Wishing everyone Merry Christmas, Graceful Eid-ul-Adha and a Happy New Year 2007.

Berlin did not have a white Christmas. But it snowed the following day of my arrival. Just for one day!

We had some guests and guided them to the historic Dresden 200 km away from Berlin. Some parts of the highway were very foggy and I could not see more than 10 meters ahead even with fog lamps deployed. It was a very chilly day with temperature hovering around zero degree. The kids and the elderly were struggling with red and running noses and we had to call it a day soon.

Berlin streets are now well lit with a lot of Christmas decorations and they are still on hopefully till tomorrow. It was really wonderful driving through Berlin's popular spots. The trees on the Kurfurstendamm road are all lit up with tiny lights, reminded me of the Wedding decorations back in Bangladesh. But in this case the lights are all over, where your eyes can reach, and in beautiful designs, like rein deers, bears or Santa. The main Christmas fairs in Europa Center and GendermenMarkt at the twin French Churches were dazzling but with not much crowd, probably because of the weather.

We had our second Eid in Berlin yesterday. The pleasure is more when you get the chance to celebrate it with a lot of people. However the most remarkable thing is that "Bakri Eid" was celebrated without eating any Bakri (goat) or cow meat. I really don't like sacrificing animals and I have indicated in one of my writings that I would rather like be away from seeing blood. So it was good in a sense. Some Bangladeshis here were trying to arrange the sacrifice in a slaughter house 85 kms away from Berlin and could not get the meat on the Eid day.

I will be heading shortly for the center point of the new years celebration, at the Brandenburger Gate and the temperature is an encouraging 8 degrees Celsius. Hope rain will not spoil the fireworks show.