We take our hats off to the two buskers playing guitar in sub zero temperatures outside St Anton’s cafe tonight, outstanding. Actually we didn’t take our hats off as it was too cold. “Darin, darin stand by me darin, stand by me”, gold.
Just when I thought I’d trumped the pity party and pulled the ace of spades with my head spin saga, Di goes one up with the old “devastating ski-boot shin pain number”, pathetic!
Notwithstanding Di’s agony, it was a phenomenal day, plenty of powder left and sunny blue sky’s.
Plenty of people out whooping and yahooing too, but still no queues, just amazing.
The runs through the trees off the top of the mountain were outstanding. Cold, squeaky-dry powder, chopped up a bit from yesterday so you could build some momentum and perfect viz….just delightful
By lunch legs were jelly and we met at not-buna for lunch (edamame and wine).
At the onsen this evening there were about fourteen blokes, three Caucasians (moi included) and eleven locals – full house! And, given we were all butt naked, I’d just like to make one point about Japanese men, they’re all lithe and fit looking. The only fat bastard was one of the Caucasians, the locals looked awesome. Not that I looked too much, always a hazard when you’re in the starkas.
We went to a new restaurant tonight up the hill toward the old town; fish and vegetable stew, meat and vegetable stew and traditional Nozawa beef dumplings. Yummo. We had no idea what the staff were saying and visa-versa, thank goodness for picture menus…and a bit of fun! We love the odd bod TV and saki bottle backdrops, tatami mats and low tables, kero heaters and snow shovels leaning up against the bar.
Afterwards we went to a Mexican bar and were seduced by the waitress, who insisted it was world margarita day. We retracted our “two mineral waters” option and went with the flow…when in Rome ( Japan, Mexico….). We thought this was a great pitch but I googled it…22nd Feb is, actually, world margarita day. So if you missed out….eggs Benny and Marg?
It was then that we stood with rum spiked hot chocolates outside St Anton’s listening to the buskers and shortly after that we felt it was high time we went to bed.
Hasta la vista
What a Day!! Pity about the shin problem, always something, but doesn’t seem to have spoiled the day! With so much to just look at, you could just go from one place to another, just looking and have a great day. Evening didn’t look too bad either! Have fun and stay safe!! xxx
So there is (always something), and you’re right, it didn’t spoil things. The evening was lovely. Clear again today…it’s almost too much!
Oh well, some must grin and bare it.
Indeed! Tough job, but someone’s got to do it.