Ciao, my friends!
I hope you had a fantastic holiday break and feel recharged and ready for 2024 π
I spent a couple of weeks with my family. First, we visited a few Christmas markets in the LβAlsace region in France (Strasbourg, Colmar, etc.). Enjoyed Strasbourg and should visit it properly someday.
Then, we went for a week-long trip to the closest βmountainsβ in France, a 3-hour drive (La Bresse). Itβs the closest area with a couple of ski resorts. The problem is that snow is not guaranteed, the peak is at 1200 meters. But I didnβt want to drive 7 hours to the Alps and spend a fortune, so I decided to take the risk. And this was a mistakeβ¦
Rainy storms hit Eastern France, Luxembourg, and even Switzerland that week. We went to the mountain to try our luck, but it was awful: rainy, muddy, and disappointing π€¦ββοΈ We ended up riding for a few hours and had some fun, but it was raining so bad, we all got wet in less than 2 hours. And riding wet is not that enjoyable. It sucked.
In addition, the cabin we rented had low tilted ceilings and I managed to count all the roof beams with my head, several times π€ It felt like the place didnβt want us there π ββοΈ It was booked for 7 days, but after 4 days I decided to cut the trip short. But instead of going home, I decided to deliver on the snow part that our kids had been praying for a long time.
So, instead of driving for 3 hours back to rainy Luxemburg, we drove 3 hours in the opposite direction =)) I confirmed that the northern edge of the Alps had good snow and we drove to our hotel and only when we were parked, we told kids that weβd be staying there for the next 3 nights. The hotel over-delivered on its promise: clean, cozy, with a picturesque waterfall view - Hotel Wasserfall.
The next 2 days we soaked in snow. We spent the first day in Lenk (2000m at the top, 40 min drive from the hotel). For the first time ever, we tried the βproperβ sledding. You rent a big wooden sled, pay for the ski lift, get to the top of the mountain, and then ride down a dedicated slope for 10-15 minutes. We loved the view and the weather - unbelievable.
Sledding - mixed feelings =) The only way to steer and brake was using your feet like anchors, so all the snow was rushing into the pants and eventually shoes. Also, every next ride was bumpier than before. Less enjoyment, more going airborne and landing on the wooden sled. Bad design =) We still loved the day, the new experience, and the SNOW!
The next day, we went snowboarding to another resort - Leysin, Oxygen of Alps (2330m at the top, 1 hr drive from the hotel). It was snowing and the visibility was pretty bad. Nonetheless, we truly enjoyed the rides. No serious falls this time, tried to be more careful π§
Adios! π€
PS I have about 10 draft posts to share about travelling and my observations from trips to Portugal, Spain, Thailand, France, Belgium, and The Netherlands. Havenβt been able to prioritize time to write about them though... someday π€