Smooth Landing

It’s not so difficult to get to San Sebastian (Basque Country). Just don’t assume that the airport of San Sebastian is actually in San Sebastian but some 20 kilometers away. This assumption may come for two reasons. One. You are landing in the middle of a town (and you let yourself free to comment on how nice San Sebastian looks from the sky). Two. Your mind is fully overwhelmed by the fear of landing on water, which disappears only when, with your face glued to the window and your eyes wide opened, you can see the runway. And the noise and wobbling of the local propeller plane don’t actually help you relax. If you have started off with the assumption that you have actually landed IN San Sebastian itself don’t get surprised to find yourself bus riding between one village and another looking for Plaza Pio XII (and by the way there is one in every village around San Sebastian), only to realise a couple of hours and 20 euros of bus tickets later that you were NOT in San Sebastian to start with. Once you happen to be on the right bus, you can sit down and enjoy the ride (and the traffic). The beautiful San Sebastian will be waiting for you.

clAUSTRIAphobic

In Austria, it doesn’t take too long to discover how small we are. Just take a train (remember to write your name on the ticket and be careful cause you are responsible for 4 other people), a bus (the one going away from the train station), a cable lift (but don’t look down) and maybe a sleigh or mountain shoes and just walk. The sunset looks so close you can almost reach it (but don’t try to). When you are knee-high inside the snow you appreciate the place even more cause you feel the nature is alive (and actually is trying to swallow you!). If you make it back to the hotel (for example sliding on your ass), just put the soaked shoes on the radiator to spread the smell of nature around the dining area and just order schnaps. You won’t regret it.

Cinghiales

The Cinghiale or wild boar (Sus scrofa) is an omnivorous, gregarious mammal of the biological family Suidae . It is native across much of  central Europe, Mediterranean Region and  much of Asia as far south as Indonesia (and above all India and Bangladesh), and has been introduced elsewhere. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. Although common in France, the wild boar became extinct in Great Britain and Ireland by the 17th century, but wild breeding populations have recently returned in some areas, particularly the Weald, following escapes from boar farms, London, Guilford and Cambridge. Wild boars live in groups called sounders (or cinghiales). They eat almost anything they come across, including grass, nuts, berries, carrion, roots, tubers, refuse, insects, small reptiles–even young deer and lambs, and lots of curry chicken and prawns. In Denmark the last boar was shot at the beginning of the 19th century, before reappearing in North Jutland at the beginning of the 21st century. Boar hair, especially from indian boars, is used in the manufacture of boar-bristle hairbrushes, which are considered to be gentler on hair, and much more expensive, than common plastic-bristle hairbrushes. Bald cinghiales are rare but they exist and they are usually quite funny. VIVA THE CINGHIALES!!

That Crazy Weekend….

Almost a couple of weeks have passed but, hey, I still feel grappa-drunk! The weekend in Aalborg was quite a break..you want a list of the things we broke?  Matjia finally got to know all of us so his initiation ( or traumatization – not sure this exists) is completed..he’s one of us…he joined the dark side. We have to think what’s the next step for Matija. I would say seeing his parents playing that danish pole game can wait (what is it called Migueeel). For the rest of you, there are no words..

Aalboriginals blog is OPEN

Today 3rd October 2008 I’m happy to officially open the Aalboriginals Blog.
Since we always have a lot of crappy comments and jokes (above all by the danish dude), it could be nice to include everything is a blog all ours, which is not crazy facebook (I cannot stand facebook for much longer!)
So guys what you think about this idea?
I’m a first timer or blog-virgin if you like but I think we can also add pictures and videos and all that stuff and share things.
Anyone out there blog-expert?