Sannenmöser – Day II

The view from our room was a great one. This morning the sun was out and allowed for some nice pictures. Given the hotel’s location, we were able to put on our skis right our front and ski about 30 yards over to one of the runs. From there it was a short trek down the mountain to one of the gondolas or chair lifts.











Today was another great day of skiing. There was even some sun for the first part of the day, though the afternoon brought some light snow that provided a fresh dusting of powder. Overall, I felt more comfortable today than yesterday and definitely saw signs of improvement. That said, I still have a long way to go before returning to the level that I was at in my skiing “prime”.










After two days of skiing, two observations stand out above the rest. First, the Swiss are unbelievable skiers. You can tell that skiing is definitely a way of life for them. While I’m sure the elite U.S. skiers can hold their own against the elite Swiss, the average person you see on the slopes here is far better than the average one that I remember seeing at ski resorts in the U.S.

Second, nearly everyone on the mountain wore helmets. This is definitely different from what I remember in the U.S. Perhaps things have changed a little over the past 10 years, but I’m pretty sure that they haven’t changed that much. In a way, I felt like an outcast on the mountain because I wasn’t wearing one. There was even a program so that anyone who wasn’t wearing a helmet could try one out for two hours. Don’t get me wrong…I thing it’s a positive thing. Given all the injuries that can take place on the slopes, there’s really no downside to wearing a helmet.

Once the lifts closed we stopped for a drink at one of the warming huts in the middle of the slope adjacent to our hotel. It was a great way to relax after a long day of skiing.

We then headed back to the hotel to gather our stuff and then head down to the car (once again via snowmobile) for the drive home. Here are some pictures while heading from the slopes to the hotel.










Here are some pictures that I took of a church in Rougement, which is about 15 minutes from Saanenmöser. We thought it was beautiful, so we decided to pull over to take a couple of shots. It turned out that the Gstaad music summit also involved this church and there was a concert later in the evening. Definitely a cool venue for a show…

Sannenmöser – Day I (Part II)

The lifts close at 4:30pm, so we headed down the mountain with about a half hour to spare before it started to get dark. While searching for our hotel, which we new was nearby, we soon came to realize that it wasn’t accessible by car. Instead, we had to park at the train station and get a ride up to the hotel – which was literally on the mountain between ski slopes – on a snowmobile.

After the five minute snowmobile ride (which I’m pretty sure it was my first), we arrived at the hotel and were greeted by a local K9 resident. He was in heaven – playing in the snow, fetching snowballs, chasing after non-existent creatures scurrying about under the foot-deep powder. He clearly seemed to love life. The following are some pictures.



















Tonight we went to a concert at the Église de Saanen. It was part of the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, which is a week-long concert series held in churches in the Gstaad area. Rather than ferrying guests on the snowmobile at night, they provide transportation in an SUV in order to get down your car. The ride itself takes about 10 minutes due to the fact that you’re off-roading through the snow.

Unfortunately for us, we had left the car keys with the ski gear and only realized once we got down to the car. Thus, we had to go back up to the hotel and then come back down again once we had the keys in had. As a result, we ended up being 30 seconds late to the concert, which started at precisely the time indicated (gotta love Swiss punctuality), and weren’t able to enter the venue until after the first performance (a concerto by Mozart). While we could still hear the music from outside the church, standing outside in the cold for 30 minutes was indeed suboptimal.

After the first performance they let us inside and the venue was very nice. The next performance was Romance et Scherzo by Rachmaninov, followed by a concerto by Chostakovitch. I particularly enjoyed the Rachmaninov piece, but the other was a bit forceful for me (though it did incorporate a trumpet soloist, which I found interesting).

Here are some pictures from the concert.










After the concert we ate a local restaurant in Saanen. In true Swiss fashion, we decided on a first course of air-dried meats followed by a main course of traditional fondue. On a normal day I would have not been able to eat a full dinner following my lunchtime gluttony, but after a full day of skiing fondue turned out to be a perfect choice.

Sannenmöser – Day I (Part I)

This morning we made the trek to Sannenmöser and wasted no time in heading directly to the mountain. As it had been over a decade since my last downhill skiing experience, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of my abilities on the slopes. While I skied a great deal as a child / young adult, 10 years is a long time away. And though my three x-country trips gave me confidence that I still had comfort on skis, I still felt like I was entering somewhat uncharted territory.

After getting off the gondola, it was the moment of truth. As local Swiss blew by me at seemingly light speed, I took the plunge and headed downhill. All things considered, I was pretty happy with how things felt. The rust could not be ignored, but I didn’t feel like a complete fish out of water. And within a few runs even felt like fairly comfortable. That said, I was definitely moving at a somewhat cautious pace, focusing more on style (in a relative sense) than speed.











One thing that made my return to downhill skiing easier was the skis. The parabolic skis that are now de rigueur on the slopes are an unbelievable upgrade from the planks that I remember skiing on in the 80s and 90s. While parabolic skis started to become more present towards the end of my prior skiing life, I had definitely never tried them as they hadn’t quite made it to the masses yet. Turning was definitely much easier and catching an edge seemed to be much less of an issue.

We stopped for a late afternoon lunch that could probably be best described as a heart attack on a plate. The picture below shows what I ordered…rosti (basically a hash brown-type potato concoction) with ham, a heavy dose of raclette cheese and a fried egg on top. While I had definitely built up an appetite after a couple of hours on the slopes, this meal was clearly excessive (though I finished it nonetheless).

After lunch it started to snow a little and made for great conditions. Fortunately the snow wasn’t too heavy, so visibility was still okay. On occasion it got a bit icy, though, and the sound of skis turning on ice immediately took me back about 15 years.

Here are a few pictures taken when the sun peeked through again...

A Cold Front

It seems that there’s been a precipitous drop in the temperature these last couple of days. While waiting for the bus home tonight, I could definitely feel a difference. Perhaps the cold weather is good, though, as I’ll be heading to Sannenmöser for some downhill skiing this weekend. The alpine town is about an hour and a half from Lausanne and is typically overshadowed by its better known neighbor Gstaad (the celebrity-filled resort town that is also home to Roman Polanski’s chalet). Hopefully the cold weather makes for some nice snow up in the mountains.

X-Country - Day II

Today we headed back for some more x-country. I went the skating route again and by the end of the day felt like I actually had some of the proper technique down (rather than flailing about like I did for much of yesterday). As with many sports it’s all about getting the movements down properly so you’re not wasting a ton of energy doing stuff you’re not supposed to be. On that front, today was definitely a better day. We took a slightly longer trail (8.5km) today, but I was much less tired afterward.

Here are a few more pictures.

Some more x-country

Today I headed back to Morez, France for a couple of days of x-country skiing. Unlike my last x-country trek, however, this time I decided to try the “skating” style as opposed to the “traditional” style where your skis remain parallel. As the skating style seemed to be a much more natural movement (at least to me), I figured I would enjoy it a little more and be a lot better at it.

It turned out to be a great day for x-country, with relatively warm weather, beautiful scenery and fresh snow. The skating style was very enjoyable and a far more natural a movement as I had expected. That said, it was still a major workout – particularly when you’re going up steep hills (which I found to be more difficult than with traditional style). We ended up going 8km (5 miles) and I was definitely exhausted by the end of the journey. I think that I made the mistake of not drinking enough water beforehand, as I felt pretty dehydrated throughout. That definitely didn’t help.




















As a post-skiing snack we had some fois gras (see the jar in the picture below on the left). While I was indifferent to it the first couple of times that I had it since arriving in Switzerland, I’m now finding that the taste is really growing on me. Such a delicacy is still probably wasted on me, though, as I know most people appreciate it far more than I do.

Newsworthy...

I had heard from family and friends that there have been heavy rains in Southern California this week, but I didn’t expect it to make news in Switzerland. However, when I opened the local paper this morning there was a brief related article with a picture of travelers at LAX getting towed through a parking lot on luggage carts in order to avoid the three-inch deep standing water. The city of Long Beach was also referenced in the article, as well as the fact that 800 homes “near Los Angeles” had been evacuated due to the rain.

I find it kind of funny that whenever California is referenced in the local newspaper, it is always referred to as the state governed by Arnold Schwarzeneggar (“L’Etat gouverné par Schwarzie”). I guess when a former world bodybuilding champion and movie star from neighboring Austria becomes the most powerful state government official of the most populous U.S. state, it’s hard for the Swiss to associate the state with anything else.

I also find it funny that celebrities from the U.S. always seem to be given a nickname by the local newspapers (e.g., “Schwarzie”, noted above). The other nickname that comes to mind due to all his recent press involves Michael Jackson. For whatever reason, he is referred to as “Bambi” in the local papers.

Sunday Pics

The sun decided to peek its head out again today and it made for some nice photos. It’s still pretty cold out, but the sun alone inspired people to head down to the lake to take advantage of what is otherwise a rarity these days.









































I also took some pictures pre-sunset and the combination of the clouds and the sun’s rays made for some nice shots.

Il y a du soleil...finalement

Today was the first day since my return where the sun actually came out for a bit. Here’s a picture that shows the view from where I wait for the bus to work every morning. Unfortunately, a view like this has been the exception to the rule as typical mornings entail freezing temperatures and fog / rain / snow.

Let it snow...

From what I’ve been hearing, this year has been somewhat of an anomaly for Lausanne in terms of snow given the significant amount that has fallen thus far. Typically, there isn’t a lot of snow due to the city’s (relatively) low altitude and proximity to the lake. However, there has already been a couple of significant snowfalls.

Today the trend continued, as there was heavy snow in the morning that carried on throughout the day. In fact, Geneva airport had to close for only the second time since the mid 80s (the other being last week). The size of the snowflakes were actually pretty remarkable -- roughly the size of golfballs -- and I tried to take a picture of them but nothing came out well since they were taken through a window.

Cross Country Skiing

My second day in Morez involved a shorter trip for some cross country skiing in the afternoon. As can be seen from the pictures, the scenery was beautiful – plenty of snow on the ground and in the trees, with great views of the mountains. Plus, there were very few people on the trails despite the temperate weather.



















As for the skiing…I don’t remember cross country skiing being so exhausting. I’d like to think that I’m in good shape, but I was struggling. To some extent it was due to my form (or lack thereof, more specifically). For those doing it right, the sport looks effortless…like you’re gliding through the snow. When you’re not doing it right (which is how I felt most of the time), however, it’s almost as if you’re a hamster on a wheel…lots of exertion with zero forward progress.

I also was skiing with a group who was clearly more prepared than I to tackle the course (the fact that they all had their own skis / equipment should have been my first clue of what was to come). Thus I was playing catch-up the whole time and trying to keep a pace far beyond my capabilities, particularly given that it was my first foray into cross country in more than (at least) a decade. That said, my ski partners gave me plenty of time to catch up and get my breath. Here's an action shot -- presumably after a nice rest given that I don't look (that) terrible.

If nothing else, I’m definitely inspired to get in better cross-country shape. And the fact that the scenery was so beautiful definitely makes me want to go again soon. Perhaps downhill skiing will be next, though. While it’s been at least 10 years since I’ve done that as well, I’m hoping that my return will be a more natural one since I did that a lot more than cross country while growing up.

Surprisingly, I didn’t feel very sore when I woke up this morning. I thought for sure that I’d be nearly bedridden given how exhausted I was by the time that I got back to Lausanne, so all things considered I can’t complain.

Morez / Lyon

This weekend I’m visiting Morez, France, which is near the Swiss border and about an hour north of Geneva. I haven’t actually seen much of Morez yet, however, as I arrived last night and today took a day trip to Lyon. The two hour drive to Lyon was an interesting one, as much of France is in the midst of a major snowstorm and areas that typically don’t get much snow are completely covered. Fortunately, it wasn’t really snowing during the drive.

We arrived around lunchtime and went to a place that specialized in quenelles. As I soon learned, a quenelle is a "delicate dumpling made of seasoned, minced or ground fish, meat or vegetables bound with eggs or panade". It turns out that Lyon is famous for its quenelles, and they were indeed great. I didn’t go the traditional route, though – I went for the quenelles au gratin, which – as the name indicates -- were bathed in a hot cheese and cream mixture.

After lunch I began my exploration of the city. My first stop was the Place Bellecour, which is supposedly the largest “clear square” (i.e., without any patches of greenery, trees or any kind of obstacles) in Europe. The square is home to a large ferris wheel and a statue of Louis XIV.











I then headed to la basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, which is on the Fourvière hill and entails a quick funicular ride to get to the top. The basilica itself was very impressive and the views of Lyon from the hill were spectacular. Right after I arrived the snow began to come down, but I was nonetheless rewarded with a nice panoramic view of the city.















After returning down the hill, I visited the Saint-Jean Cathedral and then made my way through le vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), which dates back to Lyon’s medieval and renaissance days. Like the old sections of many of Switzerland’s cities, the streets were very narrow and the buildings were only a couple of stories high. The architecture was interesting and there were even a number of internal passageways (between the buildings) that looked like they could have easily been hundreds of years old.











I then crossed the Soane river to get back to the “presqu'île” (peninsula) section of Lyon, which is bordered on the other side by the Rhône river.










By this time, the snow had really started to come down – perfect given my choice of all outdoor tourist activities. Fortunately, the sights were able to distract me from the heavy snow. My first stop on the peninsula was the Place des Terreaux, which is the site of the Bartholdi Fountain and provides nice views of the Musée des beaux-arts and Lyon’s 17th century town hall.










To conclude the day, I visited some more sights, including the Église St. Nizier (whose doorway was apparently carved in the 16th century) and the Théâtre des Célestins (an “Italian-style” theatre built in the 1880s). Shortly after I took the picture (below) of the band performing, the entire group proceeded to take off their shirts for the encore performance. I felt a little creepy taking a photo of that, though, so you only get to see the fully clothed version.




















Right before leaving, I took the following picture of the ferris wheel in the Place Bellecour. It definitely had a much more interesting look at night when fully illuminated.

As a parting thought, I really enjoyed Lyon and definitely would like to visit it again. I unfortunately wasn’t able to see the Odeon of Lyon -- an ancient Roman theater not far from the la basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière -- so that alone should merit a return visit. Plus, I’ll also have to focus a little more on cuisine next time given that Lyon is known as the culinary capital of France.