Rainy Ski Week-end in Germany

Knowing that our ski days are numbered (what with February rolling into March and -9 becoming somewhat alarmingly +9), we are cramming in as much ski time as humanly possible. This week-end after viewing the webcams and confirming that there is infact still snow on the mountains, we decided to head back to our traditional haunt - Arber.

During the night, the sound of very wet precipitation started to cause some alarm about the feasibily of actually skiing the following day and waking up, we confirmed our fears... it was raining cats and nearly dogs. There was the occassional snow flake in the flurry and then an attempt at something more solid when it showered down inches of hail stones. We decided to lay low for the morning, updating blogs while the girls caught up on some German lessons. I am sure that if they were to have watched as many cartoons in Czech as they have in German that their grasp of the czech language would be far more advanced...

We eventually managed to persuade to girls to leave the warmth and comfort of the TV and head for the blustery outdoors with the allure that lunch is only available outside of the apartment. We had planned to take a drive past Arber ski area to see what was happening, and then to drive through the forrests and generally just explore somewhere new. After looking at options on the GPS, we headed course for Deggendorf.

This was also the week-end that the world cup ski race was planned for Arber, so there were slopes all nicely marked out and TV cameras and vans all about, but no actual skiing on the go. The slopes were all looking decidedly slushy.

There was still much attention being paid to the race course - probably the disaster recovery team eventually consoling themselves to the fact that this was a non-recoverable disaster. I am sure that the snow groomers and cannons will be working this evening to try to recover for skiing tomorrow.

Driving through the forrest, the whole mountain was becoming one big waterfall. There were rivers cascading down every hill and all the rivers below were in full flood.
Not far from Arber, we came across a beautiful lake. I had seen it on the maps before, but we had never ventured this way. I was somewhat sad that we had never been this side of the mountain previously as I could very easily see myself skating up a veritable storm here (on a somewhat more frozen verion of the lake).

Seeing the melting layer of ice sheets, it reminded me of Ice Age 2 and I almost expected to see some giant prehistoric creature swim under the shallow ice..
Next stop was Deggendorf. The hunger mites were growling from the back seat of the car, so lunch was more of a priority than siteseeing at this stage. Nevertheless, we got a good stroll through the town square before finding a suitable restaurant.
And had enough time to pick the flowers en-route

After lunch, I couldn't help but point out the sign below to Colin, who promptly whipped out his camera:
Saturday evening, while still blustery, the rain had subsided long enough for our 2 adventurers to hit the great outdoors.
We all went to bed full of expectation for a sub zero night and zero precipitation for the next day. Unfortunately our prayers were not answered and we woke up to an equally sopping day as before. Today we decided to visit the glass factory in Bodenmais, the neighboring town to Arber. We were in luck to have the girls try their hand at glass blowing once more. Sarah has repeatedly asked for us to visit the glass factories with her fond memories of her previous glass blowing experience (Sarah the Glassblower, April 2007). This time, Amber got to have a turn as well. The results of their blowings were beautiful plant watering balls.
Sarah also having a turn:
So, you fill them with water, stick them into the pot, and then they slowly feed the plant with water as the soil dries up. This very gladly replaced the wonderful invention of Colin's, which was an old milk bottle that was filled with water and turned upside down in the pot...
Aparently it is supposed to get cold again this week and slip below zero again by the week-end - here's holding thumbs!!!

30th Dec - Tour Day 3

Sunday dawns, and it's off to the slopes for 3/4 of the Marais. We have to get Amber to a hospital for her required check-up before we get further away, and Mandy will be coming along for the ride.

It snowed last night, so there are a good few inches of fresh powder all about. Before we can leave the hotel, the kids are already up to all kinds of stuff in the snow..

Mandy - air guitar version of "Hotel California"...

'Teeeenhun! The troops lined up for inspection

The kids are out spotting buck foot prints in the new snow.

We dropped Michael, Mish and Pierre at the slopes and set off. Michael is in the capable hands of Miro (Miroslav) for his lessons today.

Man... at this time of year, the skiing is great - if you can get to the lift!

Hayley, by a stroke of inspiration thought of going to a closer hospital rather than trekking all the way back to Plzen. Long story short, we stopped in one of the larger towns, found the nearest hospital thanks to TomTom, and again by the synchronicity that goes before us wherever we go, were able to get to see the required people, get the required stuff done and were set for the rest of the holiday.

In the CR, if you want to see a physician, you wait outside a closed door until it opens. Understand, there is no receptionist, there are NO receptionists ANYWHERE, in any institution. So, frequently one doesn't know if one is even in the correct place at all. The sister appears like the angel who stirs the healing waters, all aglow with authority, people, especially the ones who arrived since her last appearance, all rush up or call to her and tell her what they want / need etc, she issues directives, takes documentation, and then summarily disappears again behind the closed door. We have never found a sister who can speak a word of English, so we are typically at a loss where we start, not able to get past the angel at the door. In a moment of boldness, I asked a particularly studious looking gentleman, reading a book, on one of the chairs that line the corridor that is also the waiting room, in my best Czech "Prosim Vas... Mulvite Anglicky..?" when he answered "Yes" I knew we had hit the jackpot, he immediately sprang to our aid, relayed to the heavenly sister what we needed doing, and once she knew that she couldn't speak to us she somehow seemed to soften and accommodate. 1, 2, 3, we're in, see the man, do the photo, some more plaster on the cast, a little documentation and in a flash we're out of the hospital on our way to pick up the skiing Marais and set off for Rothenberg ob der Tauber.

Michael had been skiing for most of the day with mom and dad, apparently like a pro, doing the family blue slope on his own and really taking to the snow. Mandy, with us, had been the model citizen and had preferred to come to the hospital because skiing "Takes too long." A comment we've often had from our 2, not about skiing you understand, but just about anything else - "Sarah, put on your shoes!" (for the 5th time). "Dad I can't! - It takes too long...".

After a late lunch / supper at the restaurant on the slope we bundled into the van and began the drive to our guest house, a restored mill, in Rothenberg o.d.T.

Our diggs tonight are at Pension Fuchsmühle. This guest house is really first class, everything seems like it is new, spacious accommodation and nice services, stocked fridge downstairs, coffee machine etc.

Amber bathing in her bag

"Look ma... a broken hand!"

Bed time for little people, some of whom will be sleeping in a genuine camping cot for the first time in 5 years... The kids room only had 2 regular beds, the other two sleeping spots are in camp cots! At first there was rebellion, no one wanted to sleep like a baby, until the parents spun it into a cool thing to do. Then of course, you have the job of mopping up all the broken hearts and tears for those who can't sleep in the "cool" camp cots... you can never win.

Pierre (the legend) captivating babies with his stories of somewho's doing somehow some daring doo's... and kids enthralled. I think this was the case of the escaped hamsters.

Click here for the previous day - 29th Dec

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29th Dec - Tour Day 2

Let the skiing begin. After the usual 2 hour mobilisation phase of getting families out the door we got to the slope at about 10:30. With Michelle and Pierre itching to get some snow under their ski's, Hayley and I tried to get some of the basics taught to Michael and Mandy before their lesson began at 12:00.

Mandy, in the reverse snow-plough position - the first requirement for becoming a snow-inspector.

Michael is not interested in being taught basics, he wants to do the complex stuff off the bat, and do not attempt anything without poles! You gotta have the look even at the expense of learning. Within 5 minutes, he is telling me how he likes to ski (from his years of experience) and I'm taking notes.

Mandy is another story, she's in the kit, ski's on feet, either Hayley or I are kneeling in front of her talking about what we are about to do. Mandy is staring blissfully into the middle distance, dreaming of something... not within the vicinity of her senses and it takes touching her, or calling "Mandy... Mandeeeeee!" to get her to return to her body...

Nevertheless, the time passes quickly, Michcat and Pierre return, we have a quick lunch,

then its lesson time for Michael and Mandy, and off the 6 of us go to ski while the instructors get to deal with the budding professionals.

A stunning day is had by all and there is lots of good tiredness by the time we are forced to quit by the closing of the lifts.

Click here for the previous day - 28th Dec

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28th Dec - Tour Day 1

Today is the day we officially set off for the trip. By a team effort and some superior three-dimensional packing, Pierre and I manage to fit a few metric tonnes of clobber, 8 sets of skis, ski boots, toys, and a myriad of other odds and ends into a VW transporter. Man, we used every available inch of space in that bus...

The Volksie in front of Zelený Dům ("Green House" our affectionate name for our home):

Loaded to the brim off we set for a ski warm-up session at our now regular weekend ski haunt in Arber. It has a nice selection of runs, with some really good stuff for families. By the time we got to booking the accommodation for Arber, typically in the nearby town of Bayerisch Eisenstein, there was none to be had, peak season, holidays and all. So we had to sleep in Železná Ruda a town about 3 Kms from the border, so almost no inconvenience.

The drive to DE is filled with snowy scenes and there is happiness all around

If anyone knows what these wooden thingimys are around this field please let me know - we can only speculate about snow barriers and other unlikely stories.

Yes sir, she is chilly out there

Snow on the roads, heavy van, slow driving... not that the scenery had anything to do with it!

Only arriving in Železná Ruda after 3pm, we found our hotel, up on an hill with a driveway of ice and snow, in a van with 8 people and tons of luggage... well, it's a good thing we had winter tyres on or we'd have had to walk to the hotel. The first slow approach failed horribly, and after reversing down a slippery hill... The second running attempt at the hill got us up and parked.

This is the great Hotel Dix...

With all the snow about, the 4 kids were already eating, throwing, stomping, rolling and sleighing on a little slope in the garden of Hotel Dix having a great time.

Everyone in their new snow kit...

A frozen pond to walk on, complete with a fake frozen stork.

A winter-proof Mandy steams down the slope

The broken arm, not allowed to get the plaster wet cautiously approaches the scene

Cute kid!

As soon as we'd unpacked we headed off to the ski area to see if we could get passes and things for the next day, but got there only after they close at 4. Still, the kids had enough time to sleigh for about an hour before it was time to get back for supper.

Dinner was at another regular spot of ours in Bayerisch Eisenstein - Poeschl-Stuben. If you're in the area, you should stop over, big menu, friendly staff and frequently attended by owner Jurgen, who is a really helpful guy. He also owns one of the better local ski kit shops, a hotel, ski school and other businesses in the area.

Pierre capturing some night scenes of BE from just outside the restaurant.

The hotel was functional, skimpy on the heating at night though - if you go to Hotel Dix in CZ, just take warm jammies to sleep in - we had the kids sleep in their ski thermals and pyjamas to keep them warm enough.

 

Click here for the previous day - 27th Dec

Click here for the next day - 29th Dec

Visiting Beyerisch Eisenstein and Grosser Arber again

After discovering Grosser Arber (Große Arber) just outside Beyerisch Eisenstein (10km from the Czech border), it is unlikely that we will stop in Špičák and not go the extra 40kms to Germany. What a difference! Anyway, so we made a second week-end of it and again had an absolute ball! The girls getting more confident on their skis now came down the family slope with us every time. We even ventured off-piste and skiid along a little forrest path alonside the main piste, the video of which was promptly e-mailed to the Marais as a little taste-teezing-mouth-wetting appertizer for what was to come for them. It was much colder this week-end with all the trees covered in snow... Check out some of the photos: