Two hockey games (Saturday, February 18th, 2006)

I’ve never been to a hockey game, nor have I ever really been a fan of the sport, but when I was presented with the opportunity to watch two games, I decided to go with the flow and experience something new.





*******************
Game 1: Canada vs. Switzerland
- I was expecting a bigger venue again. I sense a trend.

- Met Joannie Rochette, Tugba Karademir and Jeff Buttle wandering around. My courage disappeared really quickly (and I couldn’t think fast enough) and the conversation didn’t last very long. Also, the game was starting soon, so we all need to go our separate ways. Oh, and Val Marcoux and Craig Buntin were there too.


- Hockey fans as so exciting! You really get pumped up by them!

- Hockey games have cheerleaders?




- Had great seats and were sitting near the VIPs. Apparently there were a bunch of stars wandering around, and I randomly took their pictures, but of course I have no idea who they are.

- Do hockey games normally have that many penalties?

- Darn, no fights.


- I thought these guys were supposed to be good. Why did they lose? I think the Swiss goalie was just really good and to my untrained eye, it looked like the Canadians were having difficulty passing to each other. It looked like they kept missing receiving the passes.

- “Ab Schweiz!” *clap*clap*clap (at least that’s what I think they said)

Final score of the game:










***********************
Game 2: Czech Republic vs. Finland
- Different game, different venue. We were right beside the Olympic Stadium and the flame.

- Those scalpers are some serious fast talkers. And apparently hockey (even if non-final events) is much more popular than skating. They can make profits (off of ticket price) for hockey, but skating was going for about 50% of ticket price.

- Was offered 500euro for 670euro worth of tickets, but couldn’t bring myself to take a loss. Those tickets were just too special to me, but I did spend the whole night wondering if I’d made the right decision.

- I feel like a pro-star at going through security. I’ve done it too many times.

- Now this is what I was expecting in terms of rink size. The style of the interior was very similar to the Palavela.


- The Games really did a great job with the graphics. Bold colours, and quite effective!

-Started to get a little bored. Hockey just isn’t my thing.

- Fight, fight, fight!!! (Left some blood on the ice)



- Still can’t believe the cheerleaders. And those are some pretty bad outfits.

- I was surprised that the Finnish hockey fans don’t use the same cheer as Finnish Synchro fans. “Suomi Finland…”

- Again, I gotta say that I love the fans! And I get a kick out of seeing the media booths.

- The more scoring there is, the more interesting it is for me.



- Congratulations to Finland. Final score 4 - 2.

Compulsory Dance (Friday, February 17th, 2006)

- Saw the flame for the first time these games. Pretty neat!

- Snuck down into level 100 again, but stayed up near the top of the level because there were more empty seats there. Blessing in disguise, because easier to see the patterns from there.

- Too bad I don’t know the Ravensburger Waltz. Would have been cool if they did a dance that I knew how to do myself.

- Love watching dancers stroke. So smooth.

- You know, their facial expressions aren’t as extravagant as I expected, but maybe that’s because I wasn’t close enough to see the full effect of them (I’m so blind).

- Glad to see the Lithuanians come back, but I’m sure they’re disappointed with their results.

- Navka and Kostomarov are tall! It really helps them stand out, and they command the ice with their presence.

- I’m not an ice dance specialist by any means, but I was happy that I could tell the difference between the quality of the different teams. Seeing it live makes it so much more obvious.

- Fusar Poli and Margaglio win the award for ugliest costume of the night. Yuck! And they definitely came back from retirement just because the Olympics are in their home country.

- So happy for Marie-France and Patrice. They deserve it, but there’s still two parts left!

- The results are close. With the new system, it’s still anyone’s game.

- Walked out away from the venue in front of Marina Anissina. How fab was she in her firey-red hair and huge fur coat?

- So glad I could sleep in a nice hotel room and on a comfy bed tonight.

Men’s Short (Tuesday, February 14th, 2006)

- The journey there isn't all that bad after you've done it one and know what you're getting into.

- Hardly any line waiting to go through security.

- Said hello to Ken Congemi who was going by to get into line in another entrance gate. Darn it. Again, I would have liked to chat with him. Would definitely be rooting for his skater. Great potential, clean and smooth skater.

- Saw a friend in the stands...so great to catch up!

- Why oh why are the stands so empty? Oh well, at least I had the courage to take advantage of it and sneak into the level 100 section! Ended up sitting in the first row for the whole night. Can't complain about that!

- Group 1. Start off the night with a bang! At least with the new system, they doesn't have to hold back in the marking.

- Quite impressed with Daisuke Takahashi. He has some serious flare, but I think he's inconsistent.

- Evgeni had some serious speed and power. Such a big difference between him and the other top skaters. Also, he seems a LOT less scrawny than before.

- Sitting in an area filled with Canadians, so it was easy to blend in and was really lucky that more people didn't show up to kick me out of my seat, but it was so annoying. Here's my rant: the people who had 100 level seats didn't buy their tickets. They got their tickets for free because they are affiliated with sponsor companies, are linked somehow to the IOC (but not the big whigs - those people sit on the judges side...also quite empty) or something else like that. So they get the best seats in the house, and most of the time, know nothing about figure skating, and don't even really care that they're experiencing something so great. And then the people who are die hard fans, or just fans in general, end up having to pay big bucks for crappy seats. These privileged people sometime show up an hour late, leave an hour early, walk out during a skater's performance (even the really good ones) to get a coffee, talk during the performances...GRRRR! Frig, if only they knew how lucky they were and made the most out of their experience. Level 100 is also schmooze central.

- If he can keep it together, Shawn Sawyer will be the next one.

- Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. Grrrr.

- Disappointed with the quality of skating tonight. No one is standing up and taking advantage of everyone else's screw ups. Ugh. Sitting in the front row and no one to gawk at!

- I really like Stephane Lambiel's style.

- Remember when Brian Joubert was it? What happened to him?

- Dick Button (a very welcoming person) was chatting with Brian Boitano in the stands and I plucked up the courage to join in.

- Chatted with the Stage Manager of the NBC booth. Realized that Sandra Bezic was in the booth too!

- Evan Lysacek has a really scary triple axel take off. It seems really whippy. I wonder if they're working on that.

- Emanuel does it again, and continues the trend of a crappy night of skating. I had my fingers crossed SO bad.

- Saw Ken Congemi after the event...didn't get to chat for long (again), but I was happy to bump into him again.

- The car ride from Torino to Milan is quite long. A hardwood floor is indeed hard and the walk to Milano Centrale has never been better.

Pair's Short program (Saturday, February 11th, 2006)

Well, this is the first of my series of thoughts about the different events that I had the opportunity to attend for the XX Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.
They won't be in too much detail, but will be in the form of random thoughts about my experiences surrounding the events.

***********************

- First "real" time making the long journey to Torino...not bad. A train delay in my connection in Italy (should have known - not in Switzerland anymore), but made the experience more interesting as I had to divert from my plans on how to get to the rink from the train station.

- Met Ken Congemi and Mitch Moyer (American coaches) while waiting in line to get through security. They were super nice and we chatted for awhile about skating, the direction it is going...you know, the typical banter. Would have loved to chat with them more, and really grill them about stuff, but the line moved quickly, and they were seated in a different section, so we couldn't meet up later. AND felt super bad that they had to watch from the stands because of the limited credentials allowed in the pit.

- The Olympic Guidebook that I received along with my tickets (which I memorized cover to cover) lies. You can definitely bring in a backpack and food too.

- Security into the venue area entails putting your bag through the x-ray machine and walking through the metal detector thingy and then having a wand waved at you if you beep.

- I was pretty giddy after getting through security...I think it was finally hitting me that I was there and the fact that I was chatting with the coaches just made me more excited...after being by myself on a train for such a long time, talking and meeting such nice people was so great!

- My seat was pretty good, but was envious of those people below.

- I expected the venue to be a lot bigger. It was the Olympics afterall, and venues on TV always look so big. Also, from a spectator's point of view, even the best seats are pretty far away from the ice surface.

- The interior of the Palavela has a certain bling quality to it. So exciting!

- Why are the stands so empty? Thought figure skating was supposed to be a popular event!

- Met the husband of Gayle MacLelland (Skate Canada). Can't believe all the people I'm meeting! Chatted for awhile...swapped stories...learned some inside info.

- Spotted the CBC and NBC booths...and the commentators sitting in them! Barb Underhill and Paul Martini. Dick Button and Scott Hamilton. Tee hee!!!

- Inoue and Baldwin...throw triple axel!

- Met and chatted with Marilyn Chidlow (Skate Canada). What came out of the conversation may all just be talk, but still made me very happy that night. And boy...she's petite!

- Surprised to see Shen and Zhao in the competition...thought they were out for the season!

- Yeah for the Canadians!

- Totmianina and Marinin...wow.

- Sure glad that the shops stayed open until midnight on this date.

- Was disappointed to see how sleepy the Olympic host city is...on a Saturday night!

- Medal's Plaza is pretty fun.

- Lots of people sleep in train stations waiting for their train the next morning.

- I can do it.

****************

You know, it was the little things that night that I got really excited about. Sure I was watching some great skating, but things like: meeting people in line and in the stands, seeing the commentators that I'd only seen on TV before, watching a warm-up, seeing some of the famous coaches by the boards...you'd think that seeing the actual skaters would have done it for me too, but surprisingly, they weren't the stars of my night. It was all the other things.

-logo courtesy of www.torino2006.org

The Mermaid Chair

The Mermaid Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd

I had read the first book by the same author, and had enjoyed it, and since this book was available to me, I decided to read it as well (again, I knew that I would be needing something, anything to read).
The story is about a woman who is happily married with a daughter that she loves, and due to a medical problem with her mother, she needs to go back to the island where she grew up to take care of her. While there, she has the chance to reminisce about her childhood and deal with (of course) some unresolved issues. She meets a monk with whom she begins to share a special relationship with. The woman is tested and embarks in a journey to find herself and what is truly important to her.
I enjoyed this book more than The Secret Life of Bees. They were both good, but this one made me want to keep reading more than the first, and I also didn't flip through any pages without reading them (which I had done with the first book). Even the ending wasn't too bad (as I usually find endings disappointing).

I would recommend this book. It's an easy read, and although it's not always happy in nature, I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen to the characters and reach that "moment" that all books get to eventually.

-picture courtesy of www.chapters.indigo.ca

Puts that ______ team commitment to shame

Remember back in the summer and fall of 2003 when my love for skating took me to the next level and had me doing crazy things? You were all concerned for me (thank you) but understood why.

Well, the Torino 2006 Olympic Games got me doing something at lot crazier (time-wise) than that previous adventure, although it was a lot safer for me as I didn't have to sit behind the wheel.

This is how the typical day went:
8:00am-10:45am ~ Working
10:45am-5:15pm ~ Train from Neuch-->Bern-->Brig-->
Arona-->Santhia-->Torino Porta Nuova7:00pm-11:00pm ~ Wishing I could be on the ice with them
4:50am-12:32pm ~ Train from Torino Porta Nuova-->
Milano Centrale-->Zurich-->Neuch12:45pm-5:00pm ~ Working

The last time I had to do this particular journey, the ride back to Neuch was one of the most difficult things that I've ever done. I didn't feel good at all. You're mind can only take so much, but what kept me going was the love of the sport, the fantastic spectators from around the world that I met, careful planning and packing, the ability to fall asleep almost anywhere, having grown up in the Eastside and looking out for myself, spotting and chatting with famous people and of course sheer determination, as, of course, we all know...I'm invincible.

Soon, I'll post thoughts about the different events that I got to see and then you can piece together how the last three weeks have unfolded for me (the day after returning from Torino for the last time, I jetted off to London for 5 days - will post about that too).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why do all of you under 30yr olds reading this have to have jobs, school and other commitments that don't let you come and experience these things with me?

p.s.

I love my Moon Boots.

They're almost as horrible as Uggs...but not quite. Whatever. I don't care.

I still love 'em.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling

Going against my hesitations in that I will be disappointed with the movie version when it comes out (because the book will be so much better), I decided to read the fifth book of the Harry Potter series anyway (I knew that I would have plenty of time to kill in the near future, so a thick children's book would probably be of some benefit).
The fifth book in the series means that the plot takes place during Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Right from the get go, this book has a different tone. Harry is a lot more serious and quite bitter in my circumstances. I guess he's had a pretty rough go, especially after the events of book number four. More time is spent in the events leading up to Harry's return to Hogwarts (life at the Dursleys) than the other books, which made me think that this book, much like the fourth one would leave me feeling like the author was cramming in the rest of the story in the last 50 pages, but after reading more of the book, it was understandable why the long build up was necessary.
We know that Lord Voldemort is back in action (after book four), so it's obvious that this book will have everything to do with that fact. The whole book is building up to (of course) a confrontation between Harry Potter and his clan (which has grown in size and is made up of a more varied cast of characters) and Lord Voldemort and his clan (again, some new characters here).
The added stress is that the Ministry of Magic doesn't really believe (or is unwilling to believe) that Voldemort is back and also clamps down on Hogwarts and its faculty members.
Harry's role as a quidditch player takes a back seat in this book, and we learn a little bit more about his love life, but soon that takes a back seat as well. I think that author could have done more and had more stories to tell, but the book would have gone on for much too long. The details about the daily life at the school were pretty standard with the other books. I was happy with the Weasley twin's part, but wanted more between Ron and Hermione.
Even at the end, I felt like a lot of information was being fed to me to explain events in the book and that it was crammed in to finish off the story. The build up during the book was really great, but for the past two books, I've just been disappointed after "the point" was hit and the book had to be drawn to a close.
The ending was pleasant but a little plain as well. It did leave me "ok" about the whole situation, especially after yet another difficult year for Harry.
We'll see what the movie's like...and I might as well read book 6 too.

-picture courtesy of www.chapters.indigo.ca

Olympics update

Yes, I am attending events at the Olympics...yes, I am loving every moment of it...yes, I'm exhausted...yes, it's worth it...yes, I'm crazy...yes, I wish you could all be here with me...

[after the games are over i'll post more]

Berlin

[p.s. I think I'm on a roll]

So, we arrive in Berlin and I'm excited to see a couple key things in my very short time in the city. Before travelling, I do a little bit of research on the city just to get an idea of places, streets, sites, monuments, whatever that I might want to visit once there. And then once I arrive, like I said in my Stuttgart post I map out the rest of my trip (literally) and take it from there. I like having a plan of attack.
Unfortunately the weather was cloudy and grey the whole time we were there, and while that made me feel better that the TV tower was closed due to construction, I still would have wanted to see more after waiting in line at the parliament in the crazy wind and cold (the doormen must have loved the people sneering at them as they kept the doors shut until the last possible second). Even though there were
no public tours of the parliament building itself, there was free access (would recommend if you visit) to the glass dome roof, in which you walked up in a spiral pattern and could get a great view (given clear weather conditions) of the city all around. I still enjoyed the cool architecture, and guessing where I should have see different things pop up according to my panoramic guide. I like seeing that sort of thing.
I did a little bit of shopping (naturally), and of course most the stores were the same as all over Europe, so I wasn't too impressed by anything. I went in the German equivalent of LaFayette (again nothing too different) and walked by stalls that were being set up for the Christmas markets.
I got the see remnants of the Berlin wall (one goal), visited Brandenburg Gate (again, a goal) both during the daytime and again at night, and saw Checkpoint Charlie (ditto).




Anyone else hear classical music?




I also went to a little museum called The Story of Berlin (on recommendation). It's a great set up. A really interactive museum. Well done. Lots of sounds, colours, lights, things to touch, move and feel...but when you're in the exhibition all by yourself (seriously, no one else was there), maybe it's the subject matter, but I was really creeped out. Hearing different sounds coming from different rooms and seeing flashes of light from my line of peripherery was really really scary. I walked through that place pretty fast.
I also tried my hand at riding the subway system, and ummm...are all the subways starting to look very similar to each other or what? Or maybe I was missing the TTC enough to think the Berlin subway walls were very similar to those in Toronto.
C'mon...imagine a different colour, font, and you'd think you're in another city! The subway sign for the Checkpoint Charlie stop, just steps away from:





A little bit more dingy than the other ones I've ridden, but depending on the line, there were some really nice cars.






errr...can someone help me out? Which TTC station is this?




I was a little disappointed with Berlin. I'd only been to two cities in Germany before this trip (Munich and Stuttgart), so that's the kind of expectation I had of a German city. Oh, and all that historical stuff about the wall too. Bottom line, I was expecting something rich with culture. Sure there was a lot of culture there, but it was a lot more
Americanized than I was expecting. I understand now that they rebuilt the city and tried to change a lot of it around, but honestly, I saw one too many Starbucks Cafes and Subway eateries.
After a tiring two weeks of traveling, I headed back to Neuch (via Charles de Gaulle in Paris) and resumed sedentary life...until my next adventure.

Paris

Continuing on my marathon trip, after going to Nice and Monaco, I ended up in Paris. If you didn't already know it: I love Paris. It may be cliche, but it's true. There's so much about that city I love...the language, shops, people, sights, crowds, sounds, smells, of course the metro...

So, we arrive on November 11th (way back in 2005), and after eating sushi for lunch (I'm proud of myself for building up the courage to eat Asian in Europe again after the mishap of New Year's dinner last year - year of the Rooster...should have been even better because it was my year) I took some time to wander down the Champs-Elysees.
Everytime I visited the city last year, Louis Vuitton was under construction. I don't know if this was just because it was open again, of it it's a normal thing, but there was a line up to get in the darn store. Laugh all you want, but I wanted to know what the big deal was, so I joined the line. Once inside (the line did move rather quickly) I was in a little bit of shock. Sure, I've been in LV before, but this is the megastore, so forgive me if I was a little bit overwhelmed with all of the choices. I made my way through the tourists splurging and rode the escalator up to the second floor. There were some beautiful shoes, but I have to say that most of the clothing isn't really for me. After walking around the whole store, I have decided that the LV monogram (and most of its designs) are a little too tacky for me. I would much rather pay for Hermes. Speaking of Hermes, I forgot to say that before LV, I took a detour to Hermes. FABulous. I went there to try to look for that hat that I saw in Monaco (strangely enough, I couldn't find it) and even though there was no line up to get into the store, it was pretty packed on the inside. It was plenty pretentious inside, and the clientele was a lot more up-itty, but for good reason. Now that stuff is nice. LV just seems so tacky to me
now (HA! Listen to me trying to sound like it's all beneath me or something). So yeah, now I'm thinking that if I invest in something, it'll be from Hermes. I know I can't have a Birkin Bag, but there were a lot of other things there that I wouldn't mind looking into. Plus the combination of orange and brown is go much better than gold and brown. Whatever.
After seeing all of the necessities (even though I've seen them all before), you know: Sacre-Coeur, Tour Eiffel (it sparkles!!!), Le Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Bateau Mouches, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe I had to return to the Cafe Deux Moulins. Yuppers. Happy thoughts...


Taken from the "tabac counter"...which actually doesn't exist.





The glass that she writes on actually doesn't exist either.




Anyway, I already know that I'll be back to Paris before the summer again. Just walking around that city rejuvenates me.
I also got a haircut while I was there. Strangely enough, during my time in Europe, I haven't gotten a haircut in Neuch. Right before arriving, I chopped off my hair (very short - different and not horrible, but a little boring) and let it grow out until the end of the year (don't forget, I think of years ending in June, not December) when I went to Paris, and decided to splurge and cut my hair. Like, really really splurge. He ended up cutting my hair just like how they usually do it. Layered to frame my face and blowdried to perfection. Too bad I don't know how to blow dry my own hair, and I don't have a curling iron here to cheat. So when straight, it looks pretty much like nothing. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that while in Europe, seems like I end up going to Paris to get my hair done. (Kind of like going to Milan for shopping - ridiculous.) This time around, I spent a lot less money, and ended up with a cut that I really liked! I emphasized my need for something that looks good without any product or styling, and he actually listened! Finally! Months later, I'm still happy with the way it has grown out. I thought about going back to the same place when I go back again, but I'm thinking that if I go back to Toronto sometime, I might just wait until then and try the Vidal Sassoon school. I've heard interesting things (it's just hair...I'm not too picky). Who knows though. I might go back to the same place in Paris or try a new one!
What else different did I experience in Paris? Nothing that stands out (at least right now) it seems. I hit up all the shops that I really wanted to visit, did all of the things that I was waiting to do...and rode the metro lots and lots.
Paris is definitely my favorite getaway. It's like going back to Toronto for a weekend while I was in Kingston. Something familiar and metropolitan just for a little while. A breath of fresh air.

After Paris...flying to Berlin (another new experience)...

The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

Another small and easy book to read, the blurb on the back of the book really didn't make me want to read this book (part of the reason why I find it hard to just pick up a book and read it - the blurbs never sound interesting), but many people had mentioned that this was a good book that I might enjoy, so one day, on the train, after having it sit in my bag for a good two months, I decided to finally give it a chance.
It wasn't too bad I suppose. At one point when I had nothing better to do with my time, I was actually quite happy to pick the book back up again and try to read as much of it as possible.
The story is about a little girl who is yearning to find out the truth about how her mother died. She has a tense relationship with her father, and after witnessing a heated exchange between her black nanny (the book is set in South Carolina in 1964 around the time the Civil Rights Act was signed) and a group of racist white men she runs away from home and spends the rest of the book with her nanny and some new characters in a completely different town and a different way of life.
I have to admit that I skimmed through certain parts of the book (but I think for almost all books, there'll be a part that my attention span sort of disappears and I just need to do it), but as a whole I really enjoyed the different ideas and characters that were presented in the book.
It had some serious issues, but as a whole, it was quite light and didn't make me feel depressed in any way. There aren't any surprises in the plot and I was happy with the way it ended. Everything made sense and carried out how they felt like they should have.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a simple, quick, positive read.

-picture courtesy of www.chapters.indigo.ca

What the heck?

So the Torino2006 organizing committee says that you can't resell your tickets even if you're not looking to make any money. Fine.
Then what the heck is this?!?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

Just a couple more days!

Olympics start on Friday! I'll be watching the opening ceremonies (hopefully I won't fall asleep in the mniddle of them - I'll take a nap during the athelete's parade probably) on the telly in convenient European time. (North Americans, are they showing it live in the middle of the day?)
Anyway, keep your eyes peeled for me sitting in the stands in total happiness during the figure skating events (you can ask me personally which ones specifically - you never know who's reading this). I'll be in section 210. No idea what that means, but I'm hoping that row 1 might mean that I'm right beside the boards! Too bad I don't have some extravagantly coloured coat to help me stand out, but I'm planning on wearing my red scarf instead of my black one to add some colour. I'm not planning to do any flag or sign waving to attract attention, but let me know if I make an appearance on international TV anyway!

Ha ha ha ha ha...

I am now the proud owner of big, bad, marshmallowy, shiny, black Moon Boots. I'm such a dork!
They have a story behind them of course. I wouldn't go out and buy such a thing without one! (Remind me to tell it to you in person...it's much more enjoyable!)

Prix de Lausanne and Zermatt trip 2006

Just like last year, I took a trip to Zermatt and tacked onto the beginning of it was the Prix de Lausanne.

The Prix was great (of course) and we had a Canadian make the finals which was nice. She had done really really well in the qualifying rounds and even did quite well in the Semis and I think she didn't do too badly in the finals, just that some of the other dancers really stepped it up and took advantage of their last opportunities to shine under the spotlight.
We didn't have any Canadians on the jury this year, but during the finals, I was sitting in the row just behind the section where all the "distinguished guests" were seated. So Karen Kain (jury member from last year) was there, along with a whole bunch of other really great dancers that I'm sure I would recognize their names, but unfortunately I couldn't not recognize their aged faces and fully clothed bodies.
One of my favorite parts of the Prix is the class on stage just before the finals. You really see the dancer's technique even in the simplest things. Amazing turnout, extension and arches galore!
I was a little disappointed that this year they got rid of the free variation and incorporated a second classical variation. It was neat to see the variety of pieces that the dancers brought to the competition, even though I can understand that it would be very difficult to judge.
Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the competition once again. It was a weekend to feel fat (only because I was surrounded by extremely thin dancers), old (lots of young dancers) and incredibly pigeon toed. Oh well. Can't win them all.

On to Zermatt. This week is fantastic. You can't go wrong when you're given the opportunity to go skiing in the alps. This time, I rented short skis for the week (no poles) and can a blast with them! They're lighter, you don't have to worry about carrying poles around and they're so much more fun! It really does make a difference...not skiing, but when you have to carry them while traveling 1h30m to get to the top of the mountain!
I went skiing in Italy twice (better food...cheaper too!) and stayed in Switzerland the rest of the time. I was pretty sore the second day, but continued to stretch well (and take really hot showers) and lasted the whole week without needing to take a break. I was pretty impressed with myself!
I finally found the spots where they take pics of you with the St. Bernard dogs and the Matterhorn in the background. Of course I got my picture taken, and of course I spent the rip-off price to buy them. They're cheesy and I love it!

So this is the town of Zermatt itself. Taken from the slopes...it really shows you how high up we went! This sure isn't Mount St. Louis Moonstone!


There was one day that we were skating on an outdoor rink. It was such an incredible feeling, doing something that I love, enjoying the moment and watching the sun set behind the matterhorn. I really wanted to take a picture of it to capture the moment, but couldn't bring myself to get of the ice and get my camera. I hope my memory will "last a lifetime". We kept skating until the moon came out and watched it travel across the night sky from one side of the matterhorn to the other. I didn't try any double loops or combinations, but in the altitude, wind, darkness (my eyesight's really going) and rutty ice, I landed everything else. I didn't want it to end. I was so happy.
On the last day, wanting to do something different (last year, I went paragliding), I decided to go ice climbing. The picture says it all. You're scaling a frozen waterfall. It was my first time trying it, and I've only ever rock climbed once before, so I was relying on my arms more than I should have. My muscles are still a little sore. But it's a good sore. I don't like going to the gym, but I love feeling sore after a good workout. I would highly recommend ice climbing to anyone who has a chance to try it. I still don't understand why people were surprised I wasn't scared about it though.

It was a great series of events that I would only even be able to do right here and now. It's incredible what I've been able to see and do recently, that's for sure. It was a great week to stand with perfect posture and push my body to feel some pain that it hasn't felt before.

Lindt Peach Apricot Milk Chocolate

Recently, I tried a Lindt chocolate bar, described on the wrapper as "milk chocolate with a peach apricot yoghurt filling".
It wasn't bad. I think a creamy fruit filling lends itself to a fresh, summertime bar, but if you enjoy chocolate and peach and the combination of the two, you might enjoy this chocolate bar at any time of year.
It was a little sweet, but most cream filled bars are.
If you're looking for a chocolate bar that's just a little different, this one could be a good pick!

Countdown to Torino

This past weekend, I went to Italy to prepare myself for the Olympic Games. Due to the travelling that going to the games will entail (for my specific situation), I thought it would be best if I visited the city first to get an idea of what the town was like, how to get to various places and in general, familiarize myself with what would be happening in 18 (!!!!!!!!!!!) days.
I had my first couchette experience. I didn't really know what to expect out of it, but as I walked beside the train toward my car, I saw youngish people laying on beds, drinking booze and making lots of noise. That creeped me out. When I entered the car, it looked like any other Italian more-sketchy-than-Switzerland 6 person car, except near the top of the car there were two beds. I said hello to the three gentlemen who were already chatting up a storm in the same car as me and skeptically sat down, unsure how the night would unfold...and how four more beds would magically appear. A would soon find out that the bench seats (2 total, three people on each, each set facing each other) were two beds and that their back rests would fold up and rest on latches to create two more. I was to wedge myself into the middle bed on one side. They were close enough that I could not sit up on my bed. There was a ladder if it was needed and sheets, a blanket, pillow and fizzy water were also provided. We all settled into our beds and since I wasn't the last stop on the ride, I was a little concerned about falling asleep and not waking up in time. The conductor also had my ticket and passport, so I would be able to leave without seeing him again. I ended up taking little naps throughout the night. I woke up every time the train came to a stop and would look at my watch to see where we were on the itinerary. I also woke up to a lot of loud snoring. Half an hour before my scheduled stop, we arrived at an unknown location (I couldn't see any signs) and left again 15 minutes later. I lay back down, keeping my eyes open waiting guessing that the next stop would be mine. The next time I opened my eyes, it was 15 minutes after my scheduled stop, and I was ready to freak out. I paced around the car, unsure what to do (knowing full well that there was nothing I could do if I had missed my stop), but almost sure that I didn't sleep through any other stops and knowing that a train wouldn't leave a station early. Finally, after sufficient freaking out and running into a passenger who could speak English (multiple language skills shut down when one is extremely tired) we found a conductor who told us that we were running late (it was pretty snowy outside). An hour and fifteen minutes late to be exact. I should have known as much - I'm too used to the perfect Swiss train system...nothing against the Italians, but you know... - so I ended up staying awake the rest of the time, getting a boxed breakfast (also included) and preparing myself to miss my next train. I get off in Verona at some ridiculous hour and luckily don't have to wait very long for another train. My final destination that morning is Milan.
Yes, Milan. Yes, the Olympics are in Torino. Let me explain.
I decided that I needed a little "break" from it all and decided that I wanted to spend a morning shopping in Milan. Isn't this crazy? I decided to "go shopping in Milan", just cause. My life is ridiculous.
So I wandered Milan (sadly, no purchases) and then after grilling Trentitalia with questions regarding their fares and schedules I proceeded to train to Torino. It was now the middle of the day and my tiredness hit. I planned it well. Might as well be tired while sitting on a train for an hour and a half.
Upon arrival to Torino Porta Susa, I am faced with huge sculptures of Neve and Gliz and a bunch of construction. I would soon realize that the city is still undergoing a lot of construction to prepare itself for the games. Most of the construction is just setting up little things, but there are some other things that don't look like it would be finished in time. Who knows though? I guess I'll find out in a little while.
I would say that all of the sporting venues are under construction (just little things on the outside) as are housing and hosting areas and presentation/large public events areas.
One construction site was for the Live NBC Today Show stage. I don't understand Italian, but all the people who were standing near me reading the sign sounded like they didn't know what it was. It'll be neat to see though.
I can't even imagine what the place will be like once the games begin. Even before that. The hotel I stayed at said that they were fully booked even a week leading into the games. The city and its people were definitely excited for what would be happening soon.
I'm really excited for it. Every young athlete dreams of going to the Olympics, and while that idea disappeared from my mind quite soon after it arrived (at least as an athlete - I'm still working on other ways to get there, not including as a spectator) I'm so excited to go and experience it for myself. I hope everything is as fantastic (if not better) than I imagine it to be. I hope everything works out the way I see it, because if you know anything about me, I definitely have had a master plan for quite some time now.
Whatever. Eitherway, it'll be (another) once in a lifetime experience (although, I won't rule out the fact that I won't get to the Olympics again) which I'm sure I will learn a lot from.

WHEEEEEEE!!!

--picture courtesy of www.torino2006.org

WAHOOO!!!!!

Only about 15 minutes ago did I give my signature to a deliver man (with a British accent - interesting) in exchange for...my OLYMPIC TICKETS!!!!

AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

22 days left before they start!!!

I'll be going to watch figure skating (obviously), but I'm not at liberty to say which events (for those of you in the know, the stress levels are still high, but it's being dealt with). Oh and I'll be watching some hockey game (Canada vs. Switzerland) too...but of course that's not too important.

************

Segue...
Last night, at the rink, I re-realised that I need to be really patient on the take-off of double loops for them to work out. This would explain why this is the only jump in my arsenal that never became consistent. Patience is for suckers.

Fruitisms

So, moving to Switzerland HAS changed me. I now eat kiwi like apples (bite into them, including the skin - but only if they're really ripe) and peel and eat grapefruit like oranges. It's not because I saw Swiss people doing it, I just decided to start. Strange, I know.