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I'm in Italy - my first ski-trip to Italy - and it's great. I'd read that Italy has great food (it does) but awful loos (it doesn't). We're having a ball : sunny weather, few lift queues, beautiful ski area with lots of tree-lined runs, and so far, no injuries.
It's our annual trip with the group of friends that first got me into skiing about 8 years ago (although they've all been skiing together for longer than that). This year we're down to a core group of about 8, but in previous years we've been upto 16 or so. Skiing is definately a holiday that lends itself well to hanging out with old friends. There's something rather joyous about the familiarity of knowing that Lesley will have sorted out all the tickets, Collette will have remembered any pharmaceutical products you'll have forgotten (one year, she even managed a spare asthma inhaler where I'd left mine at home), and we'll have a pack of cards out whilst enjoying a few beers in the evening.
So a few beers... this year's highlight boozy night. Monday night... a couple of beers in happy hour, some rousing Europop (Anton Aus Tirol). Pile out of bar to stroll (stagger) back to hotel. Walk past local recylcing point, to witness a woman lifting the tail on her dog (a whippet/greyhound type mutt) and then wipes it's bottom with loo roll. This would tickle me even if I was stone cold sober, but after a few beers, there was significant risk of stress incontinence as I couldn't stop laughing...
Folgaria has a predominantly Italian visitor-base, but not exclusively. It's been fun to observe the different national characters playing out on the slopes...
- Italians. Ah, so stylish. Not much "grunge-iness" in evidence. Chic ski-wear - including a remarkable amount of fur trimming. Skiing style also really neat - skis and knees close together - all very swooshy. But the smoking was a bit of a surprise - loads of smoking - in the lift queues, on the lifts, whilst skiing - all looking v cool of course !
- The Dutch. We love the cloggies. A particularly lively group of about 10 Dutch skiers are here in Folgarida ... on the slopes they sported big yellow foam "clogs" that fitted over the top of their ski/board boots, and "milk-maid" hats, complete with orange plaits dangling round their shoulders. As well as an endearing ability to send themselves up, they just loved the Euro-pop in the Apres Ski bar. DJ Otzi with "Anton Aus Tirol" ellicited a particularly fine display of jollity and sing-a-long. (OK, we joined in too).
- The English. Well, aside from us, there's a particularly fine mad-granny character in the resort - I hope I have her pazzaz when I'm 60. She's been tearing down the slopes, drinking like fish and dancing like one of pan's people in the apres ski bar. A wonderful display of English eccentricity on a par with Morris Dancing.
- The Swedes. A small group of Swedes staying in our hotel have brought with them a small "table display" consisting of 6 swedish flags. They plant it on the table at breakfast each morning. Perfectly behaved, speaking perfect English, and looking like perfect IKEA people (nice knitted sweaters), but what's with the flags ??
I'm always completely impressed by the mainland european ability to happily converse in a language other than their own - most often, English. I had a good chat with a teenage Dutch lad, who's English language skills included none of the grunting I'm used to from my 16 year old nephews ! Sadly I speak no Italian beyond a few pleasantries (and the entire Pizza Express Menu), but my brain seems to have a very simple "foreign language mode" - and just the one mode - when not in England, speak French. Oddly enough, it wasn't hugely helpful in Italy !
Happy Days.
J
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