Paragliding, snow-shoeing and igloo

Today I revisited Neustift in Stubaital for some paragliding. The 11er-lift takes you up to a big launch in a ski slope, then you have 830 meters to play around in before landing in the valley just a short walk from the ski lift. I like this place - flying is easy and the views are spectacular.

In the evening we went to an igloo village in Kühtai to stay over night. They used 5000 m3 snow to create a number of snow-igloos where you can eat, drink and sleep. We started with a simple but very nice dinner, deer stew and knödel. Then we donned snow shoes and walked up the mountain to a hut for a hot chocolate. And a great rodel ride down again :-)

Sleeping in the igloo was fine, despite temperatures of -6°C to -10°C, you just need to dress right and have a good sleeping bag (provided).

Rodel, horse-sled, joddeling and gourmet food and champagne

Today we headed for Rangger-Köpfl and a day of rodeling. This time we didn't have to walk up so could do five runs - more than 22 kilometer in total! It is quite fast, the run was 4,5 kilometers long and I reached speeds of 52 kilometer per hour. Fun!
Then we had a horse-sled tour booked, which was followed by drinks, song and joddeling in Fritz the horseman's barn :-)

In the evening we had a very good dinner at Europa Stuberl, then August Penz spoiled us with some excellent Champagne (Bollinger Grand Anée) in his cool bar, 5th floor.

More paragliding and good food

Our indulgence in the Alps continues - today we went paragliding at Kühtai and then had a wonderful dinner (deer, rabbit and creme brulé) at Der Löwe.

What a day!

This have been a most extraordinary day. It started with us trying a competition bobsleigh in the Olympic run. The real thing. You sit in something like looks like a crossbreed between a torpedo and a space ship. In the front a professional driver, then me and Bonen in the middle and in the back a guy that does the breaking. Then off you go, down an ice-clad track. Pretty quickly the speed was so high that the G-forces banged our heads into the side of the bob - good thing we were wearing helmets. We reached a top speed of around 120 kilometers per hour and something like 3,5 G. In a sled! Very very cool.

Then we took the ski lift up to the top of Patscherkofel, at 2250 meter above sea level. The wind was weak and the sun was shining - time to unpack the paragliders! We had two beautiful flights down to a landing place 1400 meters lower down in the valley. Wonderful!

Now we are about to sit down to a hopefully great meal in a good restaurant.

Hiking and rodeling in the dark

What a wonderful night!
First we hiked up a mountain on a snowy forest road. After 70 minutes of constant uphill we reached a little hut where we was welcomed with a fire and a hot mug of glühwein. And a warm old wooden hut where at least 50 persons where merrily drinking beer and eating knödel, schnitzel and other traditional fare. So so did we.

Then we mounted our rodels (toboggan, sleds) and rode them back down again on the same road. Only this time it took less than 20 minutes (plus a few photo-breaks), reaching speeds over 30 km/h. Great fun!

Landed in Innsbruck

Arrived to Innsbruck yesterday for a week of work here and in the surrounding valleys. Here are a few photos from today, I have to go now, we are hiking up a mountain tonight to have dinner in a hut, then ride rodels down again :-)

the main square in the Old City. Our hotel is just around the corner.

Views from Seegrube, a mountain just above Innsbruck.

Bonen and me

Inside the ski jumping tower

Outside the ski jumping tower, with Innsbruck in the background.

The actual tower.

Snowy Amsterdam

The harsh winter continues in Amsterdam. Well, its tough with Dutch standards but of course rather normal if you use Swedish measurements. Nevertheless trains stop running, mail doesn't show up and the country ran out of road salt making driving hazardous.
A big difference compared to Sweden is that they just don't have the machinery and staff, never mind organization, to deal with lots of snow. Which isn't strange since it so rare - they say that this is the toughest winter in the Netherlands in 30 years.
I kind of like it.

I took the photo on our street the 6th of January.

New Year in Malmö

We welcomed the new decennium in Malmö with a little party together with El Bono and other friends. But first, some delicious food and my favourite champagne :-)