The official drinking vessel of Feuerzungenbowle
Unlike Tashkent where there were no Christmas trees, I was able to find a tree here not too far from home. I walked about a half mile to a an open square where they were being sold. I chose one and carried it home. Yes, I had to carry it home. My muscles hurt for days. Although our car arrived before we did, it has been an ordeal getting it and us licensed.
The Christmas tree lot in Odeonsplatz
About a week before Christmas, we walked to a concert by the Moscow Cathedral choir, a boys and young men's choir. The booming, manly sounds of the men paired with the cherubic sounds of the boys was a perfect way to head into Christmas. The personality of some of the boys was very evident in their stage presence. One boy managed to be simultaneously focused and squirmy. Two boys who stood right in front of the conductor elbowed each other giggling through one song. I don't know how they evaded the eye of the conductor. Another boy, who was singing, was looking off to the side. The conductor slowly walked towards him and gently touched the hand holding the music folder never breaking his conducting beat. The boy's attention was returned to where it needed to be. There were two boys who stood next to each other who, for some reason, I noticed early on. I remember thinking, "They must be the cream of the crop". Later, one of them stepped up for a solo.
I used the Frugal Gourmet Christmas cookbook (the only cookbook, I believe, I have ever actually purchased and the only one I have read cover to cover) to plan our Christmas dinner. I decided on Crown Roast of Pork as the main dish. It sounded way too big for the two of us so I substituted a pork loin, but otherwise used all the seasonings called for - fresh, whole sage and thyme. To accompany it I made the suggested sausage stuffing. I'm not sure why it's called stuffing when it's not being stuffed into anything except our mouths. I made roasted potatoes which required over two hours of oven time so I made them the day before saving the final broiler step for Christmas day. They baked for an hour with butter and garlic - boy, did the apartment smell good - and another hour in chicken broth. When Christmas day came, I forgot all about them. They were still sitting on the balcony in our outdoor refrigerator. Finally I made baked onions. Neither Doug nor I had ever eaten an entire onion (unless you count Bloomin' Onions) so we weren't too sure whether or not we'd like them. They were boiled in chicken broth then baked. They were so sweet, we loved them.
The entire Christmas dinner (including the potatoes)
After we stuffed ourselves, we walked about a mile and a half to see the St. Petersburg Ballet Company present the Nutcracker ballet. The day was perfect - in the forties, floating clouds, little wind. The performance wasn't the best - like I'm a critic. First, it was danced to prerecorded music. The start of every dance sequence always came as a bit of a surprise to all on stage. There was more posturing and posing than challenging dancing. But, as it was Christmas day, it was delightful. It was opened with a storyteller telling the story (in German). Then a mirrored jester came out. He was quite a sight. He literally glowed. He stood before a tray of water glasses and played bits of the melodies on these tuned water glasses. It was very pretty, mystical and captivating. He had to watch what he was doing, of course, but he was able to look up at the audience. I write 'at' in italics because I could tell he was looking at people, at their reactions, not just glancing up for good stage presence. He made several more appearances throughout the ballet. I realized what a sexist environment the ballet is. And, this time, not against women. The men often are, in Doug's words, props to hold up, balance and gesture to the women. I don't know ballet audience etiquette. I was taken aback when, early on, a male dancer came out and danced, I thought, quite well - a solo. When he finished I started to clap. No one else did, so I stopped. Next came a female dancer who also did a very good job. Everyone burst into applause. After the pas de deux, having both danced splendidly -really danced, finally - the couple took their bows, or, rather he stood back while she dramatically bowed and bowed and bowed. I was so put out, I stopped clapping. I didn't want to encourage that. I know I'm not a ballet aficionado, but, when I sang in the opera chorus, all the principal singers took their appropriate curtain calls, not just the women. Perhaps someone reading this can explain this to me.
Our apartment is in the middle of about four or five churches that all have bells that peal throughout the day. They were particularly active Christmas eve, Christmas day and the 26th (which is also a German holiday - the second day of Christmas - no turtle doves). When they all get going at once it is glorious, soothing and just lovely. My mom told me that there was a church somewhere in Phoenix that installed bells and the neighbors complained. How sad. I can understand wanting quiet, but I don't understand picking on the gentle sound of church bells. No it is not necessary, I also understand that. And sometimes any sound is irritating. Leaf blowers and lawn mowers are not necessary, yet for some reason that painful, irritating sound goes unchallenged. I'm glad I'm in Germany right now to hear these bells.
