Christmas Eve sky

Christmas is very different this year. I have never been away from home before. I can only imagine what it is like for others in my predicament. It is not so much the away-ness of Romania as it is the away-ness of my boys and my mom. I do miss them today. It has been an odd day. There is nothing to fill it with as everyone is at home with their families getting ready for this evening and tomorrow. They are cooking and putting finishing touches on the decorations. Most people will put up and decorate a tree this evening. I have none of that and no where to be at all. No purpose at all. It is lonely living in a house where I am being shunned and so I am endeavoring to find other places to be. I am in much better shape now than I was when I first got here. I would call a taxi but where would I tell him to take me. I have no destination. I have determined to make the five kilometer hike into town as there are probably no maxitaxis running today.

It is early afternoon but the sun is already starting to set in the village. The sky is lit with brilliant clouds of blue and silver and white. Fitting colors for today. It is a lovely day to go for a walk. Maybe it is such a beautiful day that it feels warmer than it is, but I don't feel the cold today at all. The fresh snow is glistening on everything. I don't remember a prettier Christmas Eve. At least I have that.

I wander to up Toaca Mountain. It is such a peaceful place up there. One of my student's uncles is smoking fish for the festivities tomorrow. He has been tending the fire all day and will stay until they are all perfect for the feast. They have been intricately tied so that none of the meat will disappear into the fire. He uses this scooped out tree trunk to hold the fish and to move it from here to there as a sled. Quite an interesting tool. Probably has not changed in form in hundreds of years and still doing the job well.

Farther along I find an interesting tradition. The priest is walking from house to house. He is a priest I have seen at other occasions. There are quite a few priests that I see while I am out walking but there seem to be only three who are involved with school activities. I am not sure who the man is with the priest, but he is happy to take any alms that are offered. He has big pockets. Small boys scamper ahead of the priest holleringwhat sounds like, " Kies eleve!" which means, "Here he comes." I am not sure if they are referring to the priest or the Christ child that he embodies as he moves steadily from house to house down the mountain. Outside each house the family stand, passing the time with their neighbors as the priest gets closer and closer. They hold lit candles as part of the ritual. It is quite a sight to look up and down the street. There is a line of candles as far as I can see. He is dressed in his regular robes, although he dos not wear a coat on this blustery day. He carries an icon of the manger scene with him as he makes his calls. When he finally arrives, he enters the house and says a prayer to bless the house and its inhabitants for the coming year.

It is interesting that it is still broad daylight up here on the mountain, while it was getting to dusk in the valley some time ago. That just shows how really big these mountains are. The town is bathed in a pink glow that is cast by the setting sun.

Victor makes gravestones for a living. He also makes his own wine. He is quite a character. His back yard is full of unfinished grave markers in various stages of completion. They are an odd sight, out of place as they are.
The jingle of sleigh bells can be heard in the distance. Soon a horse and carute come into sight from farther up the mountain. The horse trots along with his red tassels flying and the bells on his harness jingling. This family is headed for a Christmas celebration with family somewhere nearby.

It is not until later that the sun starts to disappear up here. Suddenly it is night. I hadn't noticed it getting dark. The full moon casts a glow over the entire area. It will be peaceful for at least this night.