So the longest stay in any one place has so far been in Switzerland with 17 days spent here. That was a few more than was planned but my credit cards were damaged and Erika got a bit sick. This story is best told from the begining so here we go!
After a short flight from Prague to Geneva we jump on a train and head off to Brig to meet the Swiss friends I made so long ago. With an ice hockey game planned for the evening we are greeted at the train station by two grinning Swiss people!
The first ice hockey game was great, both Erika and I loved the sport and we managed to see another 4 games and our team entered the quater finals before we left. Erika picked up a team scarf on the last game and will hopefully carry the good luck winning streak with her while we continue our way around Europe.
So with the hockey done on to our next challenge! Skiing!! Sweet lordy lord that was some fun, the Swiss guys wanted to put me in the amatuer down hill race since all I could do was go straight and build up speed. After almost killing two of my instructors I began to pick up the basics with Erika already doing jumps by the time I could stop myself and turn right and left. By the third time we were comfortable with it but only on selected angles of decline.
Now having witnessed or enganging in two winter sports the next one was bob-sleding. Erika was to have no part in the fun but hurling down about a 1500m of snow is really quite fun. Now the bob-sleds I was using was not the typical metal bullet but a contraption that looks like a mini ski mobile without the engine and alot smaller! The first time wa a bit of a laugh with me almost hurling into a dog and destroying an igloo! But after that it was a lot of fun, leaning into the corners and flying off the track into 2m of snow is really fun. The best thing about it is that crashing does not hurt at all so when someone pulls at your steering ski's and sends you flying through the air it is very fun and very funny.
One of the more remarkable experiences was in a hot spring up in the mountains. After a 30 minute drive up a winding mountain pass we reach a little skiing village and the home of the Swiss hot spring. Now this place is amazing, you have something like 5 million litres of water flowing through this pool a day and it is a very refreshing 40 degrees - even when the snow is flalling right onto your face! After an impromtu attempt at a poolside snowman and doing some snow angels in a pair of shorts in -10 degree weather I jump back into the pool to warm up again. Throwing snowballs at the old people is something that is frowned apon, so dont do it! But hurling snow balls at each other is perfectly fine.
Carnival, or what the locals call 'Catch'. This is an excuse to stay intoxicated for almost 2 weeks if you follow it around to the nearby towns and villages. Imagine 15,000 people drinking and laughing in a tiny town center! Then add several large brass and drum bands roaming around belting out some really loud music, then on top of that have everyone dress up! Well I got really drunk along with the entire population of the town and caught a bus home in the early hours of the morning. It is a whole lot of fun and something we will never forget, mainly because we have photos!
One of the other great things about the Swiss people is the amount of alcohol and food they consume, it is incredible! Bottle of a wine with the entrè, two with the main, one with desert then some schnapps with the coffee! No wonder these people are neutral, they are too full and drunk to every lift a finger against anyone! Back to the food, after the ski mobile and the bob-sleding we all hop into an IGLOO!! and have some fondue (fondue is a big pot with melting cheese and wine). What an amazing place it was.
So with Switzerland wrapped up for another month when we go back there we are off to Italy!, but I will tell you about that later!
There are no photos this time but when we get to Ireland in 2 weeks I will proimise to put a lot up.
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