Skiing and Christmas Markets

So today I spent most of the morning trying to find my skiing equipment, namely my boots and pants. Eventually in my mother's attic I found my astro boots and hockey socks! Brill. But not my skiing stuff. So I headed over to Beccy's parents' house and rummaged in there loft. 'Ere I was more successful and sped off to meet my friends who were taking an introductory skiing lesson at the brand new (and spanking) Chill Factor (e?) near the Trafford Shopping Centre. So after a lot of messing about I finally got my skis on and off to the hill I went.

Now I must explain that this ski centre is one of these indoor snow "domes". From the outside it couldn't look more unlike a dome. Inside they've tried to generate a "village" atmosphere with shops and coffee bars and normal bars and restaurants and all that. The atmosphere was one of excitement and people seemed to be hurrying around and disregarding all the notices and rules, but I wouldn't say it was villagey. At one end of the "village" is a ski hill which is about 20m wide and about 120m long with two drag lifts at each side. To the left of that is the beginners' slope which is just a little dip really.

So they don't really seem to have the whole getting going bit sorted. It seemed a bit clumsy collect this here and that there and this and that and this; all the time walking around with bulky bits of equipment. Finally though I got out onto the piste. I have to admit the snow was great. It felt real under my skis. I tried all sides of the piste and found the conditions to be different all over. Icy patches and powdery patches and all manner of obstacles that the organisers have for some reason stuck into the middle of the piste. A nice gentle hill with not quite enough room to carve a turn, but plenty to get your ski legs back.

After about an hour I was pretty much bored and about 3 hours overdue a coffee. Thankfully the place doesn't have ski-hill prices and I settled into the bar with my mates for a bit of apres ski! Here's the view from the bar's balcony:

Next we headed back to Matt's house and then out to sample the Christmas Markets a little. Unfortunately the weather didn't reflect the skiing theme and instead reflected a wet theme. Matt, Brian and I were soaked. After the rain had died down a bit we huddled under the shelter of the mulled wine stand for about 2 and a half hours.