Hopefully I've got you all now.
This is the end of my third week in Kandersteg, Switzerland and I'm experiencing an odd mixture of feeling like it's flown, and I've also been here for several months. Basically put, the pace here is pretty fast - running a ski chalet apparently takes a lot of work. Who knew?
I've been out all this week ski guiding for a Dutch couple and quite enjoyed the experience, though my ankles are killing me.
Once again, in the spirit of keep ing the updates short, here's a few observations after my first 3 weeks:
Cheese, meat and bread.
These three items constitute 80% of the Swiss diet. Being a vegetarian, this is proving a challenge. An excellent example is Fondue. This traditional Swiss meal in volves dipping a piece of bread into a pot of melted cheese.
Cheese. Bread. That's it. This is an entire meal. And the only way to survive the inevitable constipation is to drink the alcohol that's used as the base of the cheese mix - usually white wine. So every Friday here at KISC (Kandersteg International Scout Centre) we eat cheese, get wasted and wander around groaning and calling the Swiss things too rude to repeat here.
Sexual liberalism.
The local disco party featured two 'professional dancers' and the age of consent is 16. This is causing me all manner of moral trauma and I will say no more on the matter.
Skiing.
The snow here is awesome. This is because it's bloody freezing (today it was -11C at midday), but the experience of skiing powder when you can see the ground through the snow in places is pretty unreal.
The local mountains are small, but fast. They seem to have a different idea of what constitutes an 'easy' run here - I for one wouldn't include cliffs in that description...
Eye contact
I am well known for overdoing the eye-contact (once made two girls move carriages on a train accidentally) but the Swiss are giving me a run for my money. You all know the rules: if you're looking at someone and they notice, you look away immediately. Anything else is either flirting or asking for a fight. Not so here. I've caught dozens of people looking...and they just keep on looking. Feels like everyone is staring at you, but then again our uniform here is pink, so maybe they are.
European quality
Visiting the cities around here has made me notice something about europe: it's all about quality, not quantity. Everything over here, from the buildings, to the people, to the shops, is all very well made but not in your face at all. I am yet to notice a billboard. Even the damn kebab store has an elegant menu and served beer off tap. Off tap. In a kebab store.
That will do for the moment. Plenty more is going on here, but plenty of time for that later. Hope you're all well and missing you all (some in particular though - hey kindling).
Look forward to hearing some updates from you too - and if anyone can fill me in on some the latest Green Goss, particularly these piss-weak greenhouse targets I'm hearing rumours about, please do!
And now, the photos...
You can also see some videos I've uploaded here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/
What cheer!
Gordon
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