Everyone has a different idea of how Christmas should be spent. Growing up in Australia, Christmas conjures up images of surfing Santa, Koalas with sunglasses and Santa hats on…oh wait, that's just the cheesy souvenir cards I am picturing at the Post Office. Christmas to me is a BBQ with family and friends with lots of fresh seafood, meat, and even some salads. Lunch might be followed by contemplation of heading out to a beach. This contemplation is shortly followed by discussion on not being able to find a car parking spot, not being sober enough to drive, importance of air conditioning and ultimately, how lazy everyone is feeling.
Before leaving Australia we had contemplated having a white Christmas as I have never experienced one of these before. We had even mapped out train travel though Estonia and Christmas markets in Berlin. However, we ended up staying in Kolkata for Christmas. I have to say that I was a little curious as to how Christmas would be celebrated in a country dominated by Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims.
Christmas day is a national public holiday (but boxing day isn't). Park Street - a street full of restaurants and clubs - is lit up with Christmas lights. Shopping centres are filled with excited shoppers, friends catching up and Christmas displays. It was quite festive and fun.
We ended up spending Christmas day lunch with some friends from Sydney who happened to be in town visiting their family. The family put on an amazing lunch - veggies in gravy, massive prawns, mutton curry and bhekti - local river fish. It was so nice to be out in the burbs enjoying non-air-conditioned air and getting to know new friends over a gin and tonic.
It's kind of amazing that we were spending Christmas day on the terrace of a friend's family's house in suburban Kolkata. I suppose it just shows that you never really know what adventures life will take you on.
Before leaving Australia we had contemplated having a white Christmas as I have never experienced one of these before. We had even mapped out train travel though Estonia and Christmas markets in Berlin. However, we ended up staying in Kolkata for Christmas. I have to say that I was a little curious as to how Christmas would be celebrated in a country dominated by Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims.
Christmas day is a national public holiday (but boxing day isn't). Park Street - a street full of restaurants and clubs - is lit up with Christmas lights. Shopping centres are filled with excited shoppers, friends catching up and Christmas displays. It was quite festive and fun.We ended up spending Christmas day lunch with some friends from Sydney who happened to be in town visiting their family. The family put on an amazing lunch - veggies in gravy, massive prawns, mutton curry and bhekti - local river fish. It was so nice to be out in the burbs enjoying non-air-conditioned air and getting to know new friends over a gin and tonic.
It's kind of amazing that we were spending Christmas day on the terrace of a friend's family's house in suburban Kolkata. I suppose it just shows that you never really know what adventures life will take you on.
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