The Woods: Skiing at Špičák (pronounced Shpiechak)

It was really touch and go for a while as to whether we would actually get to Špičák or not! Have you ever tried to make an accommodation booking where neither parties can understand each other? We tried the e-mail thing first, but never received a reply. Eventually, I scanned through my limited knowledge of Czech and the dictionary and worked out all the correct words to say. The only problem with this is that he could now understand me, but I had no clue what he was saying back! Fortunately, a Czech colleague saved the day and phoned through for a reservation for us on Friday morning.

The next challenge was finding our accommodation when we got off the train (after forgetting our map at home and the resort's contact details!). Every one we asked "Kde je Penzion Barta?" (Where is Penzion Barta?) just returned the conversation with a blank look and a long string of Czech words, which we kind of figured meant that they had no clue.

After trudging up the street and only finding ski slopes and ski lifts, we then turned around and trudged back down the street, to find a big tourist map just metres from the train station where we had disembarked a good 40 minutes earlier with "penzion barta" very clearly shown on the map and was infact about 5 metres as the crow flies across the snow, but about 50 metres around the corner by road (Satellite image link here, just imagine it covered in snow).

By this time, we were thanking our sanity of sleeping those extra 2 hours in the morning and not trying to catch the 5am train but the 7.30 train as there was a high level of crankiness in the 2 littlies already. We then blazed forward, swapping jeans for ski kit and headed back up the street to find out how the whole ski thing actually works. With ill fitting, hired ski boots and skis in hand, we had about 1 hour to kill before we all (yes, all 4) had our first ski lesson at 12:15. We spent the time munching a pack of peanuts followed closely by chocolate and skidded and slipped our way around the base camp as there was very little snow and thick layers of ice everywhere.

Our ski instructor Jacob met us at 12:15 and we followed him for the few hundred metres to the kiddies slope with our ski boots feeling like lead; the skis on our shoulders (ours and the girls); ski poles (ours and the girls), while dragging A & S who all but believed the world was going to end if we didn't carry them too.

Fortunately, the novelty of putting on skis kicked in and the mood lightened significantly for the duration of the lesson (which was spent with Jacob just trying to keep A & S upright). Colin & I didn't get very much out of the lesson, but certainly enjoyed watching the antics of the 2 newest ski enthusiasts.

After the lesson, it took us close on 45 minutes to get back to the camp with the now very ratty tatty moods in tow.

We decided to hitch a lift on the local train shuttle to the next town - Železná Ruda (that housed the closest ATM) and have dinner while waiting for the return train.

It was stunning. This little town was incredibly picturesque and we were kicking ourselves for forgetting our camera. Sarah slept the whole while, first on Colin's shoulder while we walked through the town, then on her chair in the restaurant, then on the floor on our jackets in the restaurant, then on Colin's shoulder while walking back to the train. She woke up at the train station and perked up when we started feeding her the chicken schnitzel and smiley face potatoes from her supper.

Sunday morning we got smart. We left the 2 girls for their private 2 hour lesson and we hit the intermediate blue slope for a bit more action. It was great fun and I can claim to even have had a spectacular wipe-out! The weather was stunning with blue skies and the ski run was in the shade of the pine forest. The ski lift was the time killer though and limited our number of runs to about 3 or 4 before we had to go back to fetch the girls.

We had a lunch of pizza and sauer kraut soup and then we walked through the forests a bit alongside the ski runs. The girls were horsies (as usual).

After lunch, we took the girls back to the kiddies slope and in more sensible boots, ran around while they practiced staying upright on their skis. We managed to teach Amber the concept of the "snow plow" which was a momentous occasion; Sarah was just giggling and practicing the sideways-onto-bum maneuvere.

Tip: Chocolate and Jellies are a great mood lifter! Skis off, we had a great time playing in the snow - and as you can see - "The Woods were here!".

(The picture after of our bum prints in the snow has been censored!).
At about 4pm we headed off the snow, swapped ski pants for jeans and walked a bit through the town of Špičák before having dinner at the restaurant next to our pension.

Monday morning, with no ski instructors available to take the girls, we spent with all 4 of us on skis playing on the kids slope.

Colin & I took turns to ski with Sarah down the hill (her between our legs). After Amber had a turn between our legs and remembered her snow plow techniques, she then braved the slope on her own, following in my tracks. She was incredible to watch - snow plow position, bum in air with her poles paddling along side her in a chookoo train motion - very cute!!!

After a lunch of Bratwurst and Chips, we headed home to pack and wait for the train to take us home.