Liz's European Adventures

I went on a ski trip the first week of February to Bad Gastein, Austria. This was my first trip to Austria - and while it was great, I will definitely go back. I did not feel like I could experience the real Austria, as the culture surrounding a ski trip is much different.

The bus ride was 18 long hours from Aarhus to Bad Gastein - not so fun, but not awful either. I went with my closest friends from my soccer team, and just had a good time. The level of ability ranged from really good to beginner. Many Europeans grow up skiing all of their lives, so they are super good! I actually could tell that I had improved this year in comparison to last year. By no means am I great, but I only fell once! I am definitely in control because I am too scared of the reality of the situation - how fast you can start going, how many trees and cliffs and bumps and jumps are around. There was a group of 4 or 5 of us who were around the same level of ability who hung out together the whole time.

There were many laughs and great memories. It was also the last time we were able to hang out with an Icelandic girl on our soccer team, as she moved to Stockholm, Sweden, to continue the research for her PhD (she is attempting to grow sperm cells from stem cells - way above my head!)

The mountains were GORGEOUS. I can't wait to see Austria one day in the Spring and the Summer when....wait for it....the hills are alive, with the sound of music....la la la la............

So picturesque

Welcome to Bad Gastein

My Icelandic friend (Ros) I met in Denmark is now moving to Sweden - guess I have a new country to visit!

We roasted marshmallows at a bonfire, and they used the longest sticks ever!

Ros and I

Chanett, Lonnie and Frida

Two of my closest friends: Chanett and Lonnie

Taking a break after the bottom of a slope

Our favorite after ski bar (called the Silver Bullet) was themed after American Indians

Lonnie and Ros

I love the scenery!

The whole group - mainly soccer girls and some of their friends

Break time, again: Madsen (Line), Lonnie and Ros

I took this picture for Granny - translated from German (says my Danish friend), it says:
Maria, Mother of God and our Mother, take us by the hand and lead us...

Frozen waterfall

Waterfall

This is a framer!

World War memorial

Three great friends from the team: Line Madsen, Lonnie and Chanett

It was soo snowy this day, it was hard to see

Two of my friends wwwaaaayyy back there - we got stuck on a flat patch for like 20 minutes!

Check the background - I am the one sunk in the snow that my friend is burying

Just went and jumped into the snow

The girls, on day 1!

Two friends dancing at an after ski bar in Dorfgastein, Austria

I was walking the streets after dinner one night, and ran into some local music

I spent my first New Years Even holiday in Aarhus this year. For the most part, most Danes like to have/attend private parties, as it is extremely expensive to go out in the city on those nights - on top of the added craziness of all the drunks!

I spent New Years with some of my closest friends - essentially my soccer coaches and the girls I am closest to on the team. We paid a certain amount, and that allowed us to have dinner catered, have drinks all night, as well as decorations, etc.

The party was held at my head coach's (Mathias) parent's apartment. They are pretty well-off, and have a large apartment in Danish standards, on the top floor of a building right in the city center. There are two balconies where we were able to easily watch the fireworks that were shot off after midnight.

One interesting thing about Danish culture is they all crowd around the tv to listen to the Queen speak - she speaks annually on New Years even around 6pm, and talks about the past year, the upcoming year, etc. They were all glued to the big screen, so that was kind of interesting to see!