Oberstdorf 2023, Saturday 20.May

Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany

Today was the final day of competition, and, as always on the last day, lots of great skating to watch.

After breakfast, we used the services and got the WoMo back into travelling condition, everything tidied up and put away. We returned our Kurkarte and filled drinking water containers and so on, and then headed to the rink for the final day. The weather, now that it is time to go home, was lovely, and even got positively hot later in the day! 

But we had to come away before the last few classes, as we need to get home fairly fast - no extended holiday for us this year - and we had two hours' driving ahead. Which we accomplished quickly and easily, calling in at ReWe en route to do a Last Shop in Germany, and are now parked up somewhere and eating supper. And I couldn't leave Bavaria without one of these, could I? 

Oberstdorf 2023, Friday 19 May

Started out today feeling much better, and was up at the rink in good time to cheer on friends in the two Bronze Women III classes. And chat to lots of other friends, too. Sadly, one told me she is hanging up her skates now, as her body is no longer coping well.

Then I went for a walk in town, basically out by one road and back by another,

and was back at the WoMo in time to get lunch. After which, it began clear to me that I was still rather running on empty, so I spent a quiet afternoon dozing and reading. Didn't want very much supper, although it was delicious - Bavarian liver dumplings in a vegetable stew/soup with rice. Not sure I got the seasoning quite right, though. 

Oberstdorf 2023, Thursday 18 May

I woke up at dawn to see this wonderful sunrise out of my bedroom window!

But it was a premature awakening - I fell asleep again and when I woke, realised that I was exhausted! So stayed in bed most of the morning while the Swan Whisperer went for a hike (up a mountain on Ascension Day!) - we had been going to go on what he promised me was a flat hike, but I couldn't do it, and spent most of the afternoon lying down too.

We had an early supper and then went to the rink in time to watch the pattern dances, which ranged from dire to excellent, and then back home for a cup of tea before bed! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Wednesday 17 May

There was nothing I really wanted to watch until late afternoon today, so after a lazy start (I was lazy; the SW went for a run!) , I set out for a walk. This time, I decided to walk down to the Oberstdorf Haus

and the various parks in that area, and very nice too, and then had a peep inside the Protestant church,

which I had not seen before. Unfortunately, I then turned the wrong way and ended up at the ReWe supermarket just at the edge of town! Naturally, I did a bit of shopping, and was delighted to find that the Tony Chocolonely chocolate that my family gave me for Easter was about half the price it is in Sainsbury's!

However, I was getting tired by then and was delighted to find a bus was due which took me as far as the station. Of course I passed the Swan Whisperer on his way down to ReWe (I'd texted him what had happened)! So I rang him up and said I'd just gone roaring past in the bus!  I had a bit of time to wait for the Ortsbus up to the Wohnmobilstellplatz, but it was worth it, although I was getting cold again - my ice dance sweatshirt, lovely though it is, must be 20 years old now and is not as warm as it once was, and my coat is only mid-season weight. The weather forecast had been unduly pessimistic and, although it was far from sunny, it didn't rain today. But it was very cold, and is scheduled to drop to freezing as the skies clear overnight. 

Anyway, I was very idle and took the bus right over past the rink to the shop just past Norma, which is actually no nearer than the lower stop unless you want to get rolls in the bakery, which I did, cheaper than the ReWe. So then lunch, and  then I fell asleep for a couple of hours and had to have a quick cup of tea when I woke up, before going to the rink just in time to see the one skater I really wanted to see.

L had to have her foot completely rebuilt last year, artificial tendons, heel resited, and goodness knows what else. It's been a long, hard and painful struggle for her, and there are moments when I know she despaired. Her doctors had said she might not even walk again, never mind skate. But she was determined and entered the artistic category for her level and age group - and rocked it! I am sure I was not the only one in tears when she finished. Clever choreography focused on what she can do, not what is no longer possible, and she looked fantastic - and is taking home a well-deserved Bronze medal!

After that, there were plenty of other skaters to watch and cheer for, and when the last of the Masters men had made us laugh with his interpretation of Hernando's Hideaway, we treated ourselves to dinner in Zoran's, the restaurant above the rink. I had an Apérol spritz, and Zanderfilet with vegetables, and the SW had beer and tagliatelle with salmon. And so back to the WoMo, and straight to bed! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Tuesday 16 May

Why do ice rinks always have such dreadfully uncomfortable seats? It simply isn't possible to sit and watch a competition all day without developing a servere backache!

Today started with the distressing discovery that I had somehow miscalculated the number of pairs of pants (underpants, if you are American) that I would need, so I had to fish the worn pairs out of the dirty laundry bag and wash them. It is far too wet for anything to dry, so they are hanging up in the shower, still damp!

Once that was done, I popped over to Norma for some necessities while the Swan Whisperer used the services, and then we set off for the rink as the forecast rain started.

We basically stayed there, grabbing a sandwich from the café at lunch time. I did a tai chi practice outside during one resurface, and enjoyed a glimpse of the local cows (difficult to see in this photo)

but by about 4:30 my back was killing me, so I came back to the WoMo and treated myself to a cake from the new bakery with a cup of tea,

and then, because I was cold, snuggled down in a rug. There may have been a nap...

The Swan Whisperer came  in at that moment, and we had the ready-meal I had bought earlier which was not very nice as it was too dry. Now we are  closing up to keep the heat in. And I, for one, am going to bed early! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Monday 15 May

The skating started this afternoon, although there was nothing we wanted to see until about 5 pm. So this morning I went for another walk around Oberstdorf, and this time did a bit of shopping. I had given myself  permission to take the bus back, with a fairly heavy bag, but I just missed one by the skin of my teeth, and the next one wasn't for another 15 minutes and it was raining, so I walked back.

Had I known the weather was going to be glorious, i'd have saved my walk until this afternoon because, contrary to all the forecasts, the sun came out and it was positively hot! The forecast for tomorrow and Wednesday is still dire, though. Anyway, the Swan Whisperer did go for a walk, and when he came back there was time for a cup of tea before we head to to the rink. The mountains were looking lovely in the sunshine,

although there were clouds descending on one of them.

We enjoyed catching up with various friends and acquaintances in the rink, and watching some of our friends skate. We are all getting old now, though, and more and more of our friends have given up - there are  younger ones coming along all the time, of course, but few that we know. Still, always enjoyable to watch those we do know! Even if we didn't always agree with the judges in the artistic category.

Once we had seen all the skaters we wanted to see, we came back to the WoMo and ate cold chicken and salad, followed my melon, followed by cheese and biscuits! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Sunday 14 May

I am not sure whether it was the church bells or the cowbells that woke me this morning! Could have been either, as I'm so deaf I could only hear them faintly! But very much the typical Oberstdorf alarm clock.

After breakfast it was lovely not to have to hurry to get ready to leave or to go and do something before leaving! We do have to keep very tidy, though, as the living space is so small. But I enjoyed my coffee slowly, feeling no pressure to finish it!

When I had finished it, we went over to the new bakery to get rolls for lunch and a Sunday cake each.

Then we went our separate ways - he used the services and, I think, went for a walk, while I went down into the town to remind myself where things were - almost all the shops were shut, of course, this being Sunday, but it was good to see where they were. But in all the years we've been coming here, I don't remember Oberstdorf liqueur and/or chocolates.

Nor a shop selling soap made from the milk of Oberstdorf cows!

Anyway, I walked in up to the rink, delighted to find I didn't even want to take the bus, never mind need to, and went in to say hello to loads of friends - I'd met one lot as I set out and we had stopped to exchange news. Then back to the WoMo in time to listen to our church service. We tried to listen together, but it worked better in the end to use our respective bluetooths on our phones.

Then lunch, and then I went to sleep while the SW had another walk, in the rain this time, and then a quiet afternoon reading until it was time to get supper. I found I wasn't very hungry, and rather wished I'd only had half my cake at lunch. Ah well. 

The competition starts tomorrow; I expect I shall go and watch quite a lot of it, but not all! I have bought my ticket, though. 

Oberstdorf and more, 24 May 2022

Today was the first day of competition. It is really nice this year because it is so much smaller, and it feels like 20 years ago when we were there - in those days at the Mountain Cup - for the friendship and fun as much as for the skating, if not more so. In recent years, Oberstdorf has become so big you don't really get to see people outside of your own little clique, and watching is a marathon!

The competition didn't start until 10:45, so I made a big vegetable stew which will do us at least twice with various accompaniments - pasta, potatoes, chicken, eggs... When we were ready, we headed on up to the rink. I was delighted to find the way there seems a lot less steep than three years ago, and I didn't need to stop for breath - I must be fitter than I thought!

The rink is the same

except that there are no seats in the little café, and the kiss'n'cry has two hard seats instead of the usual sofa. Some people, but not all, wear masks, but it is not compulsory except on public transport and healthcare. 

I took advantage of a lull to head down to Lidl, which is the same only different to at home. They do fresh milk, unlike in France, and also blood orange juice, which the Norma next door doesn't do. I had just missed a bus coming back so pottered around Woolworths until one was due, but stupidly got off a stop too early.

We were late getting back to the rink after lunch as the SW got a phone call and couldn't get off the line. He is far too polite to hang up on her, which I should have done, with the result that we missed some skaters we should have liked to have seen. Ah well. Stayed at the rink until about 4, but then had suddenly had enough, so came back to the motor home and flaked out with the live stream and some YouTube videos (so jealous of the Daughter, who has already been on the Elizabeth Line, as had another of our friends!). 

WWMG, Innsbruck, 11-12 January 2020

The WWMG, or Winter World Masters' Games, is a winter sports competition for adults aged 30 and over. Although we no longer compete, we still enjoy watching ice skating, and many of our friends are here from all over the world.

The Alps in January in a non - winterised motor home was never going to be a plan, so we decided to go by train. The Man in Seat 61 (can't see how to  insert links for some reason; he's seat61.com) told us that the way to do it (or A way to do it) was the night sleeper from Cologne, which sounded great. And it was.

We set off at about 11:15, and the first train was the Victoria Line to St Pancras, where we had about an hour to wait - about 40 minutes before boarding - and then on to the Eurostar to Brussels. Another 90 minutes in that city gave us time to have a cup of tea and, luckily, to discover we were in the wrong part of the station - the right part had much nicer places for tea, oh well. We got to the platform just as the Thalys to Köln was pulling in, but it didn't feel rushed as so many people were getting off we had to wait several minutes to board.

The Thalys was very comfortable and I fell asleep at once and didn't really stir until we got to Köln, where a 2 hour gap gave us time to have dinner in comfort. I had a jacket potato with garlic mushrooms 

 and the Swan Whisperer had a Currywurst ("Got to have my sausage on a Saturday!") with chips.

The NightJet was on time and very comfortable - we slept surprisingly well. Very small compartments - you practically had to take it in turns to breathe, but we spent quite a lot of time in the corridor watching the Rhine go by. They gave us a goody bag with slippers and towels as well as fizzy wine, a pen, drinking water, earplugs and a couple of snacks. It was disconcerting to wake up and find we were now going in the opposite direction, but I think it may have reversed at Nürnberg, where it divided to go half to Vienna and half to Innsbruck.

Watching the sun rise over the Alps is always a huge pleasure, especially in a train with a delicious breakfast, ordered the night before.

We arrived at Innsbruck at the scheduled time of 09:15, and took a taxi to the hotel who firmly said we couldn't check in until 3 pm, so we asked if we might leave our luggage and they said of course, and showed us where to put it, and there were our Aussie friends finishing their breakfasts! I couldn't resist striking a pose and declaring, "We have arrived! Let the Games begin!"

We sat in the hotel for a bit - I dozed off - and then decided to walk up to the Olympiahalle - about 500 metres away - to see who was around. We met various friends and found out where the skating will be tomorrow; there was short track going on today.

There was a very nice cafe in the complex where we had coffee, and then headed off to walk back to the station to buy milk in the supermarket there and grab a sandwich.

We wandered around Central Innsbruck for a bit, but I was getting tired and there was a tram, so we took that back to the hotel. Which kindly allows us to check in, even though it wasn't quite 3, so we checked in, unpacked, and had a cup of tea. The Swan Whisperer has gone for a run and I am enjoying the view from my bed! 

Oberstdorf Plus, 19 May

We were up early this morning to get everything ready to move the van. After nearly a week of static camping, this took a bit of doing - switching electricity to 12 volts, making sure everything was put away and all the windows and cupboards closed, etc. Somewhere in all this we had breakfast and I went to the supermarket, and then we used the services and finally done up to the Oybelehalle car park above the rink. This is free with the tourist card so we obtained our ticket and then the Swan Whisperer went back to the camp site to give them back and get his deposit back. 

Then it was the final day of competition, including free dancing, artistic pairs and the elite skaters, including the incomparable Midori Itô and Gary Beacom.

And then a quick drink to toast a friend's birthday, and we were away. We are spending the night at a place called Marktoberdorf, about an hour's drive away, and the post-Oberstdorf exhaustion has hit. All I want to do is go to bed!  But it has been a lovely week, and wonderful to see old friends and make new ones.

Oberstdorf Plus, 18 May

The sun was shining this morning, and I could see mountains I hadn't seen all week! It was very cold until the sun rose, though, whereupon it was difficult to get out of bed as it was so lovely in there with the sun shining in!

The Swan Whisperer and I walked down into the village as I thought he might find a pair of trainers he would like in the cheap sports shop there, and eventually he did. There were some sandals there I rather coveted, too, but, alas, not in my size. Good thing, really, as I didn't really need them. He then went off back to skate on the public session, and I went to Müller and to Woolworth's to buy some more "tossies" for people as I was running out of soap, bd then caught the bus back to the motor home via Norma for orange juice and mushrooms.

Then to the rink to watch various friends skate, including  a very long Silver Ladies II (why can't one's friends all be drawn in the same group?), during which I may have fallen asleep. The SW had gone out for a walk with friends.

Finally back to the motor home for dinner and now the SW has gone back to the rink to watch the pairs, and I've gone to bed, as I'm cold!

Oberstdorf Plus, 17 May

There was not a lot I wanted to see this morning so did a load of washing and went into Oberstdorf to ťry to buy a new rücksack, successfully. Then back for lunch but the washing wasn't dry and we couldn't get any more tokens until later. I had a nap, then cooked a frittata to take down to the rink to eat while watching the Bronze and Silver pattern dances. After which I began fading fast, so we went back to the motor home and had ice cream and a cup of tea before a slightly earlier bed than usual!

Oberstdorf Plus, 16 May

I knew when I went to bed last night that I was going to have trouble getting up, and indeed I woke with a splitting headache (no, I had had precisely one Apérol Spritz) and after we had used the services I went back to sleep again for a couple of  hours . So we didn't get to the rink until  the early afternoon, but in time to watch the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Masters Ladies III classes. These are basically women in their 50s (I think the age category is actually 48-58) and even within each class (except perhaps the Masters) the skill levels are very different.

We popped out for a quick bite to eat in the restaurant during a section of skaters we don't know, but otherwise more or less stayed put.  Three days down, three to go!

Oberstdorf Plus, 15 May

The second day of competition started off very wet indeed. We watched our friend who was in the first class of the day on the live stream! 

There wasn't a great deal I really wanted to watch during the early part of the day. The Swan Whisperer, who had wanted to go for a walk this morning, decided to skate the public session instead and I stayed in the motor home, knitting and reading. But then the rain stopped, so I went to Norma (the supermarket next to the motorhome park) and bought some necessities. I had arranged to meet the Swan Whisperer for lunch at the downstairs snack bar in the rink, which I duly did, and then we watched a couple of classes before he decided to go for his walk after all. I went into town and pottered around there for a bit, and then came back to the van and fell asleep with my head on the table which was uncomfortable and I was chilled when I woke up. It felt good to get back into the nice warm rink!  

We watched some of the Silver Ladies III, and then had a quick, but delicious, dinner in the rink restaurant, before coming downstairs to watch the skating until the end of the day. And got back to the van  just as the rain started!

Oberstdorf Plus, 14 May

Today was the first day of competition. I woke up early, feeling much better, and as I knew the Swan Whisperer wanted to go for a run, woke him up too. He went on his run, and then we had breakfast and were all cleared up and ready by 08:30 so we could be at the rink by 9 and on duty on the accreditation desk, which we did most of the day, with a break in the middle for lunch (Käsespätzle, mmmm), after which I went shopping and then round the town on the Ortsbus. Bought some red wool to make a cardigan for the other great-nephew, having finished the one for the first during the morning session. There will be masses left over - enough for sweaters for both grandsons, shouldn't wonder!

When we finished being on duty, we went and watched skating for a while, and then went back to the motor home, but it was raining and although we had our macs with us we were cold and wet! Supper was just rolls and cheese after the enormous lunch!

Oberstdorf Plus, 13 May

We got up at a reasonable hour, for once, and I went to get rolls for lunch while the Swan Whisperer got breakfast - the bakery was only a few minutes walk. We got away just after 09:30 and, apart from stopping for an hour for lunch, made a very quick and easy run of it, arriving here in Oberstdorf at about 15:30. 

Alas, my lungs, although massively better most of the time, do not seem to like being at altitude, and it rather feels as if someone has wrapped a very tight belt round my ribcage underneath my boobs. I hope I shall adjust, but I really don't feel like strenuous exercise just now. So I didn't go to the team GB get-together, but I did go to the rink party and official opening of the games, seeing old and new friends, hugging and being hugged, trying to catch up with news when you couldn't hear a word people said.....

And so back to the motor home and A Nice Cup of Tea before bed.

Oberstdorf and Austria, 27 May

Today was the final day of competition, and our last day in Oberstdorf.  We spent the first part of the morning getting the motor home in travelling rig, using the services, making sure we have plenty of drinking water, tidying up, doing last bits of shopping,etc. We had arranged to meet friends at the rink for a coffee at 10:45, and this we duly did, having time for a pleasant chat before the free dances started at 11:15.  These were great - the low level ones often make me wish I hadn't hung up my skates, and the high level ones are just gorgeous to watch. 

We grabbed a sandwich in the rink during an interval, and then watched the masters men, who were utterly fabulous!  And on that happy note it was time to go back to the Wohnmobilstellplatz for the last time to unplug the electricity, close the windows, turn off the gas, check all the cupboards and head on.

We are headed for the Achensee, but I didn't know, when I was planning the trip, what time we would want to leave Oberstdorf, so I found this aire in the car park of a swimming bath about half way there!  It has 3 motorhome spaces, but when we arrived it was full of cars from people swimming, so we parked up where we could and later went to get diesel, and by the time we came back, the spaces were empty. Sadly, it was 6:30 by then, and the pool closed at 7, so we didn't really think we had time for a swim, but we might have one tomorrow before we head on.  We'll see.

Oberstdorf and Austria, 26 May

I went into town this morning to do some shopping. The small Feneberg supermarket in the town had no tinned tomatoes that I could see, and only Innocent fruit juice, which costs the earth.  Also I couldn't see any sausages, although there were posters advertising them on special offer.  I did get cream cheese reduced, though. 

Then I went to Woolworth's. Big mistake - they had wonderful crochet cotton in bright colours which would make a perfect crochet jacket like someone was wearing in the rink the other day. I resisted temptation, however, only to fall prey to a pair of sandals in the sports shop reduced from €39.99 to €7.99. Rude not to, really.

Back to the motor home via Norma on the bus (no point having a Kurkarte and not using it) where I got the rest of my shopping. Then after lunch there was still an hour before any skating I really wanted to see, so I thought "soddit!" and went back to Woolworth's on the bus and bought 7 packs of the crochet cotton, and was just in time to get the bus back up! 

Then to the rink to watch various short dances and a rather dull Silver Ladies class followed by a very far from dull Masters and Masters Elite.  Then it was pairs, which I hate watching, so we went and had supper at Zorans, the restaurant above the rink, and then back to the motor home.

The motor home park is absolutely rammed now - far too many vans parked far too close.... I just hope we'll be able to get out tomorrow!

Oberstdorf and Austria, 24 May 2017

A long day today! I decided to start watching skating at 10:35, so spent the early part of the morning wandering round the village and doing a little shopping.  Got the Ortsbus back as far as Norma, where I stocked up on groceries, mostly tomatoes, and then there was just time to dump them in the van and rush to the rink for the start of the day's events. And there we stayed until mid-afternoon, when we went back to the van and I watched the Bronze Ladies on the livestream and the SW went for a walk. Then back to the rink, although I did pop out to buy a shamefully greedy ice cream at one stage.  Finally saw all the skaters we'd wanted to see and came away at about 21:30, to watch the rest of the class on livestream while eating a belated supper.

Oberstdorf and Austria, 23 May

A horrible night of wandery fever-dreams and I couldn't get up this morning, so went back to sleep instead. Eventually got up in time for lunch and then promptly went back to sleep again - it was quite an effort to wake up enough to go to the rink to do accreditation duty (and I may have dozed off a bit doing that, too!)

The Swan Whisperer had found a chemists and got me a throat spray, which is horrible and makes me heave, but which is effective, although it doesn't stop me coughing. I must get some cough sweets tomorrow.

Anyway, all this meant is was after 6:00 pm when we were free to go to the rink, but we watched various masters men and ladies artistic programmes, might very good indeed, and by then it was 8:15 so we came away and had supper in a restaurant near the rink.