Alles hat ein Ende ...

Ladies and gentlemen, for several reasons this weblog will be deactivated sometime soon. 

For those who want to be kept up-to-date somehow else, either get back to your mail-accounts Or to Skype :) For those who do not have any contact details from me but who would like to, please leave your mail address or similar in a comment or just search for me somewhere else.

It was a pleasure!

take care, all of you

Crans Montana

One of the more charming rooms that we have

Crans Montana is located at an elevation of around 1.500m above sea level in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The range for activities is great: rock climbing, mountain biking / downhill racing and hiking are the main reasons people come here. Besides there is lots of things to do like going for a golf session, climbing crag or lake-chilling ;-)

I noticed yesterday that my body ;-) needs some time to get used to the 'thin' air up here. While others don't feel any difference during an endurance training I get exhausted more easily. I had the stupid idea to ride down to a lake in the valley between the early and late shift. The 1000m difference in altitude-way up in the midday heat was really annoying and it was rather stressful to get back to work in time.  So the next day, I wouldn't leave the hotel AT ALL and went for some studying in our backyard. 

To get some more impressions of the stunning scenery

It's great to be out here. 

And it's a groovy feeling to be back here, to see all the places I used to go some years before. 

Sunrise hiking at 5.30am, 1.900m

All the best!

Kiwie

Austria - Germany - Switzerland

After a trip which turned out to be much longer than it was supposed to be I arrived in the Swiss Alps yesterday. I nearly did pee in my pants :) It's incredible how much I feel home here, still after such a long time. There were lot's of tears in the last days. Saying goodbye, saying hi, realizing, ...

Schwarzsee or 'Lac noir' :D, Tyrol, Austria

Those were the last impressions I got at 7am on my last day in Austria. You'll find me there again! Some day, for some time ...

An old chapter seems to become refreshed. The French Swiss is totally different to Austria. When it comes to the mentality, in Austria I always had the impression that the people need some more 'ants in their pants'. 

Regarding the environment, the scenery here is not as idyllic as in Tyrol. It's colder, it's harsher, it fits me better. In essence, the people here are tougher but fair. Besides, they speak French :D and therefore they have gained my sympathy already anyway. Love it!

We'll see if there will be another post coming up. 

If not: Take care, enjoy your days and keep standing up! :)

Crans Montana, Switzerland

Daily life III

Here we go again. Some more goodnight-stories for you.

"36°C und es wird noch heißer ..."

Saturday is the day everybody here dreads. Because it's the day to clean all the rooms, the whole hotel. It's called "Wechseltag". Doesn't it sound creepy?! :D With 35°C ++ this is not fun anymore. And after serving a four-course dinner for 55 people, the only thing you're thinking of constantly is a cool shower. We're understaffed at the moment. It's kind of like being pregnant. The shifts are pushing you to your limits. But when you step out in the sun and see the mountains or jump in the lake close by, you know again what you're doing this for ...

breakfast lady

Even when I don't have to get up early to prepare breakfast the damn garbage truck is making incredibly lots of noise Directly in front of my window at 5.30am. So, at heart, the nicer alternative is to be forced to start working early and to be surrounded by the first coffee smell in the morning :) OR to  cycle to the close by lake to swim some laps with the Austrian grannies before breakfast :) Groovy! Not recommended after partying, though.

And what else has happened so far: 

Legend Kitzbüheler Horn

It is said to be the steepest mountain for biking in Austria and one of the most challenging routes in the international bike history ...

Difference in altitude: 865m (finish (Alpenhaus) at 1,670mAA)
Distance: 7.5 km
Maximal incline: 22.4 %
Average incline: 12.5 %
Record: 28:24 min by Thomas Rohregger in 2007)

You sweat a lot, I can tell you. It's fantastic! When you arrive up there and the heart has had a couple of seconds to cool down you feel like a newborn. I did it today and it took me 72min. An Austrian who passed me during the last 3 km waited for me at the finish. He did it in only 44 min. and -Jesus! - He was not satisfied. Freaky!

Lamprecht's Höhlen

This cave has an incredible length of 50,5 km (!!!), at least the part that has been explored up to now. Since 1822 there have been expeditions, which are still (or again) running. Of the total length the first 700m (1,26%) are open to the public. It's already a great 'path' with 70m difference in altitude within the cave.

If summer or winter, there is a constant temperature of round 5°C inside. With a total difference in altitude of 1655m the Lamprecht's cave was the deepest cave in the world. Nowadays it is still the highest. But most parts are only accessible in winter or if climatological frost because there is water flowing through and also, there is a risk of flood. Observing the wall's of the cave you can assume how the cave developed and became shaped by the water running through.

The myth says that in the cave there is the treasure of knight Lamprecht, owner of the castle Saaleck, hidden. He gave all his belongings to his two daughters. One of them wanted to keep the treasure all by herself and had hidden it in the cave from her blind sister. According to numerous skeletons which have been found inside there have obviously been lot's of treasure hunters who died within the cave.

Walking through the cave made me think of the best adventure movie-hero: Indiana Jones. And I remembered that I had the silly idea to call my son Indiana when I was a young girl. Funny enough, a boy who I hooked up with in New Zealand had the surname 'Jones' :D It didn't work out with us, though. Better for the child, I reckon. 

Hot pistols

Together with her pistol and her revolver Kim took three guests and me to a place to shoot ;-) It was quite interesting to get a bit familiar with handguns and some 'golden rules' how to treat them.

The 5 shots that I had for the automatic pistol (4 inches, caliber 22) were placed in the black, one directly in the middle.

However, it was only a 10m distance. I can't really estimate, but as the crew said that -for a handgun- it was pretty good they made me stand in front of the target to record this 'spectacle'. Far away from a James Bond-face, as you can see :) Still a very nice day!

Update

My summer plans for this year have undergone a lot of changes. From planning a backpacking trip through the Balkan States with a friend, Surfing in France and flying to Istanbul to 'discover' Turkey a bit, I ended up in Tyrol. Yeah, quite boring, I know :P Eventually, it was the most comfortable and best way to calm down and to save money, though. Instead of continue working at a surf camp in France I will skip this snivelingly and go to Switzerland for another two weeks this summer. Not to bad, yeah, but I kinda start missing the seaside.

By the way, the place in the Swiss Alpes, Crans Montana, is the place I worked four years ago for nearly the whole season. Coming back to a place you've been before after such a long time makes me a bit nervous. It's enormous what has happened from then on. This is so queer and hilarious! And me, I'm just very excited! 

Hope I'm not gonna pee in my pants.

Cheers

Daily life II

Just that you don't get the impression it's about vacation :D I work around 45 hours / week.

And all the pictures you see are in the rather relaxed moments ;-) There's obviously no time for taking pictures in the rush hours. I'm still waiting for my colleague to die by a heart attack because of all the stress. With his 40 years he seems to be too old to handle it.^^

This is Kim (some of you know the most important, legendary stories of her, already), Sven and my humble self in the place where all the magic happens.

And here a picture like you will never see me again ;-) The one and only time I'm wearing a Dirndl. The traditional Austrian / Bavarian daily life dress from former times.

I'm pretty happy about shorts, to be honest!

Daily life I

Below you see the room which I have all by myself this time. Isn't it beautiful?! 

Well, and the kitchen is not too beautiful, but still very handy to work in. I'm mainly in the service, though. The early shift begins at 7am until round 11am. The late one starts at 5pm until round 10pm. In between we have the day off :) Yiuuu!

This morning I didn't have to work and only needed to be back for the late shift. Perfect time to go for some mountain-biking. We did a smaller tour with 1000m difference in altitude. It was awesome. Fortunately, I know the rules for downhill-biking by now ;-) and arrived back safely. 

Today is the birthday of Liona, an Ukrainian women, who works here as our parlor maid for her third season now. Two daughters, four grandchildren, her husband died 8 years ago and her current boyfriend is back in the Ukraine. I think she turned 63 today. Her German is still very limited and she doesn't speak any English. That makes it very, very hard to get in touch with people here. I talked to her yesterday and I could feel how lonely she actually is. She will be back home sometime in October for around one month and come back for seasonal work in winter ... After our bike-tour I went to the lake with her to offer her some company today. It is a very beautiful scenery, perfect weather, cool water. But how can you enjoy the beauty if you miss the people you love, if the environment does not welcome you with open arms. It is like being captured in a golden cage.

I admire her for being so tough, for doing a great job, for smiling and not letting anyone notice how much it hurts at the very bottom of her heart.

Tyrol, Austria

... taking bad decisions will take you to a place where others only dream of being. Unsafe decisions causes you to think and respond in a way you hadn't thought of. And that thought will lead to other thoughts ... 

When I was 19 I thought to take a bad decision when I accepted a job in Switzerland. I applied for a seasonal job with preference to get placed at the seaside. I was offered to work in the Swiss Alps. Back then I didn't care about mountains. I wanted the sea. But I signed the contract. I had the idea: 'Ouf, I would never go there by myself, so I now put myself into this place for three months to have the right to say that mountains suck. At least.'

yeah

I loved it. Rockclimbimg, mountain biking, swimming, running, hiking in summer, snowboarding in winter.I came back every year for a week, or a month or a whole season. And here I am again. New location, some already known faces. I arrived a couple of hours ago and I was welcomed by people I've worked with before. When I said goodbye last time, I didn't expect to see them again. No chance! The world is small. It makes you feel cosy wherever you go. 

I arrived by train after a 6 hours trip. It's like coming home but to start in a little new adventure at the same time. I'm excited! I got a bed, I got a shelter, I get as much food as I can eat, all or free :) above all I get paid.

It blows me away!!

Kitzbühel at summertime

Tyrol from above. 

A flight with our cook Kim and two more colleagues.

Schwarzsee.

Germany

A couple of days to see family and friends, climbing cherry trees and letting some miracles happen in the kitchen ;-)

... for cherry jam-lovers: there's plenty of it. Let me know for requests.

It's only 4 months that I haven't been to my hometown but this time it seems to be one of the most fascinating stays at home. I made my way from Amsterdam to Würzburg last week. While traveling form the 'North' to the Mid-South of Germany this country appears incredibly beautiful, full of diversity, full of extraordinary culture and sites that hide a history going back thousands of years. This place has unbelievably much to tell and - with its rich language, the various traditions, the scenery changing excessively from season to season - it is stunning.

I just hopped in the bus for a two-day trip to see a good friend, not far from Nuremberg, my bags full of articles and other interesting things to read during the trip. However, I finally ended up looking out of the window continuously, becoming fascinated by all I perceived. As if I was a tourist here, as if I have never been here before. I wonder how fast people can forget about the beauty of things. Sometimes the mind is playing tricks on you ...

It's probably one of the best countries to live in, lying in the heart of Europe. Not only thanks to the remarkable beauty of the environment but also thanks to a relatively well working state with a division of powers, sovereignty of people, constitutional legality, a 'social net' and a great concern regarding human rights. Maybe it's time to give some more pride back to the German citizens. We were always taught to keep moderate, my generation still learnt to feel ashamed for what happened in the past, patriotism has been a foreign notion for us. It appears more and more hilarious to me; the way we feel, the way we have been thinking about our own country. Maybe there's a change going on now. That's what I feel, and that's what the majority of the people I speak to share. And thanks to lifting, hitchhiking, couch surfing, etc. there's lots of opportunities to get in touch with people out of the usual environment ;-)

It also appears very hilarious that wherever you go the notion 'German' is highly misused. I remember standing in the National Museum in Wellington, New Zealand, approximately five years ago, and reading in huge letters 'THE GERMANS ...' It was on the floor where the museum had an exposition about the Holocaust. I felt exposed and abased. It felt as if they were talking about me, about my family. Similar situations occurred a lot afterwards. When I was in Amsterdam last week, the word 'Germans' was used, as well. I still felt offended. And I realized why. They use a word which nowadays is a synonym for me and my brothers, for the citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany. The world does not seem to understand that there is a huge difference in these meanings. And it makes me very angry that people use the term 'Germans' when they should use notions as 'the National-Socialists', or 'the former Germany ruled by Hitler'. While living in the Netherlands I got confronted with lots of young Dutch students, who tied us up on our history. One night a couple of Dutch students, me and another German girl were sitting in the living room playing games. Suddenly the other girl ran upstairs, crying. Why? Because those immature and silly Dutch did not stop making jokes about the WWII. It's not a topic what lots of us want to laugh about. Besides, in every joke there is usually a truth hidden.

I told my Mom about my anger regarding all this. She said that, when she was a child in the 70s, the 'adults' were talking about the Russians in a very negative way. When she grew up she already had a very negative image about the Russians, an image full of prejudices, before even meeting a single Russian person. This is one way to establish the so called "Erbfeindschaft". Unfortunately I'm not really sure if there exists an English notion for it. Maybe "ancient hatreds" or "hereditary enmity" fits quite well.
In my eyes it is completely inappropriate to use a synonym of a word, 'German', when people are talking about the national-socialists, the third Reich.

Feedback or comments appreciated!

Standing Up

Life seems to suck here and then. Some have this idea more often, others less. There is a 'wisdom' that most of us know saying: "If life hands you a lemon, make lemonade out of it." In essence, this is it all about. 

There are these moments when you think: 'Wow, it can't get any worse.' The world is totally against me', 'I suck', 'The world sucks', 'Everybody suck (apart from mommy)'. There are events, situations or people pushing you down, make you stumble, even fall. Sometimes they spit and laugh at you. You are abased. A feeling rises which makes you wanting to run away, cry, longing for someone to help, to get you out there. Some people then get stuck in their own created sea of self-pity. This is the attitude to take it as something bad, something we want to avoid. But why? 

Just these moments, when lying on the ground, give us another perspective. Only these moments give us the opportunity to stand up again, to get back on our feet. It is a training. And if you do not see it as a training, the world will watch you drowning in your ocean of self-pity instead of learning how to swim.  Or the world will ignore you suffering.
Standing up, after falling does not only make you stronger, it also prevents from becoming snot nosed and bigheaded. Especially when every thing is going just well, you are in a 'flow' or in a streak of good luck, it is essentials to get back to the roots before starting flying away with pink balloons filled with self-overestimation.

These situations give you the best opportunity for a process of learning. It is THE moment to reflect your being and your (re)actions. Optimally, it is about feedback from your environment that you have the pleasure to benefit from.

Apparently, it's not all about considering it from a positive perspective or ignoring the reasons, it is more about reflection, evaluating and gaining the view of another perspective.

So take it or leave it!

home

"Die Stadt der Geburt hängt dem Leben als etwas ebenso Einzigartiges an wie der Herkunft von der leiblichen Mutter. Auch der Geburtsstadt verdanken wir einen Teil unseres Wesens." (Albert Einstein)