Headed to the Mountains

 

Our original Christmas plans included a few days of downhill skiing at Åre ski resort.  I found a great deal that included a basic cabin and three days of skiing.  We were really excited because Sam had never skied in mountains like this before - she's our midwest skier.

Here is the only picture of me on skis.  Soon after this tow rope, I fell hard and dislocated my good (right) shoulder.  This, after I ate it on the kiddie tow rope and dislocated my bad (left) shoulder.  I was able to pop my left one back in and replaced my skis for shorter ones and was feeling pretty good...until the fall.

(Un)fortunately, no pictures were taken of my fall, but Scott and Sam kindly recreated the scene.  Scott is rather proud of his crouched over position to demonstrate the dislocated shoulder.  In all honesty, Scott was amazing when this all happened.  He went into full ski patrol mode.  When the Swedish ski patrol came, it was like they were a team - they got me on the snow mobile and to the clinic.  I'm not going to lie - I was in excruciating pain and was so disappointed in myself.  When we went to the second clinic for x-rays, a man was walking out with a sling, he too had dislocated his shoulder.  He informed us there was another man before him with a dislocated shoulder.  Is it terrible that this made me feel better?  Misery loves company?  Well, it made me feel like less of an idiot anyway.  These things happen...they just happen to me A LOT.

So, for the next couple of days I watched Scott and Sam get ready to ski each morning.  I spent my days knitting, reading, and watching shows on Netflix.

On day two, Sam sent this to me saying, "guess where we are?"  The sun had come out and as you can see, it was beautiful.

They went up the gondola to the top.  Once again they told me, "it's good you did not go because you would have hated it."  The only run open at the top was a black diamond.  How sweet they were to play down the good time they were having.  But, they were right, I would have hated it.

This was where I was. 

Some more amazing photos Sam took.

Sam really enjoyed skiing in the trees.  Here is a little video she took.

Scott is extra proud of this photo he took of Sam looking out on the horizon.

Not too worry, I did get outside when we went out for dinner at Wereséns. Scott had to try the Järganas pizza - reindeer meat, chanterelles, horseradish sauce and lingonberries, and we also had "pizza salad."  The waiter said it was pickled kale with Italian spices.  It was cabbage.  I loved it.  Swedes love themselves some pickled vegetables.

After dinner we saw the funicular building, so we went to take a look.

We learned it was operating until 10:00 pm.

So, of course I made Scott and Sam take the funicular up and down the hill like good American tourists.

To get to Åre, we rented this sweet little VW Golf with Swedish snow tires (they have little bumps).  Scott drove the whole time (thank God).  And, now back to the reality of rain and grey skies in Uppsala.  It was fun to be like a Californian again and "head to the mountains" to experience snow.  Next time...I will insist I start on the easy slopes!