Once in a lifetime......

Back in the day of neon wear, parachute pants, big hair, mullets, and MC Hammer, a dream was born between Tom (a lifelong friend) and myself while we were "learning" to ski: head to Europe and ski the Alps.  Some of you may remember the not so proud moments of our "learning to ski" years.  Sadly there is even some videos of those days in the early 90's.....yikes.  

So you can imagine my excitement when I received an unexpected email from Tom's lovely bride Lori asking my opinion towards surprising Tom with a trip to Europe that would involve skiing the Alps. My attempts to contain my enthusiasm were fairly sad as I provided encouragement to take the plunge on the last minute trip and a few weeks later I found myself announcing to Tom, via Skype, to pack his bags and get ready to realize our long held dream of skiing the Alps.  

We decided to head back to the wonderful ski area of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis near the southern border of Austria/Italy.  The ski area is massive and offers absolutely breath taking views on a clear sunny day.  Lucky for us, the first day of skiing was just that: cloudless and beautiful, as you can see.......

The "Cube" on top of one of the many peaks. You can reserve the cube and enjoy a lunch for about 70 Euro per person...if dining at 2600 meters looking over mountain ranges is your thing that is.  

The two biggest smiles on the mountain from a pair of guys realizing a lifelong dream........

You KNOW this sign was placed there only to antagonize us to take the plunge.  It was as if the sign was saying "oh, you don't think you are good enough to ski me, do you?"  I do have to say that slope was no joke....I have never had trouble getting an edge before because the slope was too steep.  Good times though.....

Although it was not planned, we ended up skiing from one end of the ski area to the other....and enjoyed some great views along the way.

At the end of the day, one of the best parts of skiing the Alps is enjoying the Apre's skiing.....

Day 2 of skiing included bringing along the future world class skier.....Tom's daughter Emily.  We had a great time trying to keep pace with her as she showed us how it was done.  Here she is showing us how to properly take the "speed check" hill......go straight and fast and don't turn.  I miss those days of fearlessness....

Tom and Emily stopping to take in some sun in possibly the largest sun chair I have ever seen.....

The trip to Austria was amazing and exceeded our expectations.  There was one adventure that I unfortunately didn't post any pictures: our trip to Salzburg.  About half way to Salzburg on the train I remembered that the camera was sitting safely back in the hotel room.  Fail.  So.....no pictures to share, but I do have some great memories: playing scrabble on the train, running through Salzburg in attempts to catch a train back to our hotel, constantly asking Lori 'was this in the movie Sound of Music?', and of course, looking for Mozart Chocolate balls.  Funny how the trips where there is many obstacles to navigate end up being the best....at least those are the trips that seem to be remembered most.  Anyway.....

Before we headed to Austria and the skiing we headed up to the city of Cologne to meet up with a friend that we have not seen in over 20 years.  Long story short: our friend Till came over from Germany back in 1989 to study abroad for a year and Tom was the host family.  Between Tom, Till, and myself, there were some great stories and pictures (unfortunately).  Luckily my mullet was cut down to size before Till arrived so the pictures he shared were only slightly embarrassing.....which was nice.  I do have to say that meeting up with someone after not speaking nor seeing them for over 20 years is like taking a trip back in time.  You remember events and people that you have not thought about in years.  In all it was a truly a special day.....

The gang stopping for a picture outside of the Dom.....

Shortly after returning from the ski trip we unpacked and then repacked the bags and made our way to Paris.  We opted to drive to Euro Disney, park the car, and then take the train into the city.  I have to say that driving to Euro Disney and not enjoying the park when you have an 8 year old in the crowd is about the cruelest thing to ever do.  That aside, this method of getting to Paris is highly recommended.  The parking is easy and cheap and the drive to Euro Disney is ever so pleasant......just in case you find yourself cruising around Europe and wanting to visit Paris.

One of my favorite memories from the trip to Paris: our friends seeing the Eifel tower up close for the first time...

.....and this was their view.

The best "tourist" event when you first arrive to Paris is a boat tour on the Seine river.  You will not only see a majority of the popular sights, you will learn a lot of good history to the impressive structures found throughout the city.  While our friends enjoyed the boat tour, we stumbled upon an informal exotic car show that involved more Ferrari's than I ever seen in one place at one time.  I particularly liked the red ones.....

The area for the informal car show.....nice location to say the least.....

About as close as I will ever get to an Ashton Martin.....

The cockpit of a Ferrari Spyder....

I mean....wow, right?  Millions of dollars in cars in the shadow of the Eifel tower.  

There is no better sight in Paris than the Eifel tower at sunset....in my opinion. 

The next day we took the train out to infamous estate of Versailles palace.  This impressive grounds is a must see for anyone visiting Paris.  The palace itself is open for self-guided tours and is worth it....almost.  However the true attraction are the gardens.  Think of the most beautiful park you have ever visited and then multiply that by a factor of 10.  Unless of course you visit during the end of the winter months, then the grounds are not as impressive....so plan accordingly.  

Walking up to the front gates of Versailles.....

Some sights from the inside of the palace....

The house of mirrors.....

Looking out upon one corner of the grounds...

The queens room and bed.....I can see Marie Antoinette hanging out in here......

After exploring all the palace had to offer, including the in-depth art history covering the Napoleonic wars, we ventured out to the impressive gardens.  The grounds are so massive that renting a bike or golf cart to get around is recommended if you want to see it all in one day.   Wow.   Unfortunately our timing was not ideal: the weather was still cold and so the beautiful spring flowers had not yet been planted.  A bit of imagination was required to truly appreciate these beautiful gardens and water fountains.

If you have the time, renting a boat to explore the canal is a good way to see the gardens......

Visiting Versailles is truly a day-long event, so plan accordingly.  Don't worry though, there is plenty of food and drink available to keep your energy levels high and there are also plenty of benches throughout the gardens for you to rest the feet and enjoy the sights.  I highly recommend making a trek out to the palace if you are in Paris, but only if you come during the spring/summer/fall months.  Winter time....not so much.

A day of walking around will get your appetite going, so we set out to find a great place to eat in the Latin quarter on the south bank.  During our visit to the best chocolate shop in all of Paris (Patrick Roger), we ran into an american working in Paris....and she just so happened to have a great dinner recommendation.  After a few lefts and rights down narrow streets we finally found our destination: Le Coupe-Chou.  We arrived at 6:30 and discovered the restaurant does not officially open until 7pm....and typically requires a reservation.  Luckily we were allowed to wait in the lounge while we waited for our table to be prepared.  The restaurant is located in this centuries-old building so the walls are stone, the ceiling has those thick wood beams, and there is great period pieces of antiques located throughout.  Instead of one massive room, there are several smaller rooms that are connected by narrow hallways and large fireplaces.  Just to walk around inside was worth the visit really.

A view of the lounge..........

The group enjoying the comfortable chairs found in the lounge.....

A view from the outside.  The food was terrific and I have to say that the Le Coupe-Chou has officially become one of our favorite dinner places in Paris (we now have 2).

The last and final day included eating breakfast at our favorite place, Les Deux Moulins located in the 18th district of Montmartre.  The cafe was made famous in the movie Amelie and offers a breakfast appropriately titled "Amelie's breakfast".  After fueling up for the last of the sightseeing, we ventured up the road to the artist filled area of Montmartre and enjoyed watching the many artists work on various pictures.  It's a great way to spend a few hours if you are in the neighborhood.  Of course if you are in the area you must head over to the Basilica and enjoy the view of the city from the steps.

After a short train ride back to Euro Disney and a 3+ hour car ride, we finally arrived back to our place for the sad event of watching our friends pack up.  It always amazes me how quickly the week can past when you have visitors.  We are truly thankful for the opportunity to spend some quality time with great friends and especially for finally realizing a lifelong dream of skiing the Alps.  Of course this trip has inspired me that sometimes those lifelong dreams you hold can really come true....perhaps I will someday drive that Ferrari Spyder on the autobahn.   You have to dream, right?  

Zillertal: More fun in the Alps

Another extended weekend skiing in the Alps, only this time we chose to change it up a bit.  We kept with the same country, Austria, but this time we headed east to a really cool valley about an hour from Innsbruck.  The Zillertal is known for being the biggest valley branching off the Inn valley in the Tyrol region and is just south of the world famous ski area of Kitzbuhel.

The plan included meeting up with our friend from Munich, Mike, and his friend "Ihop".  It's a long story on the name.  Anyway, we chose to stay in a great little village called Alpbach.....which proclaims to be the most scenic village in all of Austria.  Not sure about that designation during the winter time, but I will say that the people of Alpbach were very friendly and made us feel at home during  our stay.

The advantage of staying in Alpbach is the location to other ski areas.  In addition to the local ski hill, you can venture down the road a bit and hit one of the many outstanding ski areas located along the Zillertal valley.  It was funny.....driving down the Zillertal valley reminded me a lot of skiing in Colorado in how there are so many ski areas located off of I-70.

Unfortunately the weather on our first day was not ideal: cloudy and snowing.  It was what I refer to as "skiing blind".  But hey, those are the breaks sometimes....not every ski day can be perfect.  Besides, it was snowing and the forecast was calling for blue skies before we headed home.  So no pictures were taken on the first day...there was nothing to see really.  On the second day however, we drove to an area called Hochfugen.  This lovely area boasted a 2,000+ meter vertical with several lifts to get you anywhere your heart desired.  Well our hearts desired to ski lower on the mountain out of the clouds......

A great first sign: a lodge named after one of the best colleges in the country (University of Montana).  Not sure about the blue and gold color combo though.....too Montana State like.....

Our favorite lodge to eat.....and get warm

Hanging out just below the clouds......

Shortly after lunch Andrea declared the day "done".  I negotiated for a few more runs to "check out" this bowl to see if the fresh snow was any good.  Uh yeah......it was the BEST powder I have ever skied.  Waist. Deep.   Some views of the area.......

....of course to access said area you had to billy goat over this fence....which is not a problem for a country with no ski patrol coming along telling you where to go and not go all the time (no offense to the ski patroller's in the audience). 

The third and final day was spent at the Zill am Zillertal.  Here is the view of the area from where we parked.  Yes, we parked a good distance away from the area.....did I mention that the entire country of the Netherlands was on mid-winter break and chose to spend their time in the Alps?  Just a few people here......

The views from the top....well worth the effort.

Not sure how they "drove" that up here......we were at 2,600 meters.

Our view during lunch.....not too shabby.  

Andrea is all smiles after a warm meal and a short break in the warm sun.

Our final run and one last view of the area.  

It was another great trip to the Alps and we are looking forward to returning to the area this summer for some hiking and biking.  The owner of our hotel invited us down to enjoy the summer activities and promised us a good ol' fashioned BBQ if we made the trip.  Who am I to pass up such a generous offer??!!!      But there is one more ski trip to the Alps on the books before we officially close the winter chapter.....a trip that promises to truly be 'once in a lifetime'.   

A Chilly Day Enjoying Metz, France

Shortly after Andrea finished the book 'Sweet Life in Paris', she informed me that we were taking a road trip to visit a little city on the northeastern border of France.....just to get some cheese.  OK.  Apparently the book is a really fun read filled with good humor and excellent food suggestions all involving fine cheese from France.  

So we jumped in the car and made our way to Metz, France which is just under 2 hours by car from our village.  Have to say that we both chuckled at the thought of spending a Saturday afternoon driving to France just to pick up some good cheese.  But that is the true beauty of living in Europe: everything seems so close together making it possible to visit all the really cool villages and cities that you never thought of visiting before.  

There was only one minor drawback to our Saturday plans: we were in the middle of a deep freeze.  I'm talking single-digit highs during the middle of the day WITHOUT the wind.  Frozen car doors were becoming expected.  The sun was shining however, so we kept the positive thoughts as we made our way to Metz.  It couldn't be that cold if the sun was shining, right?  

The city of Metz is bordered by both Luxembourg and Germany and was once an important Roman city, so there is plenty of see and do when you visit.  

Arriving to the city centre

Throughout the walking area the city is filled with great buildings, including this wonderful church

We were on a mission to find the local farmers market....and as I was taking the picture of the church, I turned left....well lookie there!

Inside the farmers market.  A funny scene was the purchase of the bread and cheese.  We speak almost no French, so we were a little anxious as to how this transaction was going to take place.  When we approached the counter however, the helpful lady spoke to us in English.  Huh?  How did she know that we were from the states?  Oh, the PCC bag hanging over Andrea's shoulder was probably a give away.  Oops.  

With cheese and a fresh baguette in hand, we wandered around a bit....

....and found the frozen river a sign that it was just a little cold.

The cold didn't stop us from enjoying the sights however.

Andrea taking in the sights....or wondering if she will ever feel her face again.  Note the fresh baguette in the PCC bag.

This long corridor reminded us of the city in Switzerland, Bern.  Ah, good memories of warmer times....and spending time with great friends!

The cold finally penetrated our warm layers so we dipped inside a restaurant and had probably the best crepe ever: made with chili con carne and a healthy portion of beef.  Of course we enjoyed a dessert crepe as well....chocolate and powdered sugar.  Yummy.

With our mission complete, we ventured back to the car and headed for home.  It only took an hour for the feeling to return to the toes and fingers, so it really was worth the drive.  The city of Metz is really neat and we are looking forward to returning this spring to enjoy more of the sights and culture.  In fact, rumor has it that the Tour de France will be ending a stage there.....Metz in the heat of July sounds nice!  

The First Ski Trip for 2012

The long MLK weekend marked our first ski trip for 2012.  When skiing the Alps there are literally hundreds of ski areas to choose from.  Large popular ski areas, smaller-sized ski areas geared for intermediate and beginner skiers, and of course, the ski areas known for the parties.  I really don't feel you can go wrong with any area you choose.  It is the Alps after all.  Last year we unknowingly tried out the "large and party" ski area and had a great time.  This year we decided try a smaller area in the Tyrol region.  The ski area of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis is actually a combination of three different areas on the same mountain.

The snowfall this year in the Alps has been hit or miss.  We were getting a bit nervous the week before the trip when there was very little new snow on the slopes.  However, a few days before we left a massive storm rolled in and dumped nearly 2 feet of snow....perfect.  The super cold temperatures helped maintain the snow by not letting it melt and freeze each day.

While most ski vacations in Europe involve taking a full week to enjoy the slopes, we decided to limit our time to 3 days.  We learned last year that after 3 days of skiing the massive fun is quickly replaced by sore and tired legs.  The weather this year was unbelievable: pure sun, no clouds, and no wind.  You couldn't ask for better conditions!

The official welcoming committee for Serfaus.

The views when skiing the Alps are....well....these pictures say it all.  

One of our favorite lifts: Planseggbahn

With all the recent new snow the main runs were well-groomed....leaving the off piste prime for enjoying the powder.

A view from the top of Schonjachbahn gondola.

Safe to say Andrea is having a great time......

.....and safe to say I am having a great time.  

Honestly, the Europeans have really figured out how to do skiing right.  Get in a few runs and then pick out a nice bench (below) and take in the warm sun and enjoy unbelievable view.  If I haven't said it before....I love skiing the Alps.

Another view of my chosen sun bathing location.

Our favorite eating spot: Wonnealm.  A perfect deck with great views and hearty food. The perfect combination.

Skiing the back side....more great views, although they needed a bit more snow. 

Andrea patiently...or impatiently....waiting for the camera guy.  

One of the lifts, Konigsleithebahn, offered heated seats, custom kids stop, and adjustable feet rests.  All the fine features for a lift named after a king......

The view from the Konigsleithebahn......

....and Andrea enjoying the view....and the heated seats.  

More impressive views of the valley below.

At the end of the day, sometimes you just need one last rest on a good bench that offers an amazing view....

The best part of skiing at Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis: the helpful sign at the bottom that lets you know you are finished.

A view from the village Fiss at sunset. 

What a great trip.  Three days that each begin with a delicious breakfast followed by a fun-filled day skiing in the warm sun is a great vacation in my book.  The nightly homemade meals and German television were a bonus.  I have to say that watching the movie Braveheart dubbed in German was a first.

We are excited for our next ski trip in February where we will head down to a village just on the other side of Innsbruck, Austria.  Can't. Wait.