Christmas: David Byrne, Raw Fish and broken Sunglasses

Christmas here is numbingly boring.
a family gathering with lots of food, plus presents and santa claus for the kids. And church, if you like.
No singing, apart from the worst christmas carols which are played in the big shopping houses. only the sins of the states are exported.
oh and there was a fería with the worst worst worst plastic crap I've ever seen - just real rubbish, plastic, ribbons and papers and just worse-than-kitsch, and I do like kitsch, sometimes.
On the other hand, the presence of this market probably proves that some people do have a tree (we don't), decorations and stuff. there is one Santa Claus up on the Avenida Alemana, swinging from a private balcony (yes, swinging. he sits in a swing.) Another Santa Claus - my first here - was in front of one of the shopping malls. When I excitedly pointed him out to R, he commented that the Santas always wear the same boots as Pinochet's henchmen. hum.

Christmas christmas christmas. What was your Christmas like? Is it just an annoying routine, an act, a performance that you must do socially? Is it an opportunity to delve into ritual and to give each other presents? Is it sad? Fun? Depends whether kids are present? Do you dress up for it?

This was my Christmas:

I went to the beach, which was nice. No clouds, damn hot, even though we only went at four. it's officially on the internet 20 degrees celsius (it feels much much warmer). There was hardly anybody there - great plus. Greatest feat of the day (since I did not get to cut the bird in pieces, that is on the list for the next holiday) : I went into the water - in whole!
The pacific is FRIGGIN cold, and although I'm made of steel, if you have to do it SLOW your feet are freezing - and that truly hurts at one point - while the navel is not even wet yet.
Is the pacific always so cold? Here it is cold. And I have been known to swim in some freezing waters. I tried to go into the water before, but really, my feet started to hurt as hell from the water before my navel was even wet.

here is proof (and I know, it looks like an UFO sighting)

So yesterday we went to another beach - one of my resolutions for next year: go to the beach more often! - and there it was easier to delve in, the water even seemed warmer. I was all excited and broke my sunglasses. R made pictures of me (he forgot his trunk) and was all happy, and I was too, until I saw the pictures and thought okay so I look like a mother of four. that happens, right... so much for all the "you don't look like thirty" compliments, probably everyone was talking about my clothes.

My song for the day was "Miss America" by David Byrne. perfect.

then off home and R began cooking whilst I chatted with my family - I had been baking cookies on the 23rd and 24th, to general success. Once you get used to not having a scale, or all the right ingredients, you acquire a more relaxed attitude and possibly better eyesight (does that look like 180 grams?). and you always have an excuse if things go wrong.

We ate - accopanied by delicious wine, and I'm starting to take notes now -

ceviche, made by Rose - that's raw fish "cooked" in lemon. It's friggin delicious. like sushi, only healthier ;) unfortunately they were not quite all done. apparently, peruvian cuisine is a big hit in the States - it isn't in Germany or England, is it? Did I miss something?
a whole chicken filled with vegetables, cooked in wine which gave a really really delicious sauce
the delicious wine sauce
potatoe puree (my first)
oven-baked zuccini

R attacking the bird

me pouring the drinks

and then we had an improvised cheese cake from rose and cookies, and some cigarettes and wine. Splendid.