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Published: February 7th 2009
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Roky is a haunt for Czechs and East Germans so most people spoke both languages. We spoke German too but for extra security. I wanted an English-speaker thus we were partnered with George, a young 20-something Czech.
We were a very mini-group of three. Veronika ( a 6 year old Czech ), “The Small Young Gentleman” ( another 6 year old ) and me ( a complete adult ) and we were going to have private lessons on Horni Domky!!!
Horni Domky spreads out over the southern slopes of Lysá hora at an elevation of 630 to 1,315 above-sea-level. By way of comparison with others, it is one of the best ski locations in the Czech Republic in terms of its position, exemplary ski slopes and facilities. It is mainly popular for its large diversity and extent of its downhill courses.
From the hours of 10-12, we were taught and in my case, re-taught the basics. Six years ago, I had been on the black piste with friends and had fallen off the ski-lift into the forest. It was a haunting and scary experience and since then even though I had been to Andorra and Germany
to ski, I have still been deservedly nervous of going on the slopes once again as I was very, very lucky not to have broken anything....
Back to school we were. Walking up hill, skis on, skis off, and carving. For half a day and at 440kc ( €18,50 ) each. It was pretty good going.
After our session, we went back to the Hotel Stary Mlyn where we had lunch at the special price of 79kc ( or a little over €3,00 ). I ordered two servings but it was pretty wasted on “The Small Young Gentleman” who only wanted the enormous ice-cream sundae which at 59kc ( just over €2,00 ) was paradise itself.
Our lunch order was a bowl of minestrone soup and a dish of creamy tuna pasta coupled with a glass of peach ice tea and a litre of beer.
Not bad. Not bad at all!
By 16:00, I was feeling a little run-down as I had a cold AND a bit of the flu, so we picked up our ski-stuff PLUS our walking winter boots and waited for the ski-bus to take us back to the Centrum. It was
exhausting but we made it.
We spent the rest of the day on my laptop. The Quidditch World Cup ( “The Small Young Gentleman” ) and the BBC dramatic production of “Charles II: The Power and the Passion” ( Me ). Very intriguing stuff and very well done. Disturbingly, we also watched “Deutschland sucht ein Superstar” ( Germany's search for a Super Star ), AND disco pop sensations of the 70's of the like of Boney M, The Village People and Blondie!
Unsurprisingly, “The Small Young Gentleman” and myself both liked it very much and after just a few pages of my winter-reading novel, were fast asleep.
Not quite as soothing as you think when you have a hacking cough!!
The next day breakfast was at 08:00.
Downstairs at 09:15.
Skis collected.
Boots on.
Out the door at 09:30.
Local bus at 09:37.
Bit of a walk. Bit of a trek.
At our meeting point with George a little after 10:00.
George and Veronika were both there and so the day began. Today carving. And more carving with poles and skiing around them.
A bit like learning
to drive. Ahem. You don't wanna know!
Thirty minutes later, it was time to go the ski lift. Aha!
Both kids fell at the starting point but were back on their feet pretty quickly with George behind them every step of the way...
Once at the top, we started balance exercises by putting hands on hips in order to turn in various directions and slowing down on the slope, if necessary. By the second run, the children acted like pros. And only fell off once.
We were done.
Lunch. Hurrah!
By 12:00, our lesson was over and “The Small Young Gentleman” and I continued to go up and down the slope by ourselves.
I felt so proud. I could now go skiing with my 6 and a ½ year old son!
Dinner was boiled egg sandwiches and playing “Asterix and Obelix” on the laptop.
See ya!
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