Endless snowflakes fell from an opalescent Austrian sky and stayed on our noses and eyelashes while we warmed up with cups of clove-and-orange Christmas tea from Demmers Teehaus , Vienna's best.
We sat on the river bank with Sudanese families to watch the sunset, then walked streets that were illuminated by the glowing orange coals under curbside tea sellers' water pots.
"It's a nice alternative to an orange juice or coffee or tea because it does have that effervescent sort of awakening effect, sort of like taking your morning vitamins, " he said.