Arthur’s column

Of Lakes and Mountains and Lazy Days …

This has been an amazing year weather wise. Fantastic winter with great skiing and now a fantastic summer, loads of sunshine and not much rain.

What an amazing place we live in. Not only is it the most civilized place I have ever lived, we are also surrounded by oodles of natural beauty, and if that is not enough it is only a short drive to any one of 5 European countries (Austria and Switzerland and within 15 minutes, Germany, France and Italy not much further).

The lake where our boat is was unusually clear (and low) this year because of the lack of rain. I could dive under the boat (swimming off the boat on a hot day when there is not much wind is one of my favourite occupations) and look up and get an unbelievably clear view of the boat. Look down and watch the fish swimming lazily 15m under the boat!

Or take a more energetic view and do one of the many mountain walks, like the 6 hour 3 Sisters walk (it was tough – very hot) or the not so easy Magelkopf.

Amsterdam

Not content with being in the center of Europe, Jeanine had to drag the entire family to Amsterdam! OK – truth was her dad was there, and we did of course go via England (to see her family and also my dad) and France (where we had the pleasure of rides on various of Simon’s methods of transport!).

Westside Story on the Lake Stage in Bregenz

Another amazing local attraction – the Seebuhne in Bregenz (Austria). Sit back in the 300 seat auditorium and enjoy a musical enacted on a stage that is over the water. Amazing sets, amazing technical achievements and a musical that I already know (so the german dialogue is OK) and this was something worth watching. The piccies came out quite nicely – take a look! Cheers!

Arthur

Skeleton – The Tourist Perspective

As you may know, PLUS Lotto sponsors Caroline Burdet, the Liechtenstein skeleton rider, in her quest for Gold at the Winter Olympics. One of the perks (although I am not sure you would call it that!) is that some of the hardworking staff at PLUS Lotto headquarters in Liechtenstein recently had the opportunity to try this crazy sport out for ourselves.

The 23rd February did not look good for the ride. It was snowing and the track at Iggls in Innsbruck was closed. We had it booked for an hour and were waiting in Liechtenstein nervously for instruction to drive over to Innsbruck. It was with an inner sense of relief that we had the call from Caroline not to bother going as the track was closed. I didn’t have to seem chicken and could pretend it was all the fault of the weather. And there was always next year (the track closes this weekend).

My relief was short lived, however, as Caroline managed to wangle us some time slots on the Saturday, last day of the season. We had to be there at 12.00 so that we could get ready to slide at 13.00.

Traffic to Innsbruck was horrendous – it seems everyone was going the same way and we arrived at 12.45 only to get lost trying to find the track. Eventually we arrived late. That took care of the walk up next to the track, instructions and other such niceties. Time was compressed and we were forced to absorb instructions whilst squeezing into body armour several sizes too small. In any case the instructions did not amount to much – “Hold tight and keep your shoulders and elbows in”.

Time for the first run. Not being practised at this I start from a stationery prone position – lying on the sled. The experts run and jump on, I just let gravity do its thing.

Terror begins about 2 seconds after the sled starts to move and realisation sets in. I cannot stop. I cannot slow down. I cannot turn. Tuck in the shoulders and grit the teeth.

Turn 1, turn 2 – speeding up. Still some element of fun, combined with trepidation about the next 30 seconds.

It starts to get violent. Contrary to popular belief the ice in the track is not a smooth, oiled glass affair. It’s hard, slippery and very rough. It’s had a season of bobsleds each scoring its own tracks – the end result being a very bumpy ride. Faster and faster I go, eyes watering and battling to keep my head up.

I reach the 270 degree turn in the middle of the course. Thank God I am half way. And yes! I’m slowing down. Illusion… The G forces try to force me to kiss the ice (it’s ony a few inches from my nose). The sled seems to slow but then it shoots out the turn like a stone from a slingshot. More of this! Please let it end!

It turns to the right and then to the left and your speed is out of control! The hands are tired and bruised from being battered against the ice walls. Just when I cant hold on any more I’m into the tight left hander at the bottom of the hill. High on the bank I wizz round and then its down with a thump against the left hand ice wall before the corkscrew bends on the bottom flat. At last I see snow on the track and the sled climbs about 100 meters before coming to a halt. I lie there wondering if my body will still work. Adrenaline makes me shake and feel decidedly light headed. The bobsleigh helper at the course bottom comes over and helps me carry the sled (they weigh about 35Kg) to the end of the track and out of the way of the next guy.

As the truck climbs the hill again it all seems worthwhile. Sure – it was scary. Sure I am a bit sore. But hey! It was fun.

“Do you want to ride again?” YES! This time I will know what to expect and it will all be easier and more fun. Caroline finds me a “better” sled – the other one was apparently not so good. Off again down the track. What can I say? The second time was more violent, more scary, and drew blood (my hand scraped the ice wall). Did I go a 3rd time? No. Will I go again next year if I get the chance? YES!

For what its worth I got the chance to go as a passenger in a 4 man bogsleigh afterwards and it was a doddle after the skeleton – much like a rollercoaster. It was great to get a chance to see the track too!

Some pictures (these are not of me!)….

How to get it wrong (or bruises – where they come from)
Speed …
Someone else’s perspective

Cheers!

Arthur

Photo Album

The Local Season of Silliness

February is a time of great silliness (and a lot of fun) in Liechtenstein and indeed in most of this region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland as well). People dress in silly clothes, drink lots of alchohol (not that that’s all that silly!) and join silly bands. The latter are called “Gugga Musiek” bands and basically operate under the principal that you need not know how to play your instrument as long as you play it loud and with plenty of rythme. Please see more Fasching pictures here!

Family shots

And now for a few more family shots.

Oliver holds Tamara	The tribe
Lazy me and Anton	Anton and Oliver (Oliver is a little camera shy still).
Tamara soon after she was born…	… and last week. She’s growing (not altogether surprising!).

Cheers!

Arthur

A wonderful daughter!

My third (and probably final) child is a wonderful daughter born yesterday. Tamara Lauren weighed in at 3.7 Kg and was 49cm long and healthy (although they do tend to start life a rather alarming shade of purple!). Mother is also well. Not much time to write at the moment, so here are some pictures. She joins her 2 brothers Anton and Oliver. (also featured in this column…).

Cheers!

Arthur

Oliver Colin Brink is born

On Thursday morning we had the third false alarm . Down to the hospital (about 10 minutes drive – so not so far) we traipsed for a check up and hopefully an explanation as to why Jeanine had to endure contractions between 10 and 5 minutes apart with no sight of a baby.

Doctor Flatz expressed the view that the baby could arrive that afternoon, or perhaps in another week. Having thus defined the problem more accurately Jeanine drove herself home and I immersed myself into a meeting pondering the vagaries of call centers and television.

Not 30 minutes of meeting had passed before I got the phone call – “My waters have broken”. Mild panic. Of course we have been there before, but this time we had felt the tremours (in earthquake speak) for some days and I was convinced that the time was nigh.

The InterLotto Jeep made it up the hill at a never-to-be-repeated speed where I found Jeanine in a much more pragmatic and calm state of mind. Its alright for her! So I changed my shirt and we headed back to the hospital (going via Steg to drop Anton with his friends in the Sele family).

Jeanine’s calm seemed almost frenzied faced with the lack of excitement from the Midwife. “Dont worry” she said, “I will call Doctor Flatz as soon as the baby is coming”.

“But it is coming soon!”

“Yes but the Doctor is having a holiday and I don’t want to disturb him until we have to …” (all this in German which is never so easy for us).

There was about an hour of waiting before Jeanine had had enough of the pain and decided to get rid of the bump. “I’m pushing!” she cried. This worked (it must be a scret code or something). Next thing the midwife was on the phone suggesting that the good doctor make like greased lightning and hurry on down (yes – she said blitz something). 30 minutes of pain for Jeanine and the good doctor arrived just in time to say “Another push should do it” before Oliver popped out like a champagne cork.

From then on it was all over bar the shouting. Quite a bit smaller than Anton, he managed to come out without help (Anton was assisted out with a thing called a Ventuse). Seemed to let our a yell before he even got out fully – so much for the slap them on the backside rumours! A healthy boy. We are both thrilled.

So far he has been great. He got into a rythm of sleeping at night after about 4 days which was great. Seems to have lost it over the past few days but no doubt it can be regained. More pictures will be posted here when I get them.

The Facts

Weight at Birth 2.7Kg Height at Birth 47cm Hair Darkish but I think it will fall out and he will become more fair Handsome? Of course!

Thats all for now…

Cheers!

Arthur