In Australia, December means the beginning of the long Summer holidays. It means coast trips, and barbecues, and ice-cream picnics. I must slip on a hat and slop on some sunscreen to avoid becoming burnt under the harsh sun. Mosquitoes haunt me as I try to sleep in the sweltering heat.

In Belgium, December is like stepping onto a movie set. Tonight we visited the Brussels Winter Wonder festival (plaisirs d’hiver / winter pret) with Laura and Ben. It was magical. It is still hard to comprehend that so many exotic experiences are now so close to home. The cathedral, town hall, opera house, and other majestic builders were lit up by pastel lights. Red and blue fairy lights were strung through the trees. Carols drifted over the crowd. There was an ice-skating rink where couples skated hand-in-hand through a tall tree, behind a giant Ferris wheel. Children rode in carousels full of grotesque and fascinating creatures out of the world of Tim Burton.

We warmed ourselves with hot chocolate, mulled wine, nutella crepes and frites. A long boulevard of tiny wooden houses offered us a range of hand-crafted goods for the winter season. Hats, scarves, chocolates, biscuits, wooden toys, and candles were all on display. I am starting to understand the strange joys of the European holiday season.

Photo by Kmeron