new year's eve 2006

new year in mongolia is not as noisy and as smoky as in the philippines. although noise-making has become a universal tradition to greet the new year. for mongolians they decor their houses with tinsels and christmas trees for the sake of kids. for the fun of it i guess. for the new year they prepare potato salad, some cakes and champagne. most young people would be out partying in the discos and pubs. usually in ulaanbaatar, a concert is held at sukhbaatar square during new year's eve. a fireworks display takes place at midnight.

as in the philippines, my filipino friend's child in UB also lit his sparklers to meet the new year.

i baked some curried empanada. it was my first time to do baking in mongolia. when it was done though, i decided to call them baked boodz (the famous mongolian steamed dumplings). they were very pale and just looked like distant cousins of the empanadas at home.

i was invited by a filipino family to spend the NY eve with them. the wife prepared lasagna, baked ham strips, baked chicken legs, brazo de mercedes, lengua, chocolate marble and carrot cakes (and steamed rice, of course!).

we played some filipino songs. and since it was sunday, i put on some oldies music too. (usually in the philippines, the radio stations play 'ancient' tunes on sundays). later we had some music DVDs on TV (Shakira, Blue and others).

another filipino and his mongolian friend joined us as well. a dutch colleague also came later. the host served red wine, champagne and beer.

it is a tradition for families in the philippines to gather for a midnight meal during new year's eve (and Christmas eve as well). so at 11 later, we started feasting on the preparations of our host.

another year has just passed. and another year has set in. new year, new wishes, new dreams. life goes on...