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Many years ago, my brother and I started a tradition of traveling to interesting places over the Christmas and New Years holidays. We didn’t have a large family in the area, so rather than just sit home in the cold weather and eat Christmas dinner by ourselves, we figured we’d go somewhere interesting.
Among the places we traveled were Thailand and Cambodia, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Cuba, Montreal and Quebec City, and Alaska — where we went dogsledding and attempted to see the northern lights. I always loved seeing how people in other places have cultural practices that are different from my own.
In 2019 we visited Puerto Rico, where my high school friend Rob now lives. Rob introduced me to the tradition of parrandas, which are sort of like the Puerto Rican version of Christmas caroling, and I got to experience a parranda with a unique twist.
On the latest episode of Far From Home, I re-share this story I originally released back in 2020.
Hope you all have a wonderful holiday, wherever you are and whatever it is you celebrate. I’ll be back in the New Year with more fascinating stories from faraway places.
Scott