Yes, we can!!

Gold for the 2-man bob!!! Finally!
Canada 2 would have won last weekend in Koenigssee, but Canada couldn't handle the German way of bullying and was cheated out of a spot on the podium.
But the pilot didn't leave a chance to the Germans today: from starting position 19 to position 1 in first heat and he did not give it away second heat. And this was only the make-up race for Cesana: Saturday will be the regular St.Moritz WorldCup and Sunday the 4-man event.

I am even optimistic for my skeletonians tomorrow and Saturday: the girls had great times in their training runs and the boys are hanging in. Unfortunately we had one loss: the "littlest" skeletonian crashed and has to sit out. Luckily nothing serious happend.

St.Moritz

St.Moritz...the village of the rich&famous (or wanna-be rich&famous).Definitely lots of nice cars and fur coats around...The surrounding area is super beautiful, the village not so much. Except if you like shopping at brand name stores and paying 8 Swiss Franc for your coffee. The highlight is the natural track: it is unique in the world, it requires no artificial refrigeration and the job of track worker is given from father to son. There is a waiting list for it! All in all: Switzerland is a lot nice and friendlier than I expected. The weather is sunny and I am working hard....on my suntan.

On the road....

What a nice drive! I took the side road along memory lane to Switzerland: as a kid I had to spend my summer vacations hiking in the German Alps instead of suntanning on the beach in Italy... Looking back now I think those were great vacations,but back then Rimini was calling!

Anyways: I drove through familiar mountain villages and I recognized many mountain peaks. The highlight of my mountaineering career was hiking up that impressive peak that looks like a triangle! Exactly! I did walk up there!! And down again!! I am still soooo proud!

The rest of the trip through Austria into Switzerland: just beautiful! This is how I picture winter vacations.....Oh, sorry,forgot: of course I am here to work.....

Koenigssee

Been here now for over a week and no post yet...I am slacking! My only excuse is that I have been overloaded with work...(yeah, right)..and visitors: first son&girlfriend and then sister&partner and my dad. We had a lot of fun and did all the touristy stuff: salt mines, gondola, coffee shops etc. And watching all the races: skeleton (nothing exciting to mention), 2-men bob (could have been a great day, but "our" sled was overweight and disqualified..) 4-man bob ( was ok, but I didn't watch: already on the road to St.Moritz). The weather is more than beautiful; extremely cold for Germany though: minus 25 or less in some nights! Day time highs of minus 10-12 are not that pretty either. Thank god I still have my good adidas winter gear...

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you!

May all your dreams and wishes come true!

another one of my "me&my friends in Europe" pictures...

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYBODY!
I am home since Monday and getting ready for Christmas: (tiny) Christmas tree and all.....
Good to be home!
Wish you a peaceful and fun time with your family and friends and hope to see many of you in the next few days!

In Munich

Now we are sitting in Munich, waiting for out return flight on Monday.....A few of the bobsledders were able to change their flights and already home or on their way. The rest of my little sheep and I are entertaining ourselves at a boring airport hotel with doing nothing and eating..I am sure I gained a few pounds on this trip!
Yesterday I sent them all to a fitness centre (they are athletes, right?!) and went to the Christkindelsmarket in Munich. It was fun, and sure: I have said a few times in the past that I would love to spend pre-Christmas season in Germany and visit "a" Christmas market.
Thanks! I have had my fair share this year....
Still: Munich market and just being by myself was fun AND I am done with my Christmas shopping.
Today I took the "leftover" Canadians to a cool waterslide/thermal pool in Erding. What a blast!