Christmas Eve on the Equator

I never thought I would write this, but this Christmas Eve blog comes from the Equator. Or to be more precise, the Galápagos Islands. Or to be even more precise, Isabela.

Of all of the Christmas Eves, this has the be the most unique. Forgetting that we spent the morning  climbing up a volcano, or the late afternoon drinking in a beach bar after walking along the sand looking at the basking Iguanas, it was still unique.

But why? Well because we got to experience how another culture celebrates the Christmas period. I had foolishly assumed that everybody celebrated the same way. Ok, I wasn't expecting Southern America to start boiling up Brussels at midday on Christmas Eve, ready for the festivities the next day but I least thought they would celebrate the same day.

Instead, Christmas Eve is the big day and it is a time to  spend with families. As we walked to the restaurant for diner, after drinking beer at a beach bar (oh wait, did I mention that already?) it was great to see people out in the street walking to family and neighbours houses with plates of food and join in the festivities. 

Although we had foolishly left our Santa hats at home, we did our best by sitting in a local restaurant and enjoying a meal of rice, pork, salad and baked potatoo. Not exactly roast turkey and stuffing but delicious nonetheless.

And what's weird, despite having been in the Southern Hemisphere for the last few Christmasses, this is the closest we have felt to Christmas since we left the UK. It's certainly not the weather, nor is it being with friends and family, so it must be the light. On the equator, every day is pretty much the same; there are no seasons to speak of, the temperature is pretty much the same, and the sunrise and sunset never changes. Sunrise is at 6am and the sunset is at 6pm. Day in, day out. 

And because of this relatively early curfew, Christmas lights are everywhere. And boy do they go to town. Not for them tasteful decorations, instead every house has a nativity scene. Outside and front and centre. Even more, why stop at just lights? How about some music and, if a space allows, a screen showing scene from and aquarium? Nice!

The downside is that tomorrow will be a normal working day. Well as normal as it gets when we will be spending the morning kayaking around the bay before jumping on a speedboat to go to the next island. 

Yes I realise that it is ridiculous but is it too much to ask for Brussel Sprouts for lunch?