I
have been silently praying for us to have a white Christmas. It arrived early
this year. Last night. It is difficult to describe the feeling when you are
taken by surprise the first morning after the snow fall. There is
something peaceful and magic in the white velvet suddenly covering trees,
bushes, streets. Everything is pure and silent. It brings memories of
childhood..winter games, red noses and hot chocolate.
Until the first resident in this foreign country wakes up.
It seems quite funny that every single year 'snow' is
considered as a phenomenon of 'force majeur', unfamiliar and -predictable
guest creating a complete chaos in this country.
Motorways are blocked as there is one snow cat serving half the
country. They manage to reach the capital region in the evening. And then clean
one lane only. The right one. People responsible are interviewed in the radio
inquiring why the country does not have infrastructure necessary to clean the
roads. Budget restrictions. BUT as a credible contingency plan they have
invited the "free-lancers" -farmers from the periferia- to help
clean the capital region roads with their mini-trucks. It takes two days before
they have cleaned their way out to even reach the civilisation.
Schools are closed due to risk at slippery roads and no transportation
is offered.
People are freezing due to unfamiliarity to heating systems and/or how
to dress in layers.
It is hilarious to hear the news announcing with trembling voice as
a national drama that the temperature is likely to drop to -9 °C in the
following night. Back from where I am babies are sleeping outside in -25°C.
It is equally entertaining to witness my fellow residents to clean their
cars from snow. What a triumph of creativity! CD-covers, boxes, books..Great
entertainment value, but why don't they just invest 2 euros and buy the proper
equipment?
Ah, I really love this season!
