New Year's Eve celebrations were spent at a colleagues apartment which overlooks the Space Centre and the Space Needle. Since the assembled company consisted of 3 Luxembourgers, 2 Italians, 2 Catalans and 2 Scots we decided everyone would provide their traditional New Year's food and we would perform each countries tradition. So the meal consisted of stuffed peppers, smoked salmon pate, lasagne, tiramisu, pastries and European chocolates.
The Catalans have an interesting tradition that at midnight, for ever bell chime you eat a grape. So we all eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds. We then witnessed the Seattle civic authority effectively setting fire to the Space Needle in aid of New Years celebrations. The fireworks were really impressive when set against the Needle; definitely something other cities should mimic.
Next came a Luxembourg tradition of seeing what 2011 would bring by melting lead over a candle and pouring it into a bowl of water. You then match the same it creates to the guidelines and it reveals your fortune. Needless to say this is open to interpretation.
More eating was then required as in Luxembourg it traditional to eat onion soup after returning from celebrations. There's a similar tradition in Italy, but they have lentils.
The night was topped off with a round of grappa and lemoncello, which apparently aids digestion.
Happy New Year All!
Photos in the Seattle Album
No comments:
Post a Comment