Kaç paran var?”

Kız ciddi ciddi avucundaki paraları sayar. “83 lira 75 kuruşum var bütün param bu” der.

Ressam tablonun etiketine bakar ve “Ne şanslısın. Tablo da tam 83 lira 75 kuruşa satılık. Al bakalım tablo senin” diyerek tabloyu kız çocuğuna verir.

Bu diyaloğu karşıdan seyreden galeri sahibi ressamın yanına giderek hiddetle “Ne yapıyorsunuz siz! O tablo yüzbinler değerinde” diye bağırır.

Ressam sakin ve mutlu bir şekilde cevap verir: Doğru benim tablolarıma yüzbinler verenler var ama bugüne kadar bütün servetini veren hiç kimse olmamıştı…

Nasıl kaçırırım ben bu fırsatı…

Kaynak : http://keyifhane.net/bir-tabloya-tum-servetini-odemek/

Best Places to Spend New Year's Eve

KATIE HAMMEL

As the clock ticks down to midnight, a crowd gathers in Times Square, waiting for a glittering ball to descend and launch the New Year. But this isn’t New York, it’s Hong Kong, where a ball drop has also become an annual tradition.

Around the world, locals celebrate the passing of one year to the next in similar ways: fireworks, street parties, dancing, and generous helpings of food and drinks. Still, each destination has its own cultural twists and distinctive setting. In St. Petersburg, Russia, for instance, folks bundle up to admire fireworks above the partially frozen Neva River—and send hundreds of paper lanterns up into the night sky.

Party people can stay out late in Reykjavik, Iceland, then go for a dip in the hot springs. Or they can join the massive beach bash in Valparaíso, Chile. For good luck in 2014, do as the Chileans do and wear yellow underwear, eat a dozen grapes at midnight, and put a $1,000 peso bill in your shoe.

Beachfront fireworks shows ring in the New Year in Maui, HI, which caters to couples and to families. The Bahamas offers similar warm-weather appeal along with traditional Junkanoo costumed street parades.

Whether you’d rather cozy up by the fire with a fine wine in Sonoma, CA, sing “Auld Lang Syne” on a torchlight procession through Edinburgh’s cobblestoned streets, or party until the sun comes up, there’s a destination that will start your New Year right.

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Valparaíso, Chile

Why Go: The biggest New Year’s Eve show in Latin America takes place in the Valparaíso harbor with a 20-minute fireworks show (launched from 17 different points along the coast between Valparaíso and Viña del Mar) and a dance party that lasts until the sun comes up. The festivities begin on the 28th, and by the 31st more than a million people have made their way to the city’s sandy shores for the beach party to end all beach parties. To ensure good luck in the New Year, do as the locals do and wear yellow underwear, eat a dozen grapes at midnight, and put a $1,000 peso bill in your shoe.

Where to Stay: Each of the 14 rooms at Hotel Acontraluz overlooks the beach and comes with furniture made with reclaimed materials like adobe and Oregon pinewood once brought to Valparaíso as shipping ballast. hotelacontraluz.cl

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Reykjavik, Iceland

Why Go: Iceland’s capital has an outsize nightlife that belies its small size, and on New Year’s Eve the hard-partying locals throw a citywide celebration that lasts until the wee morning hours. The party starts with community bonfires, meant to symbolize the burning away of the previous year’s troubles, and thousands of fireworks lighting up the sky from every corner of the city. For the best view, head to the Perlan, or Pearl, which offers a fantastic view of the city and hosts a New Year’s Eve party with dinner, drinks, and dancing. If you make it to 5 a.m., join the locals queuing up for hangover-helping hot dogs, or head to the hot springs for a rehydrating soak.

Where to Stay: With panoramic views over the festivities, the luxury apartment–style rooms at downtown’s Room With a View put guests close to the action but above the fray. roomwithaview.is

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The Napa and Sonoma Valleys

Why Go: While winter is the slow season in northern California wine country, it makes for a more laid-back, less crowded holiday experience. On New Year’s Eve, many larger hotels and wineries offer their own wine-fueled parties in cellars and wine caves, including the Black and White Gala at Etoile at Domaine Chandon, a candlelit multicourse dinner in the Trinitas Cellars wine cave at the Meritage Resort, and a five-course dinner and masquerade ball in the Grand Barrel Room at Castello di Amorosa winery. The Napa Valley Wine Train hosts a Blackjack Ball in its restored Pullman cars as they make their way up and down the valley. For a more low-key celebration, make reservations at one of the area’s famed restaurants, such as Redd, Bottega, or Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc or Bouchon in Yountville, and then retreat to a luxury inn for a private midnight toast by the fire.

Where to Stay: In Sonoma, the Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa (marriott.com) offers an on-site restaurant and a free shuttle to the nearby Sonoma Plaza. Napa’s Hotel Yountville (hotelyountville.com) is an ultra-sexy oasis just steps from the dining options of charming Yountville, including the French Laundry.

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Bratislava, Slovakia

Why Go: New Year’s Eve in Bratislava is as unpretentious as it gets—the frat party to the black-tie balls of Vienna, just an hour away. The Slovak capital’s medieval Old Town hosts more than 10,000 people for concerts, open-air dance parties, and a fireworks show over the Danube River. It’s divided into a “concert zone” for those more interested in live local music and “party zones” for socializing. Jumbo screens broadcast the celebrations in other capital cities worldwide. Just be prepared: New Year’s Eve here is a noisy affair, as tradition dictates the use of a rehtacka, or wooden noisemaker, to chase away the negative energy of the past year.

Where to Stay: The modern two-room suites at Penzion Virgo in Bratislava’s Old Town come with double beds, kitchenettes, private terraces, Wi-Fi, and continental breakfast—for roughly $110 per night. penzionvirgo.sk

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Bahamas

Why Go: Relaxing beach days give way to wild nights as the Bahamas gets ready to ring in the New Year. Most hotels, including the Atlantis, the Grand Lucayan, and Stella Maris, offer their own parties, while locals follow the Junkanoo street parades that lead to informal beach gatherings and fireworks shows around the islands. The Bahamian version of Mardi Gras, complete with music, masquerading street performers, and colorful costumes, these parades also take place on January 1; you can check out New Year’s Day Junkanoos in downtown Freeport on Grand Bahama Island, along Bay Street in downtown Nassau, in Nicholls Town on North Andros, in Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay, and in Alice Town in North Bimini.

Where to Stay: The Atlantis has the whole family covered with special New Year’s Eve events for kids, a masquerade ball for adults, and prime viewing of the Marina Village fireworks.

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Edinburgh

Why Go: No city does New Year’s with as much enthusiasm as Edinburgh. The Hogmanay celebration lasts four days and includes a torchlight parade through the city, concerts, and a massive street party on Princes Street. “Auld Lang Syne” was written by Scotsman Robert Burns, and the song takes on special significance when sung in the streets of Edinburgh as glowing torchlights illuminate the happy revelers. The Scots practice the tradition of “first-footing,” in which the first guest of the New Year should bring gifts; popular offerings include whisky or Scottish shortbread. On January 1, spectators gather at the River Forth to watch a group of brave souls splash into the freezing water in the annual Queensferry Loony Dook charity event.

Where to Stay: The 13 rooms at Castleview Guest House offer the charm of traditional styling with all the modern amenities. The family-owned guesthouse provides visitors a sanctuary from the surrounding festivities but is just steps from Edinburgh Castle. castleviewgh.com

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Vienna

Why Go: New Year’s Eve in Vienna is more than galas and storied balls, although there are plenty of those to be found. Revelers crowd the Silvesterpfad, or New Year’s Path, in the city center. The party, fueled by hot mulled wine and toffee apples, lasts from 2 p.m. to well after midnight, when the chimes of the Pummerin bell ring out from the tower of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and a fireworks show dazzles over the Prater park. The Majestic Imperator train, a “palace on rails,” takes guests into the New Year in luxurious style with a black-tie dinner and a stop on a Danube bridge at midnight for an incredible view of the city’s fireworks. For a more casual party, head to the Rathaus (City Hall) to watch the New Year’s Concert projected on a big screen. Be sure to eat some Glücksschwein, or good-luck pigs, which you’ll find in every form, from suckling pig to pig-shaped marzipan treats.

Where to Stay: Offering 26 rooms in a 19th-century house right by St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Hollmann Beletage mixes contemporary with old-world elegance. Its eight-seat cinema screens Austrian films nightly.

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Sydney

Why Go: Sydney beats everyone else to the punch as the first major city to celebrate the New Year. It also hosts one of the largest parties; more than 1 million people attend the waterfront show, with more than a billion people watching it televised around the world. Sydney’s celebration lasts all day and into the night and is fun for the whole family, with an air and water show featuring thrilling aerial acrobatics and a fire tug water display, a Harbour of Light Parade (an illuminated flotilla of more than 50 vessels), and two fireworks shows—one at 9 p.m. and again at midnight.

Where to Stay: You can’t sleep closer to Sydney Harbour than the Sebel Pier One hotel, which is built over the water. The hotel promises guests reserved pier space for viewing the Sydney Harbour Bridge fireworks. sebelpierone.com.au

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St. Petersburg, Russia

Why Go: The grand boulevards and bridges of St. Petersburg are at their most beautiful covered with a layer of snow and illuminated by holiday lights. The lavish Hermitage Museum is particularly striking on December 31, when it’s surrounded by crowds waiting for the fireworks show over the partially frozen Neva River. As the clock ticks down, they drink champagne and send hundreds of paper lanterns up into the night sky. Russians celebrate both Catholic Christmas on December 25 and Orthodox Christmas on January 7, so visiting now means coming smack in the middle of the holiday season, when the city’s main drag, Nevsky Prospect, is decorated in Christmas lights and images of Father Frost (the Russian version of Santa) are everywhere. And Russians turn out yet again on January 13 to celebrate Old New Year, a remnant of the Julian calendar used prior to the Revolution.

Where to Stay: It won’t come cheap, but a New Year’s at the Grand Hotel Europe will be a night to remember. The opulent hotel, built in 1875, was the first in Europe to have electric lights and was Dostoyevsky’s preferred place to stay.

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Hong Kong

Why Go: Hong Kong’s New Year’s Eve celebration features one of the world’s best pyrotechnic shows, a sensory extravaganza of light and sound that includes an eight-minute fireworks show over Victoria Harbour and a Times Square countdown, complete with a replica ball drop at midnight. The show actually starts much earlier, with the Symphony of Lights display that illuminates 45 buildings in the Hong Kong skyline every night at 8 p.m. all year round. The best views of the Victoria Harbour fireworks can be seen from a boat; on dry land, head to the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, or party in one of the many bars in the Lan Kwai Fong district.

Where to Stay: The 93 rooms at Butterfly on Morrison are decked out in bright colors and floor-to-ceiling windows, many with harbor views. The hotel is just a few minutes’ walk from Times Square and offers free Wi-Fi. butterflyhk.com

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Maui, HI

Why Go: New Year’s Eve in Maui offers options for any taste: a lively hotel party; a romantic dinner for two on the beach; fireworks seen from a catamaran cruise or with the kids at a traditional Hawaiian luau. The real show happens the next day for those who rise early and head to the summit of Haleakala to start the New Year with one of the most spectacular sunrises in the world. Hawaii’s melting-pot culture means New Year’s traditions vary widely; among people of Japanese descent, it’s customary to eat ozoni, a mochi soup, to ensure prosperity. Throughout the islands, if you want to wish someone a happy New Year, try your hand at saying, “Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!”

Where to Stay: Set on the beach in a protected cove, the 163 rooms of Napili Kai are spread over 10 acres, giving guests ample space to find a private piece of paradise. There’s an on-site restaurant and bar, four pools, and a kids club. napilikai.com

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Cape Town

Why Go: Only in Cape Town can you ring in the New Year atop one of the world’s most mesmerizing natural wonders. As the Mother City celebrates below, revelers on top of Table Mountain can picnic and party until 12:30 a.m., with an unobstructed view of the V&A Waterfront fireworks. The party continues on January 1, with thousands heading to local beaches. New Year’s Day (and the day after) also sees the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival parade through downtown, with 10,000 performers in whiteface paint dancing and singing in the streets. The parade’s traditions date back to the 19th century, when slaves were given January 2 to celebrate the New Year.

Where to Stay: Along Cape Town’s stunning V&A waterfront sits the luxurious Table Bay. With 311 rooms offering a range of city and ocean views, plus fine dining and a spa, the hotel treats guests to the best Cape Town has to offer.

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Berlin

Why Go: Berlin has a worldwide reputation as a party city. It seems the German capital hasn’t stopped celebrating its freedom since the Wall fell in 1989. On New Year’s Eve, or Silvester, as it’s called in Germany, more than 1 million people fill the “Party Mile” that extends from Brandenburg Gate and is lined with music stages and food and drink tents serving beer, mulled wine, and local specialties like currywurst, a pork sausage topped with curry-dusted ketchup. There’s a fireworks show at midnight, after which the party moves to the city’s many over-the-top dance clubs like Berghain, a gargantuan club with a 1,500-person capacity, legendary for its wild parties that can last for 12 hours or more. If you’re still standing the next day, sweat out the previous night’s excess in the annual free four-kilometer New Year’s Run, which loops from Brandenburg Gate to the Berliner Dom and back.

Where to Stay: While the historic Hotel Adlon is just steps from Brandenburg Gate, the effortlessly chic Hotel Indigo near Alexanderplatz exudes a hipper vibe more befitting the holiday. hotelindigoberlin.com

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Las Vegas

Why Go: Sin City throws the ultimate party on New Year’s Eve with a mind-boggling number of concerts, shows, club parties, and casino and hotel bashes, including the Downtown Countdown held at the Fremont Street Experience. Come midnight, watch the show from a rooftop bar like the Rio’s VooDoo Lounge, Ghostbar on the 55th floor of The Palms, or AirBar at the Stratosphere, which also hosts dinner with a view of the show at its Top of the World restaurant. Fireworks go off from seven rooftops along the Strip, so you’re guaranteed a view from nearly any angle.

Where to Stay: Las Vegas’s ode to the City of Light, the Paris, Las Vegas, brings European flair to Sin City. Gordon Ramsay just opened a steakhouse on site, while the hotel’s bistro, Mon Ami Gabi, offers more affordable French cuisine with excellent views of the Bellagio fountains.

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London

Why Go: London remains aglow with the holiday spirit through New Year’s Eve, when the city’s three-hour extravaganza along the River Thames draws 250,000 people with its 10,000 performers, a fireworks show at the London Eye, a midnight countdown alongside the chiming of Big Ben, and a massive group sing-along to “Auld Lang Syne.” Take in the sights of all the festivities on a Thames dinner cruise, or for land-based viewing, grab a spot along the Victoria Embankment or the Waterloo or Westminster bridges.

Where to Stay: If you’re going big in London, you can’t go bigger than the iconic Savoy Hotel on the banks of the Thames. Spend the afternoon of January 1 in the hotel’s Art Deco Beaufort Bar, which serves “tipsy tea” cocktails with finger sandwiches and scones with clotted cream.

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Niagara Falls, Canada

Why Go: The biggest New Year’s Eve party in Canada takes place over the most powerful waterfall in North America, Niagara Falls. More than 2,000 pounds of fireworks are set off in two shows at Victoria Park overlooking the falls. Before and between the explosions, international musical acts keep an all-ages crowd warm as they count down to midnight. The Ontario Power Generation Winter Festival of Lights also runs throughout the holiday season. In addition to 120 lighting displays created with more than 3 million lights, the festival includes the TD RINK at the Brink, an ice-skating rink overlooking Horseshoe Falls.

Where to Stay: Rooms at the Marriott Gateway on the Falls have panoramic views of Niagara Falls, which means a clear view of the fireworks as well. The hotel is also throwing its own party with dinner, dancing, and a champagne toast at midnight. marriottgatewayonthefalls.com

Source: http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-places-to-spend-new-years#valparaíso-chile