A few free hours appeared in my schedule, so I wanted to become a tourist. And do all the usual things tourists do here in Beijing. Like going to the sauna or skiing.
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(Suomenkielinen versio)
(Svenskt version)
September 2013, Qiaobo, Beijing, China
Skiing (Indoor, Snow); Sauna (Normal)
The girl at the sheep farm gate is from Qatar. Most tourists here seemed to be from Middle East, so I ask her why she had come to Austria: "Because it is so cool, and the weather is nice." We are standing in cold rain, but I guess she prefers a change to the weather at home. But come to think of it, I too prefer cold and rainy.
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(Suomenkielinen versio)
July 2013, Kaprun, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)
It is mid April and the sun is shining. Is there still some snow left somewhere? There is, at Aland! The Aland islands between Sweden and Finland are known for their sunny summers and flat landscape. I took a boat there to investigate if there'd be any skiing.
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(Suomenkielinen versio)
April 2013, Germundo Alpin, Aland, Finland; Hotel Savoy, Maarianhamina, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)
I always wanted to ski on yellow snow. Well, not really. But it always seemed that those fun half pipes were forbidden for skiers, so I was glad to find an empty half pipe in Tahko last Sunday. With no one to tell me that skiers were not welcome. Even if it was a yellow half pipe.
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(Suomenkielinen versio)
April 2013, Tahko, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)
Gotta love the French. Masters of bureaucratic directives. Or circumventing them. Take heliski, for instance. Heliski is illegal in France. But here we are, spending a day with skis and helicopters. For only 60€, to boot. It turns out that it is illegal to use a helicopter to take us to a mountain. But there is nothing that prevents using one take us from a mountain.
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(Suomenkielinen versio)
February 2013, Alpe d'Huez, France
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts, Heli, Car); Sauna (Normal); Flying
Many of my friends are regulars at Riksgränsen. But I had never been to this place that calls itself "Sweden's most legendary ski area". The legends are true. It is an amazing place. For starters, we were there in midsummer, skiing at midnight. In bright sunshine! The ski area is far above the arctic circle, and for about two months in the summer the sun does not set.
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(Suomenkielinen versio)
June 2012, Riksgränsen, Sweden
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Afterski; Sauna (Normal); Urban-Exploration (Buildings)
I am at the summer ski center in Kauniainen. It is +15 degrees Celcius in hot sunshine and a gentle, warm wind. It is a perfect day to go skiing, in my swimsuit. Today is First of May, a national holiday in Finland. Most people party hard or gather in crowds in the city center to do silly things. I've chosen to do my silly things here on my local ski hill.
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May 2012, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)
While the opinions were split among the spectators that came to talk to me afterwards ("are you the guy who skied that?"), I think the answer is definitely "bonehead". This was just too dangerous. I need to go back to skiing safer slopes.
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April 2012, Kitzsteinhorn, Kaprun, Austria
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Climbing (Mountain); Sauna (Normal)
I was depressed, alone and ready to hit the bed, walking towards my hotel when I saw the Ambiente Cafe.
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February 2012, Les Arcs, France
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal)
As far as I can tell, Are is the best family ski resort on the planet.
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March 2011, Are, Sweden
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Sauna (Normal, Steam); Swimming (Indoor, Water, Waterbody-Pool)