Christmas in Salalah

Boredom dominates me these days and hence the blog is often left with the stale post stained with the smell of last month's randomity and joy. As much as I love expressing my happiness here, I hate mentioning my sorrow. I always feel that Its upto the blogger to draw in the reader into his/her world, and when I post once in two months anyways, its pretty unfair to let that post succumb to my desperation.

I am currently in Salalah picking up my life where i last left it before entering the doors of the operating room. If I do happen to pick some of the Humor i lost on the way, I'd be one happy man (pun unintended).

Christmas is almost here and celebrating it in Salalah means tray loads of sweets prepared with rations of almond and raisins and tutti-frutti whatnots budgeted out from the parents' november salary. Some purchased from the Local Supermarket and the latter imported from Mumbai through the luggage of one hospitable aunt. We have to give the traditional rum cake a miss though, mom adds; a result of the side-effects of my surgery (No Alcohol of any sort). We can do the 'Neuris' though, those half-moon shaped deep fried stuffed puffs, a staple of any respectable Goan mothers' christmas tray. Now for all those who don't know the tradition of the tray of Christmas sweets, lets just say every Goan household HAS to have one stacked up to the brim with an array of sweet somethings for guests to peck at. My Childhood memories of Christmas in Goa are filled with many instances when my humble peck turned into plundering. Okay, Neuris done and stored out of reach of the Pet Parrot, we're onto the sweet nothings; Kulkul and Shankarpali. Till today No one who has eaten these has even once paused to salute the elongated hours that have gone into the making. Its just *Click* *Crackle* *Chomp* not necessarily even in the same manner! Sometimes the tray of sweets might also have indigenous friends packed and stacked neatly into the same, earlier mentioned aunts' luggage and sent over to Salalah. These include Bebinca (Oh Good Lord, Its too much to make it at home. Lets leave it to the workers slogging in Goan Factories. Merry Capitalism to you too!), Perad (Guava Cheese. Can stink at times but heavenly when eaten, especially when you don't know whats gone inside), and Dodol (Close relative to the Bebinca when it comes to the procedure.). There are a host of other sweets which make it to a Traditional Goan Tray but I just left it to the specifics or rather, the favorites, i must say. ;)

With regards to the decorations, owing to the fact that Dad leaves on the 22nd of December to celebrate Christmas with the Sister and also because half here and half there never form a whole, we shan't be putting up much of those. Maybe just a wreath outside to show our all-christian neighbours that we too have spent money on the decorations (9 Rials Just on the Wreath #FTW). Also we might, just MIGHT spend Christmas out of Home (us referring to Mother and Myself, Dad flies to Mumbai remember?). 

The remainder of the Christmas Week shall see Long Shopping Sprees, Repetitive visits to the 3 measly departmental stores in Salalah, the same old rush to pack and then just 6 hours after i ring in the New Year in Salalah, i shall be off to ring in the new year in Mumbai.

Just thought of giving you a lighter perspective on my otherwise boring stay in Salalah. (Believe me, this dial-up tone played by the modem is like a horror story in my otherwise perfect Hathway Internet-serviced life). Hope You Enjoy It. Ill Plug In later to wish you guys. Go Spread some of the Christmas Cheer now!