Valley of the Giants
Due to technical difficulties and operator incompetence yesterdays blog was published unfinished without photos. I recalled it and added some photos (with much difficulty) but couldn’t finish it, despite paying £2.99 for an app. I hate paying for apps, especially when they don’t work. Today, however, I’m feeling much more confident.
To finish yesterday off. After the rugby we fought the crowds waiting for the dining room and were seated in a lovely six seater round table in the window. The benefits of booking. Tea was a buffet and a mixed affair. The salad was lovely, in fact kathy was so full from dinner/afternoon tea she stopped right there. The main buffet was a bit limited in scope, but I enjoyed my salmon and roast potatoes. Alex had a huge plate full but Ian was not impressed. Not by his, but by the lack of none fish vegetarian options. In fact he was positively fuming about it on Alex’s behalf. I decided on a small pud when I saw something being kept warm. Maybe roly poly? No. Some caramised apple cake thing. It was delicious. One of the best puds I have ever had. By now it was 9pm so we all went to bed.
We had arranged to meet for breakfast at 8.30, with most people aiming for an early button. And Vicky and I having a walk through town. This would enable the more advanced skiers to scope out the runs and feed back to vicky for later. I had slept like a baby till about 7am, but when I turned to Ian and asked him he reported that he had a terrible nights sleep. Up,in the dining room we got the same lovely table as the night before. They had a big pot of really thick porridge. Lovely. Plus all the usual stuff. Alex got a huge plate of eggs, mushrooms, hash browns etc, then made the mistake of mentioning vegetarianism again to Ian. Cue Another rant. He’s really in those veggies corner at the moment. It was a lovely relaxed (apart from ian) meal. Outside the day had started hazy.
After much faffing and milling about the skiers were finally ready to take to the slopes. Vicky and I were watching from our balcony to wave them off. We waited. And waited. Where on earth could they be? Loads of people were exiting the ski locker just outside our room but no sign of the Walters plus Alex (or TWPA). After an age vicky spotted a distinctive sight in the distance. Yellow jacket, red bottoms. Kathy! They had come out of a door on the other side of the hotel and trecked around. Sigh! By now the small drags outside the hotel were snided with people. So much for an early start.
We were two minutes away from the hotel when Kathy phoned to tell us that they were on the terrace ordering lunch. "Do you want any" she asked. "We’ve muddled by" I said. "Don’t bother for us" . Twenty minutes later we joined them. We had got chatting and stuck on the mother child walkway and completely missed the Hotel. We had to double back on ourselves by the umbrella bar. We did see a dog with moon boots on though.
TWPA had had a good morning skiing. Kathy’s sloughy knee had held out well, even though she went the wrong way down a run and had to walk back up the mountain for miles! Later on she found out that the way she went just wound back round and joined the run anyway, much to her annoyance. Alex had tried to kill Chris by crossing skis with him and causing him to bend his knees into an unnatural position. They had taken one run where the wind chill factor was down to -100 and all their faces had frozen. Visibility on the top was very poor so the lower slopes were really busy. I just ordered coffee and listened, watching them eat their pathetic burgers.
After lunch vicky was going out with Kathy to try the buttons so we went to the boot room, which is very nice, and she got togged up. We then tried to exit the hotel. Nightmare. No wonder TWPA got lost in the morning. Eventually I found the way out to the slopes via the ski shop. I waved vicky off then got my I-pad and settled in the bar with a vin chaud (we are in France) to work on this blog. Sat by the bar as I was I was fascinated by the staff. It seems their tablets weren’t working meaning that the orders weren’t coming through. It was insanely busy and the manager was getting more and more annoyed. He kept shouting at one poor waitress, although she was a bit dense. This is the kind of stuff we go on hols for. I hadn’t even sorted the blog problems and the bar staff hadn’t sorted their technical problems either before vicky was back. She’d had a go on the easy slopes but got a bit stuck on a harder one. There’s always tomorrow. As I was buying her a large G and T at the bar (the only way to do it here) Ian and Kathy arrived back. Visibility was poor up the mountain. I had to buy them a drink too. Good job we just charge it to the room, and Ian’s paying. As we drank we watched a few poor souls trying out a mogully black down the mountain. One guy just kept falling. Ian and Kathy were very dismissive saying it looked fine from the chair. Which was when Chris and Alex arrived back having just skied down that run. "It’s insane" they said. Chris had fallen down three times. The moguls at the bottom were so deep you could drive a car in them. In fact they nicknamed that section the valley of the giants.
Luckily it was time for afternoon tea. Loads of scones and cakes, tea, coffee, hot chocolate. Just a little something to keep us going till real tea. We all bathed and rested then reconvened in the bar at 7.30 for cocktails. Tea was much the same as yesterday. Although thankfully for Alex’s ears there was a veggie lasagne. None of that gorgeous apple cake though. Vicky wanted to play a game but the rest of us were beat so we all went to bed at 9pm again.
Man of the day (back by popular demand)
For today I think it’s the guy on the black who eventually made it down despite his achievement being belittled by Kath And Ian. Vicky and I appreciated his effort however.
I’m still having trouble with this blog. I can’t get the photos where I want them so they are all just mixed up in the middle. I’ll try to sort this for tomorrow
To finish yesterday off. After the rugby we fought the crowds waiting for the dining room and were seated in a lovely six seater round table in the window. The benefits of booking. Tea was a buffet and a mixed affair. The salad was lovely, in fact kathy was so full from dinner/afternoon tea she stopped right there. The main buffet was a bit limited in scope, but I enjoyed my salmon and roast potatoes. Alex had a huge plate full but Ian was not impressed. Not by his, but by the lack of none fish vegetarian options. In fact he was positively fuming about it on Alex’s behalf. I decided on a small pud when I saw something being kept warm. Maybe roly poly? No. Some caramised apple cake thing. It was delicious. One of the best puds I have ever had. By now it was 9pm so we all went to bed.
Kathy in pensive mode
Our hotel from a bit higher up
We had arranged to meet for breakfast at 8.30, with most people aiming for an early button. And Vicky and I having a walk through town. This would enable the more advanced skiers to scope out the runs and feed back to vicky for later. I had slept like a baby till about 7am, but when I turned to Ian and asked him he reported that he had a terrible nights sleep. Up,in the dining room we got the same lovely table as the night before. They had a big pot of really thick porridge. Lovely. Plus all the usual stuff. Alex got a huge plate of eggs, mushrooms, hash browns etc, then made the mistake of mentioning vegetarianism again to Ian. Cue Another rant. He’s really in those veggies corner at the moment. It was a lovely relaxed (apart from ian) meal. Outside the day had started hazy.
After much faffing and milling about the skiers were finally ready to take to the slopes. Vicky and I were watching from our balcony to wave them off. We waited. And waited. Where on earth could they be? Loads of people were exiting the ski locker just outside our room but no sign of the Walters plus Alex (or TWPA). After an age vicky spotted a distinctive sight in the distance. Yellow jacket, red bottoms. Kathy! They had come out of a door on the other side of the hotel and trecked around. Sigh! By now the small drags outside the hotel were snided with people. So much for an early start.
The slopes at dawn from our balcony
Lunch at Crepe a Gogo
The town mascot
Outside our hotel
And again
Crepe at crepe a Gogo
Now that we had gotten rid of the other TWPAs Vicky and I togged up and took a walk around Les Deux Alpes. We visited the main square where we picked up piste maps. Looked at the ice rink (piled high with snow) and the swimming pool. Walked along the main drag where we surreptitiously purchased sunglasses. And generally had a good time. It’s a pretty little town with lots of nice shops. Vicky purchased some Marmot flavoured meringues for work (not sure) so we dropped them at the Hotel, which is really central, before heading to a place we had spotted for lunch. We wanted crepes, we are in France after all, And crepe a Gogo seemed just what we were looking for. Not much on the outside it was gorgeous in, with cosy little tables. Staff were really pleasant too. Surprising as we are in France. Vicky had a savoury one piled high with lettuce, and I was much more sensible. Mine was Tatin, caramised Apple with ice cream. Both were lovely. I also asked for a cup of cider, just right for lunchtime. After an exchange of words with the waitress Vicky explained that I had almost ordered a pitcher.We were two minutes away from the hotel when Kathy phoned to tell us that they were on the terrace ordering lunch. "Do you want any" she asked. "We’ve muddled by" I said. "Don’t bother for us" . Twenty minutes later we joined them. We had got chatting and stuck on the mother child walkway and completely missed the Hotel. We had to double back on ourselves by the umbrella bar. We did see a dog with moon boots on though.
TWPA had had a good morning skiing. Kathy’s sloughy knee had held out well, even though she went the wrong way down a run and had to walk back up the mountain for miles! Later on she found out that the way she went just wound back round and joined the run anyway, much to her annoyance. Alex had tried to kill Chris by crossing skis with him and causing him to bend his knees into an unnatural position. They had taken one run where the wind chill factor was down to -100 and all their faces had frozen. Visibility on the top was very poor so the lower slopes were really busy. I just ordered coffee and listened, watching them eat their pathetic burgers.
After lunch vicky was going out with Kathy to try the buttons so we went to the boot room, which is very nice, and she got togged up. We then tried to exit the hotel. Nightmare. No wonder TWPA got lost in the morning. Eventually I found the way out to the slopes via the ski shop. I waved vicky off then got my I-pad and settled in the bar with a vin chaud (we are in France) to work on this blog. Sat by the bar as I was I was fascinated by the staff. It seems their tablets weren’t working meaning that the orders weren’t coming through. It was insanely busy and the manager was getting more and more annoyed. He kept shouting at one poor waitress, although she was a bit dense. This is the kind of stuff we go on hols for. I hadn’t even sorted the blog problems and the bar staff hadn’t sorted their technical problems either before vicky was back. She’d had a go on the easy slopes but got a bit stuck on a harder one. There’s always tomorrow. As I was buying her a large G and T at the bar (the only way to do it here) Ian and Kathy arrived back. Visibility was poor up the mountain. I had to buy them a drink too. Good job we just charge it to the room, and Ian’s paying. As we drank we watched a few poor souls trying out a mogully black down the mountain. One guy just kept falling. Ian and Kathy were very dismissive saying it looked fine from the chair. Which was when Chris and Alex arrived back having just skied down that run. "It’s insane" they said. Chris had fallen down three times. The moguls at the bottom were so deep you could drive a car in them. In fact they nicknamed that section the valley of the giants.
Luckily it was time for afternoon tea. Loads of scones and cakes, tea, coffee, hot chocolate. Just a little something to keep us going till real tea. We all bathed and rested then reconvened in the bar at 7.30 for cocktails. Tea was much the same as yesterday. Although thankfully for Alex’s ears there was a veggie lasagne. None of that gorgeous apple cake though. Vicky wanted to play a game but the rest of us were beat so we all went to bed at 9pm again.
Man of the day (back by popular demand)
For today I think it’s the guy on the black who eventually made it down despite his achievement being belittled by Kath And Ian. Vicky and I appreciated his effort however.
I’m still having trouble with this blog. I can’t get the photos where I want them so they are all just mixed up in the middle. I’ll try to sort this for tomorrow
Great that you have got the blog nearly sorted and we can find out what’s happening. Did Chris get the prize for who fell down the most?
ReplyDeleteI believe he must have. Not sure anyone else has fallen more than once
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