Winter in The Hague

After the skiing holiday we had 10 days of very mild weather. Then winter struck: it started with some heavy snowfall (15 cm in The Hague) and almost immediately temperatures dropped below zero, and remained there for nearly 2 weeks. The result was that the snow stayed, and froze to a solid layer. In our street and surroundings the roads were not cleaned, so it stayed white, and we had slippery bike rides to reach the main roads that were properly cleared. Due to the snow and wind ice formed slowly, and only Paula went for skating on real “sandpaper” ice. 

The main victim of the weather is Beau. Due to the icy conditions it was impossible to leave the stable. Inside the stable the snow was removed, but the outside paddocks were not useable. So only limited time remained when the inside paddock had to be shared by all owners in between the lessons. And as an alternative the ladies walked Beau for numerous short loops inside the stables. Fortunately this weekend temperatures will rise again, and hopefully Beau can see some different scenery on Monday.

Our house (in the middle) in wintery The Hague

The pony's in Wapendal are searching for food

Arctic scenery on the beach 

 In the dunes, birdwatchers are braving the cold

 Dorien and Beau are doing their rounds around the stables

 The next day: sunshine and temperatures above zero

A lot of snow has dissapeared in a few hours 

A white Christmas

This year we decided again to go skiing during the Christmas holidays. Due to Piet’s leave schedule we left the weekend before and spend the Christmas days just with the 4 of us, on the slopes during the day, and in our house in the evenings. Paula is still working on her cooking skills, and did most of the dinner preparations. Nothing better than a crackling fire, snow outside and a good meal!

We were very lucky this year; early December there was a record snowfall in the village, of about a meter in height. This meant that in Alpe d’Huez, higher above the valley, skiing conditions were perfect for the start of the season. And where we have been unfortunate in the past years (low visibility, little sunshine, very strong winds) the weather was great: sunshine almost every day, temperatures around freezing, and some fresh snow during the week. During this week it was pretty clear that there were 2 groups in the family: a slower, older couple, that like to stop early (with tired legs), and a young couple that wants to ski fast until the last lifts close. Paula and Dorien took morning lessons with the “expert” adults, who turned out to be mainly teenagers like themselves. As their technique is already reasonably good these lessons focused mainly on increasing speed and skiing off-piste. In the afternoons we skied together, and the last days the girls took off by themselves, finally doing the infamous and challenging “Le Tunnel” run, (a first in our 10th winter in Alpe d’Huez), and clocking as many other black runs as possible.
As we had to drive back on the first of January (Piet’s first day back in the office was the 2nd) our New Years Eve was pretty boring. We drank our bottle of champagne the evening before, and went to bed around 10 pm, and woke up at 5 am to drive home. Near Grenoble the good weather ended, and we drove back through the poring rain, arriving in time to visit our lost child Beau in his stable.

The ladies taking a rest at Villard Reculas

Mary and Dorien in the Chalvet chairlift

The girls managed a small snowman with the leftovers in our garden

Dorien arriving on Lievre Blanc, without using her poles

Mary is also making it to Lievre Blanc, an uphill arrival

Paula descends Combe Charbonniere, one of the black runs in Alpe d'Huez

Piet trying to be stylish off-piste

Paula descending the Sarenne slope