Dowd adventures in Bologna: Sochi Olympics and other matters

martedì 18 febbraio 2014

Sochi Olympics and other matters

Firstly, l just got back from Cortina with Hunter, we went up on thursday evening into rain and snow, not looking promising, but waking up Friday morning to pure blue sky. So we skied all day at Faloria and Castallo, collapsing early. Saturday was nearly as perfect with the weather, and we went to Cinque Torri in the first half, and Socrepes / Tofana the second, and l must say Hunters and even my skiing has improved dramatically. We don't think twice about black runs and enjoy the challenge, Hunter a bit more than me. Then on Sunday the clouds came over and l thought why bother , lets just go home early, but Hunter had other ideas , so we ended up going up to Faloria. The weather was not too bad, and we had a couple of great hours skiing, then as we went on the chairlift to the top run, the weather changed, so much the wind increased and visibility was down to 5-10 metres. As we got of the lift the wind just blew Hunter along, and l had to hurry after him, as it was hard to see, we then decided to head back to the main rifugio, we met up with some other lost skiers and we all began to feel our way along, finally coming to the run down we thought, but it was one of the black runs back to the base of the lift, so down we went, and back into the storm. This time we kept to the left, and met up with three Russian women who asked if they could follow us, l did not mention what had just happened to us. Thankfully we made it to the right run back, and 20 minutes later where on the gondolier back down, wondering why people where still coming up.
Now the Olympics in Sochi, l have been watching them, and its always great to see sports you never see for another 4 years, such as curling, luge, skeleton, x country ski/shoot. And it occurred to me that the winter may have it on the summer for unusual sports, l know the summer have greco roman wrestling, and synchronised swimming, and we love them, but the cold months must do something to our human minds, and we invent these strange sports.
Lets start with curling, the more you watch it the more you appreciate it, but also wonder why are you watching it, its like lawn bowls, but the Norwegians dress so well, their outfit(s) are the best by far in any sport, and one of their guys looks like a movie star /model. You do wonder how much good the sweeping of the brooms does, or is it just to make the sport look weird, and involve more people. Maybe they should do it with lawn bowls, and have mini mowers to prepare the surface for the ball.
Next is the skeleton, the name is perfect and right out there, and there is a select group of countries that excel in it, its great to see Latvia doing their bit. Now the skeleton like the luge ,look and l am sure are dangerous, but the group skeleton is something that was designed in a very cold place, without much to do. Firstly you have a women go down and as she finishes she sits up and hits a sign, that alerts the guy at the top to start his run, so down he goes, and he also hits the sign. And this is where it gets interesting, next down are two blokes lying on top of each other in tight lycra suits, and down they come. Now l don't know if they ever have two women come down together, or a male and a women, but it does make you wonder, why!
I do know that watching the skiing has improved my skiing, but l have not yet felt the desire to go the the toboggan runs and lye down and slide in lycra. I also would like to know what the Russian leadership thinks of this rather gay looking sport, as l don't think they got a medal in it, unlike ice dancing!
This weekend we all head up to Cortina again, as the boys get the following week off, what they call ski week!. So its 8 days of skiing, Jayne will go back with some friends on Sunday, as she is in the middle of her rehab on her knee. On that story, we have found out from apparently the best knee doctor here that we can have him operate on her, and with our public health card get the whole thing paid for, and you wonder why the country is collapsing. Jayne is not big on operations, but l feel in the end she will as, not having it will mean she wont be able to ski or run with confidence.
So l must go l have to drive Jayne to her Italian lesson, she is on only one crutch now, and next week , none, and l must say is more active and happier, and so are we all!!