"Why do you think you here?"

It was a deal with myself. Neither flying is advised at the moment, nor skiing holidays. But I want to go somewhere. After all I've booked this week off, and I've been awaiting so long. I've traded one week in Val Thorens for one week in Paphos. Snow for sun. France for Cyprus.

That was relaxing and unwinding week. Even the fact that I had 5 euro in my purse and ATMs were not working due to some political and economical problems, did not change my attitude. I was calm as never. Going to sleep at 10 p.m. and waking up around 9 in the morning. I was not tempted at all by the all-inclusive cocktails and other alcoholic beverages or by night clubs and discos. Especially that they were full of oldies. Pensioners from  England, going there in the pre-season to get better prices.

 

Frankly speaking I did not care at all about all those people. I was having my time there running, walking, resting and reading. Once I've even impressed an old English couple by the fact that I was talking Polish on the phone and reading English. It did not seem right for them. That person is able to read in foreign language.

 

Port in Paphos. About 5km from our hotel. It was one of our everyday destination. Either walking or running.

It's some kind of fortress, build originally to protect the harbour.

It was kinda windy there

Lighthouse. It's my favourite sight on the island.

There was a dilapidated house in the city center (i.e. in Old Paphos) and it was under a surveillance.

Green Monday, is the first day of the Eastern Orthodox Christian. They celebrate is by having picnics along the seaside and flying kites.

On the way from the harbour to our hotel. It was hilaroius to see this photograph wallpaper.

Storm

Cyprus Witch.
We've found this broom under a palm and my guess is that it's dates palm. And usually there are dates at the end of this "stick"

 

I follow you deep sea baby

The lyrics in the title is one of the pieces from the DJ set that we got on the Snow DJ Week in Les Deux Alpes in France. CD was on all the time when we were in our apartment. Yes it got boring after some time but it was still on. It's on now as well. I'm trying to make myself better despite the fact that I'm sick in bed, in a hotel in Helsinki, taking antibiotics and really concerned about all my responsibilities and plans...

But coming back to that week in French Alps. There is not much to write except that we were skiing every day almost from the opening till the closure of the lifts (i.e. from 9 till 16), we've had every kind of weather: fog as thick as milk (causing collapsed even where you were standing still), sun, snow, wind and we were partying on the apres ski in the Pano Bar and in the evenings in Le Brasilien and The Smithy's Tavern.

View form the 3200 Bar, just at the foot of the glacier

Solitude of the off-piste skier

In the "tube"

At the glacier

I was focused on the whipped cream on my hot chocolate, just like a kid ;-)

Jump on the main street in Les Deux Alpes

Apres ski in Pano Bar with flat mates

Apres ski in Pano Bar with I say Mikey

Apres ski in Pano Bar

Apres ski in Pano Bar. We had exactly two days of such snow. It's also worth to mention that it was second half of April.

Raclette and fondue at Crepes a GoGo

Heavy and unhealthy, but soooo good

Bamboo bike

Off-piste day. We've rented proper skis and did some training in the fresh snow

It looks so easy when you observe people skiing in the powder, but once you start it on your own it becomes difficult. Here during the break in the middle of the slope.

One of the last rides on Friday

I won 3rd place in the Slalom, but frankly speaking it was very badly and amateurally organised event.

On the way back.
And now a riddle: my Sigg bottle has volume of 1 liter, what's the weight of Nutella jars?

Stomp my boots before I go back in

Typical Polish Christmas Tree decorated with everything. Not only with red or silver

We had tons of gifts under the Christmas Tree this year

Like three years ago (this took us some time to figure out how long ago it was) I’ve spent New Year’s Eve with my best friend and her new family in Switzerland. In fact three years ago they were her family in a different way than now, but that’s not that significant fact.

We’ve left Gliwice in the early (very early) morning on 27^th of December and took train to Warsaw. I went home to pack and complete some activities. She and Jonas had some tasks to do in the down town so we decided to meet at the airport.

Everything was going smooth until I went to pick up my skis from the service. It was about 40 minutes before I was planning to take a cab. I went there, relaxed, asked for my equipment and what did I see? My skis are not there. They have not picked it from the store where the servicing actually takes place (what a process by the way). Damn it! When I was giving them my skis about 2 weeks before I told when I need them back. The guy even wrote it down on the receipt that he gave me.

I’ve made them to bring the ski back, especially that I gave them also my new boots (Lange World Cup 120) that I wanted to try during this trip.  They told me to come back at 1.

I went there by cab on the way to the airport. Skis were there, they’ve managed to collect it and bring back. But in the mean time one of them mentioned that they were to be ready only for the 31^st which was bollocks. Even on that receipt I had 27^th written down.

We flew to Zurich where Dorota and Jonas had to repack. Next we took a train to Luzern and changed there to Schüpfheim. Here we were picked by Wilhard.

View from my room

My room ;-)

All together I had 5 days of skiing planned, but skied only 4. One day it was raining cats and dogs all day which is not the best weather for skiing. It can be snowing, it can be cold, it can be windy, but rain is definitely not what you want. Although the other 4 days were not perfect I had fun.

1^st day was fabulous: sun, perfect slopes, maybe just a little bit too many people, but I guess that Soerenberg is getting more and more popular even though it’s rather small and family dedicated area.

Also the other days were good and I did not mind when I had to go on my own as not everyone wanted to ski everyday and others were allowed to ski at all. Actually it was fun too. I was going where I wanted, having rests when I wanted (my new boots are great in terms of holding my leg very hard, but that causes some pain to my broad feet so I had to open them every time when I was reaching bottom of the slope and just rest sometimes in the cottage) and just doing what I wanted. It was like traveling on my own.

Even the day after that heavy rain was not very tragic at the slope. Snow was heavy and wet, but it was pretty much ok.

Almost every day after skiing I was going swimming (swimming pool access is included in the skipass) or running. That was very sporty time.

Maybe this in not the best picture, but the only that I have of the slopes. Day was not sunny enought for good picture with my monkey camera.

Lange World Cup 120 + Atomic SL9

On the chairlift

On one of the chairlifts there was stuffed aminal on each chair

For the NYE party we were invited to Rossweid Hutte. At first I was excited, as I’ve never been to the NYE Party in the cottage on the slope. And the event was interesting but now I’m not entirely sure if I’d like to do there again. Basically because I did not understand very well what the MC is saying (I can speak only German – and not even amazing and he was talking Swiss-German which is a mix of German and French and God knows what yet, so it’s obvious that it is not understood by me) and the Edelweiss Duo was playing only Swiss songs. When they were not playing the MC was singing Swiss songs to the background music played from the CD.

That was definitely mind widening night with a lot of good food, very few dances that I was dancing, attendants much older than myself. The night did not bring hang over and shadows under my eyes, not even any internal doubts. It was something new and original.

On the 1^st of Jan I had some time to ski (in that heavy after rain snow) and in the late afternoon we had to go back to Zurich. Last walk in Zurich, early night (at least it was supposed to be) and very early morning. I had to catch plane at 7.00a.m. to Warsaw, as in I had to repack and catch evening connection to Dubai via Munich.

I have to say here great ‘Thank You’ to Jonas who got up with me, at 5.20 and helped me with all my bags. Otherwise I would not make it to the Oerlikon Railway Station. I had 4 bags to carry but three out of them were drop off luggage (big bag, boots’ bag and skis). And I love Swiss Airline for the fact that they did not charge me for any of those. I’m not sure if it’s their policy or my Frequent Traveler, but I’m quite sure it’s the policy.

And the guy at the drop off counter was from Tibet and recognized luck shawl that I got in Kagbeni in Nepal, which I still have tied to my bag. I think that it made him happy.

MC. And in the background Duo Edelweiss

With my best friend Dorota

One of the events was a snake play

Sometimes we were dancing too. I mean others were and I was watching.

Gluing spoons to forehead or nose was something we were doing to kill some time I believe

New style: red long johns and wellingtons