Sunday stroll in Gastein

Gastein Valley View

A Sunday stroll.Sunny Sundays are busy on the slopes here. In addition to the holidaymakers staying in the village we get the locals, weekenders and day-skiers from Southern Germany. So we put the walking boots on today. It really is amazing the difference when you leave the main skiing area and take a winter wander path. Our walk today started at the middle station and we walked up alongside the piste for 10 minutes keeping a watchful eye out for any errant skiers or, more likely, snow boarders. On past the Aeroplanstube which at 11:30 was already surrounded by abandoned skiis and their owners nursing their coffees and beers. Then we turned off up a good track through the pines and it was like hitting the mute button, only our crunchy footfalls could be heard. Good views of the valley followed as we turned downhill back towards home about 2 hours away. After the forest, the walk took us past alpine huts, farms, then under the railway and into the village. Just the time for hot soup and a snooze!

Washing day in the Apartment

Oh, the joys of apartment living!

What no washing machine in the appartment?

It means a return to......... the Laundromat!

But, not to worry, there is one in the building and its only downstairs in the basement.

We share, with the other residents of our block, a washer, tumble dryer and drying room.

Mind you, its not easy to understand the Austrian washing machine settings in the Waschkuche.
The machine is probably a bit old and there are several dials on the front.

The Korchwasche setting does not rate a dictionary entry but, when you say it out loud, it sounds very, very hot so we reckon thats the shrink and burn setting. Buntwasche sounds a lot friendlier and kinder so we go for that. We most definitely avoid Pflegeieichet as we don't want any spitting on our clothes! On the dryer, Mangelfeucht is, we are certain, a special setting to tangle up and ruin the clothes. Our taste is for Normaltrocken which makes the clothes a nice dry white, perhaps with a touch of acidity!

So, its down to the basement on a regular basis for TW with all the dirty washing.

No big problem you'd think, however.....

Bother, the washers already in use. Can't leave dirty washing down there ...... need to bring it back up and try again later.

Maybe someones already been there before us but gone skiing and left sodden washing in the machine?

That brings the biggest dilemma, to empty it or leave it?

Sorting through someone else's damp smalls isn't a popular task but Jacqui is a desperate and determined woman when it comes to washing. The Ariel must get through and out of the washer come the extremes of European undergarmentry from dental floss thongs to furry long johns. In their place go the good respectable British M & S pants. She is a bit selective on what goes in, a favoured pair of his lucky pants won't be included just in case someone else takes them out. “But we won the cup when I wore those”. And of course, only the best labels get hung in the drying room. “But they won't know who they belong to, they'll think my GEORGE wardrobe is pretty classy”.

“What when they are from Adsa!” she'll sniff.

The drying room is the size of a small lounge crossed with lines. If called upon to assist in the hanging up process its vitally important in, TW's eyes, to peg our stuff away from others. I suppose just in case some foreign body that has survived a Korchwasche will jump across.
Anything that looks like a freshly laundered bath or toilet mat must be subject to a definite exclusion order.

Of course, the ultimate fear is to meet one of the other residents down there. What is German for “they are not mine I'm washing them for a friend” or “crikey, do you really wear those, must be uncomfortable”. I tell TW she really needs to develop some 'smalls talk' for these occasions.

Falling in the freezer in Sportgastein

TW in the groove

At 1600m, Sportgastein guarantees good snow. On a crystal clear and sunny morning the network of cross-country routes are the place to be. It takes about an hour on the bus to get up here from home. Being a novice, the dilemma was what to wear. When I ski downhill I know how many layers are required. On cross-country you get hot pretty quickly so settled for just a couple of layers and left a jacket in the restaurant. It was about minus 12 but soon warmed up, puffing along behind TW in the thin air. We went on my first Black loop, only for experienced skiers! It was the first time she had done this loop as well and it has some significant downhill stretches. You see on the photos that we ski in prepared tracks so, when it gets steep, its like being a scalextric car. Imagine yourself, feet together, careering a down slope with a bend at the bottom coming up fast . Its just a bit hairy! Of course you would expect Jacqui, being the expert, to go down first. Not a bit of it, Bob you go down first, you are the guinea pig. Managed to survive and enjoyed it. Sometimes I think I have the keys to a natural Disneyland out here. The loops took about 90 minutes and the temperature was comfortable all the time. We left the skiis and walked to the Nassfeld Alm, about 2km away, a nice warm hut for some lamb soup and a beer. While we were in there, the sun went down behind the surrounding mountains and it was as though we had fallen in the freezer cabinet. Only the teeth were chattering as we jogged back to the bus stop. So full marks for the cross-country skiiing but a deep zero to the winter jog at a mile high. Soon warmed up though.

Nassfeld Alm Hot Soup

Skiers Diary - One day in the life in Bad Hofgastein

Smart corduroy

Thursday 14^th January 2010

Wake up without an alarm as light starts to show through the Velux windows in the ceiling. Up at 7:15, get the kettle going then head for the shower. Porridge gulped down, then bread and honey washed down with Costa Rica. To the ski room, squeeze on the boots, pick up the ski's and head for the bus, must catch the 8:24 and it won't be late. Buses here are never late. Eight minutes by bus and foot to the first stage of the lift going to middle station, a funicular train that carries 100. Its pretty full this morning. Must be racing on the Haitzingalm piste as many lads riding up with back-packs and fast ski's. Get near the front to make sure I can get on the second stage, a cable car that only takes 80 and there could be other joiners. A display tells me I'm the 77^th to get on board. Phew, just made it!

Tighten the boots and fit the planks at the top.
On the piste by nine, the runs still dressed in fine corduroy after their overnight bashing.

Take that first intake of fresh mountain air!

Its about minus 10 under a bright blue sky, head for the Weitmoser 6 man chairlift with its heated seats. At the top, take the Hohe Scharte double chair lift up to 2,300m. Practice my turns on the run back to Weitmoser. Up again to the top then drop over the back on the Nord Abfahrt back to middle station. About 10km, did a oncer, no stops, don't see another skier until I get to the next lift.



Lunch at the Felding Hutte in Angertal

Up on the Haitzingalm double chair to where the boy racers are. Course is set for a Giant Slalom starting at 10am. Take a few circuits using the Sonnleiten 4 man chair then ski to the safety net to watch the racing. Its of a high standard as there is an Austrian ski academy in the valley. Then take a slow 4 man chair over the top of the race. Share the ride with two Russian ladies who talk, or bitch, incessantly to each other in a harsh fish-wifey way. Rang TW to arrange a meet and headed towards Stubnerkogel for a loo stop and email check. Just one short drag then another oncer down the 7km to Angertal. Uplift on the Senderbahn 8 person gondola. Good news, the email we needed has arrived. Another oncer down the red and black to Angertal. Not busy but a few people to avoid. Meet TW who is honing her skills on the drag lift at the bottom, do a couple of circuits with her and arrange to meet again later at the Felding Hutte for lunch. Do some favourite runs on Stubnerkogel, The snow is hard-packed as we haven't had significant new snow since just after Xmas - so its pretty slick. Time to head for late lunch so up on the Kaserebenbahn 8 man gondola, talk to a young Austrian Lady. She works in the bakery in Bad Hofgastein. Works 4 days on and 3 off (skiing). Starts at 5:30 in the morning to get the bread going and finishes at round 6 pm. Didn't ask if there were any vacancies. Make the hut for lunch; we sit outside in the January sun with two friends from Guildford. 'Wurst mit pommes' (Sausage and Chips) and a large beer, lovely. Time to head home, ski back with one of our friends via the North Abfahrt down to Bad Hofgastein. Its about 3pm so quite busy with other folks heading home.. Need to stop to avoid collisions with ski schools and pesky snow-boarders. Made it to the bottom and a dust-buster in the Berglift with TW and friends. Bus to home then set off to a distant shop, about 2km walk each way, for a nut strudel. Oh, and Billa Supermarket on the way back for the non-essentials like meat and veggies for dinner!

Just another day in Gastein.

Look back at Anger - cross-country in the trees

 Cross-country

My retirement gift was spent on boots and ski's for cross-country skiing. There are good deals to behad on little-used ex-rental equipment.TW is an expert so she took me to the Anger Valley for lessons. (Anger has nothing at all to do with being grumpy). The Angertal is a great area for Langlauf. There are several loops through the forest and its pretty quiet.
We can jump on the free ski bus up to around 1300m.

Picture the scene, a wooded walley with a track alongside a babbling stream and yours truly puffing along behind. Only fell over three times. The snow was soft though! I think I could enjoy this.

Gasteiner Perchtenlauf 2010

The streets of Bad Hofgastein hosted an amazing procession this week. It happens every four years. To be honest, I expected a very sombre and worthy religious style procession. Should have known better! The main body of the procession was made up of men with elaborate and mostly ornamental and flowery head dresses that weigh up to 50 Kilos. Its not every day you see a chap walking along with a goat on his head, or half a stag. It's quite a feat of endurance as they carry them right along the valley. Every few minutes they do a twirl and bow to the crowd. They each need an assistant, a traditionally dressed 'female' to help them lift the head display. Women are not allowed to be part of the procession so these ladies in waiting are not pretty! The procession has been passing this way since the 12th century and there are all sorts of characters from King Herod to Krampus. To give you a flavour, there was a chimney sweep who's task was to climb up on the roofs alongside the procession and shovel snow from the roofs onto the spectators. A guy with a false nose was stealing peoples hats. Monsters are on hand to chase and frighten the children. There were bears, clowns, Roman centurions, singers. Just a normal crowd in the High Street! It's all supposed to bring good luck and good health so I am all for it. It would take a few more centuries to know fully what was going on but everyone enjoyed themselves.

Snowboard Worldcup in Bad Gastein

 

TW went along to the Snowboard World cup in Bad Gastein. Snowboarding is not something to be encouraged of course and the crowd was pretty small. It looked pretty spectacular though, four boarders racing together down a narrow course does take some bottle.