Snow hits Istanbul causing transport chaos

(8 Jan 2013)
1. Wide of popular park seen from Macka hilltop, as snow falls heavily, causing low visibility
2. Mid of park with snow falling
3. Wide of park and surroundings after snowfall has slowed down
4. Close of dogs playing
5. Mid of dogs playing
6. Wide of Golden Horn, with mosque visible
7. Wide of people waiting for the train
8. Mid of people waiting for train
9. Close of snow being removed by municipality personnel
10. Wide of municipality personnel clearing snow
11. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Vox pop, Onur Hidiroglu, local citizen:
"About the weather, I would say that yesterday it was kind of bad but today people have adapted to it, and the roads are not blocked with snow at all. Still, the cold affects all of us."
12. Wide of people walking on street
13. Wide of people walking on Galata bridge, with snow falling
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Vox pop, Tracey-Lee Flanders, South African tourist:
"I was seriously not expecting it to be this cold, and certainly not to be snowing actively. But it is still beautiful, it's freezing cold but it still beautiful."
15. Wide of Golden Horn with buildings' white roofs
16. Close of a fishing rod being used
17. Amateur fisherman, Senol Ipek with fishing rod
18. SOUNDBITE (Turkish) Vox pop, Senol Ipek, amateur fisherman:
"Every time it snows, whether it is minus two or minus three degrees, we come here. Day and night, we still come here. If we are lucky, we will be able to fish. The weather will not impede us. On the contrary, the cold means more fish for us."
19. Mid of seaguls near Bosphorus
20. Wide of Bosphorus and Ciragan Palace
STORYLINE:
Snow blanketed the Turkish city of Istanbul on Tuesday, following a cold snap in the weather, as temperatures dropped to around minus three degrees Celsius (37.4 Fahrenheit).
It starting snowing on Monday, getting heavier by Tuesday morning.
Many residents left their cars at home on Tuesday morning causing overcrowding of the transport network.
The metro system was particularly affected with congestion at station platforms.
Onur Hidiroglu, a resident of Istanbul, said the conditions had improved during the day on Tuesday.
"Yesterday it was kind of bad but today people have adapted to it, and the roads are not blocked with snow at all. Still, the cold affects all of us," he said.
Tourists were also surprised by the heavy snowfall in Istanbul. Tracey-lee Flanders, a visitor from South Africa, said she didn't expect such cold conditions.
"But it is still beautiful, it's freezing cold but it still beautiful," she added.
Due to the cold, fewer fishermen were out on the Golden Horn's Galata Bridge on Tuesday.
Fisherman Senol Ipek, however, was reluctant to let the weather conditions affect him.
"Every time it snows, whether it is minus two or minus three degrees, we come here. Day and night, we still come here. If we are lucky, we will be able to fish. The weather will not impede us. On the contrary, the cold means more fish for us."
Istanbul, which often experiences cold weather during the winter, seemed better prepared for the heavy snowfall this time.
The previous major snowfall in December caused severe problems to the transport system is some areas of the city.


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