Merry Christmas everyone!

24th of December 2013, woke up in Samits family house in Sangli, India. +35c, clear breeze and colourful saris outside. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas? Not even close. More like beginning to look a lot like summer holiday when school’s over. But we won’t let Christmas go unnoticed so easy- ‘if Mohammed doesn’t come to the hill, the hill will come to Mohammed’! According to these wise words, me and Giedre joined our forces together and brought Christmas spirit to Tapkire house.

All day was busy rattling around the house and whole Sangli. Everyone had tasks set and from early morning mission ‘Chasing Christmas’ began. Morning started with chapatis and papaya diet shake making (Indian style), later on shopping for Christian Christmas Eve, as we aimed high, twelve dishes on our dinner table. All of us even went to fish market for the first time. Samits mum never been there either, as it’s husbands duty to bring the catch and wife’s to make it tasty. And our duty? To blend in, maybe? So we borrow neutral kurtas and off we go! Once again, hair and not so tanned skin reveals it all, and yes, attracts all, and I mean every eye in a street.

Chapatis made by pro

Fish market

Still can’t figure out what’s up with the red hair men?!

Biggest struggle was to actually find the ingredients for our dishes. No problem with vegetables or fruits, but gherkins, tinned peas, crab sticks and sour cream, (come on!) even the brightest torch didn’t help finding it… and these are kind of irreplacible when it comes to Lithuanian traditional dishes. Thanks to our twisted, wicked skills, impossible became possible. And who said, miracles happen just on Christmas?! We managed to pull dishes together by replacing ingredients and showing off my improvisation skills in the kitchen.

Next step- Christmas tree! Me and Samit were sent out to bring it home. Seen a few plastic ones in shops as decorations but, hence majority of the town being hindu, Christmas celebration doesn’t really exist. After a few unsuccessful hours of searching, decided that money doesn’t always buy you everything:) So, it all comes to confessions now. Shamefully, (not!) saying sorry for trespassing someones garden and braking a few branches of their pine tree. Still visualising how Sam climbed up the tree asking ‘which one do you want?’ It’s kind of made to order:) However, guilt washes off as fast as it came up and here we have another vital ingredient to our  Christmas fiesta. It was decorated with Giedres starfishes picked in Goa, colourful handmade ribbons and a few lights.

Me and Samit decorating Christmas tree/branch/whatever

Next step to actually put the dinner together. Now that’s a task, considering that all previous years it was made with friends, family help, or should I say my little help to them. But after all I can admit (not in a cocky way) that I can cook. Even Sams mum was joking that she never sat on the side watching other people using her kitchen. It’s always her running around with pots and pans. Most of the dishes we made for the first time and were quite nervous that it won’t turn out the way they should. More pressure was added knowing that some Tapkire relatives are coming over to try our cuisine as well. After 3hours buzzing in the kitchen, table was covered in 12 dishes, 6 people, Christmas songs and tree in a corner. For us it was PERFECT!

Traditional lithuanian salad

King fish with dressing

Christmas team of four

Samits mum all ready for the dinner

Table guests were really impressed by our food, as in their kitchen most of the dishes run around ‘masala’ base, where Lithuanian dishes have a wide variety of combined tastes. Also, they don’t celebrate Christmas Eve or Christmas, so it was also new experience to get into festive spirit.

To finish up Xmas eve, we paid a visit to a local church

Christmas Day was pretty easy. Because the night before we stuffed ourselves it meant no early breakfast at tiffany’s was required:) Lunchtime running around to get fresh whole chicken went smooth. In fact, it was so fresh you can still see feathers and hear sounds inside the cage. brrrr! Good I can ignore animal cruelty to a certain degree.

Despite minority of christians and unbearable heat Santa haven’t forgotten us and made an effort to come all the way to India! We’ve got a beautiful handmade wallets from Mrs. Kalpana. What a treat, absolutely made our day! Personal Thank you if you’re reading this;)

Mr and Mrs Tapkires overtaking Santas duties Indian style:)

Handmade personalised gifts

Christmas dinner menu: rice and dried fruit stuffed chicken with roast potatoes and traditional lithuanian rice salad. And for desert my sisters famous apple pie, baked to perfection. Enjoy!

Rice salad

Apple pie made with love

After all, proud to tick the box of mission completed. Grinch didn’t steal our Christmas:)

Today after unsuccessful attempt to get train tickets, plan once again changed and we will be taking bus with a change at Bangalore because history repeats itself proving that Railway system in this country is completely f***. Tomorrow, we continue backpacking trip and head back on the road. Feels like we got used to pampered life here, having home with modern cons and best company possible. But time to remember, why we started the trip: moving, exploring, experiencing. Ahead 25 hour bus journey to Madurai, where we catch 2hour flight to Sri Lanka.

Promise to report soon and for now- gone with the wind xxx