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| Where I am lying writing this... |
The speeches however were wonderful: G and Frau S spoke about the renovations, and the symbolism of re-birth and change and progress. Then our Muslim dignitary spoke beautifully about the Syrian refugees' plight, and their welcome in Europe. I tell ya he was a hit, especially with the elderly ladies. One German fan who can't speak English gushed: "I have heat!".
It's my new mantra. ...so primitive and yet so descriptive.
Spent another day with my hero Lisi- the hand's down coolest woman on the earth. For those who may be planning an adventure vacation in the mountains soon, Lisi is a mountain guide- (one of only 10 females in Austria) meaning she can take you skiing out of bounds, and she can take you up Mt. Everest. Harumi is a ski guide only, so she skips the Everest. L grew up with four brothers, one of whom drowned at age three before she was born. She talked about it over lunch with us and we were stunned by the telling; particularly the beauty of how he is clearly still part of the family, and how profoundly sad they still are. Like most Austrian mountain people she is serious-(the only time I could really make her laugh is when I told her of Harumi's dismay at my race performance) but she is more so. Anyway the family survived and spent many hours climbing up some wall in the Tyrol region...her mother forbade the children from climbing until they were seven, but Lisi was so "cute" and adamant, that they let her climb it at 5.
But to give you an idea how dangerous her sports are, last year she went to six funerals of friends of hers-all young people. Thomas of course wanted the break down of the causes of death; it seems avalanches killed most but not all. One fell of a cliff inexplicably. She has been in an avalanche herself, but pulled on her airbag back pack; a device she says "she loves". Then, even though it saved her life, she tried skiing without it a few times in the back country, to see if it had an effect on her decision making. To see if she took more risk with it on. Without question, she told us, she goes closer to the edge with it on.
Oh not only is she a sponsored athlete but she got her MBA so if she can't ski or climb anymore, she will have something to do.
Get a load of this picture from her website....www.lisisteurer.at
So you see why Thomas is keen to come along with us.
Today she truly kicked both of our rear ends with a 2.5 hour walk up a hill. Honestly, I wouldn't do this for any other woman....Harumi is much softer on me, more afraid I will have a cow if I am away from civilization too long.
But Lisi seems to think I am just fine tagging along with her.
And so I do.
But to give you an idea how dangerous her sports are, last year she went to six funerals of friends of hers-all young people. Thomas of course wanted the break down of the causes of death; it seems avalanches killed most but not all. One fell of a cliff inexplicably. She has been in an avalanche herself, but pulled on her airbag back pack; a device she says "she loves". Then, even though it saved her life, she tried skiing without it a few times in the back country, to see if it had an effect on her decision making. To see if she took more risk with it on. Without question, she told us, she goes closer to the edge with it on.
Oh not only is she a sponsored athlete but she got her MBA so if she can't ski or climb anymore, she will have something to do.
Get a load of this picture from her website....www.lisisteurer.at
So you see why Thomas is keen to come along with us.
Today she truly kicked both of our rear ends with a 2.5 hour walk up a hill. Honestly, I wouldn't do this for any other woman....Harumi is much softer on me, more afraid I will have a cow if I am away from civilization too long.
But Lisi seems to think I am just fine tagging along with her.
And so I do.
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