Hope that all of you had Happy Holidays with family and friends. In our last blog, we mentioned our plans to spend Christmas and New Years in Venice, Vienna and Prague. We have been fortunate to travel abroad a lot in the past, but had not spent a Christmas in Europe. My sister, her husband, his brother, my sons (Derek & Blake), Derek's fiance, Lesley, joined Stephen and I for this holiday adventure.
We loved the Christmas markets and lights everywhere we went. Likewise, we weren't disappointed with the hot mulled wine, roasted chestnuts or ginger bread. Honestly, we were shocked with all the Christmas decorations (even in small little villages), and music filling the cathedrals, concern halls, and plazas. Truly, the Christmas spirit was alive and well in each of these cities. Our only negative was the cold which was easily remedied by more of that hot mulled wine.
Europe is interesting in the winter with few tourists, especially American tourists. Sightseeing was more enjoyable with few or no lines. We mixed more with local people with the absence of throngs of tourists. We felt more connected with the people and local cultures.
Trying to plan, shop and prepare a Christmas feast in Austria was a challenge since we didn't know where to find the needed foods and wines. We were successful in finding two fresh turkeys, and most of the needed ingredients. Our substitute ingredients served to enhance our traditional dishes. We opted to substitute ginger bread and strudel for American pies. Cooking in an Austrian kitchen (in a small apartment) required converting oven temperatures, and being creative with limited bowls, pans and utensils. We borrowed a carving knife for the turkey from our hotel. All in all, we had a fabulous trip and feast on Christmas Day. The fireworks in Prague on New Year's Eve created a lifetime memory. We agreed that these holidays won't easily be forgotten.
Wishing you all a prosperous and joyous 2009! Let's hope that we can overcome the challenges we are currently facing. Best wishes to all of you!
Joan & Stephen
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