vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #155 / Opinion / Reading article...

The Vladivostok News happened to go to press this issue on the day Americans call Thanksgiving — an occasion to give thanks to God, and to feast on turkey and pumpkin pie. But every culture has its food-related holidays, from Oktoberfests to old Slavic harvest feasts.

In the interests of being multicultural, we plan to celebrate more international holidays this coming year. We’ll start with Japan’s bean-throwing festival (Feb. 3), then slurp some hot salsa on Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo (May 5). We’ll hold our noses and choke down Sweden’s Sour Herring Premiere (Aug. 19), and toast the mid-September Sherry Wine Harvest in Spain.

One holiday, however, has us a little uneasy: the annual Elephant Round-up in Thailand (Nov. 20). What are you supposed to do with a pachyderm once you’ve cornered it: feed it, or eat it? Either way, it sounds like a challenge.