It's 1 p.m. my time on Christmas Eve. And instead of working on a travel article about Cape Town - due to the editor of O Pais Today on Monday morning - I'm procrastinating. In my defense, this is a particularly difficult assignment in that I've never actually been to Cape Town, thus have no first-hand recommendations on lodging, transportation, restaurants, or shopping. Apparently, my ignorance is not considered a hindrance in the world of Mozambican journalism. In addition to dawdling, I'm disappointed in myself for not making any effort to come up with some sort of special plan for Doug and myself. As this is our first Christmas as a married couple, you would think I could have developed some unexpected take on tradition that might prove memorable and fun or, at the very least, result in an interesting anecdote. (Some of you more enlightened folks might be asking, "Why is planning your holiday celebration entirely your responsibility, Amy?" but anyone who knows my husband well knows his default approach to any special occasion is asking me where I want to go to dinner.)
I think part of the problem is that, truly, I wish I could be home for the holidays. I miss hosting my annual champagne-fueled office party. I miss my family's spell-and-interpret gift exchange. I miss the holiday auction at Neiman Marcus. I miss my sister Julie's cheese grits casserole on Christmas morning. I miss all the beautiful decorations in Dallas. I miss wearing cashmere and fur. I miss my dad. And, rather than dwelling on any of those things, I over-compensated by ignoring the fact that it is Christmas time. Until now.
Before you start feeling too sorry for me, please know that Doug and I have been invited to join two other American couples and their children for Christmas dinner tomorrow. We love hanging out with Kathryn, Andrew, Laura, and Chad (a fellow Texan), and I know it's going to be a great meal made even better by the fact that someone else will be preparing it for me. (I guess me and my non-cooking self managed to uphold one of my family's traditions!) Seriously, I know it's going to be a fabulous time.
So instead of moping around this morning, I braved the heat and humidity here and took some photos so that my friends and family can think of me in context this holiday season.
For starters, the above photo is a laser-cut Christmas tree made out of particle board that is currently sitting on my coffee table. I found it at a cool little design shop in Johannesburg. I simply couldn't make myself buy an artificial tree or one of the weird Charlie-Brown-meets-the-Apocalypse pines being sold on the side of the road.
Truly, there aren't a lot of visual Christmas cues here in Maputo. Granted, some of the local grocery stores have merchandise for sale and there are a few street vendors wearing Santa hats and hawking cheap decorations but, for the most part, that's it. The only places that look Christmas-y are the insides of my friends' houses!
This is where I live. Scaffolding = exterior painting project that has been going on for a month.
These two photos are taken at the jardim across the street. There are giant weddings here every weekend. Mozambicans love a party!
Balcony and view from our balcony. That's Maputo Bay above the trees.
Our living room...yes, I lost the a-giant-television-does-not-qualify-as-home-decor battle.
Entrance. Camera flash has obscured the wood-cut prints from artist Matias Ntundo. I love them!
Dining area. We are still waiting for delivery of our dining room table. But isn't the ebony tree cool? Matumbe, one of the artists at the wood market, made it for me.
Now you've seen where I live and you have no excuse not to visit. I promise to straighten the prints on the wall in the entrance before you arrive.
Merry Christmas!
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