What is not fun: Waking up at 6am

What is fun: Waking up at 6 am to find everything outside covered in a thick layer of snow. Yes the snow has arrived in Utrecht. It looks like someone got a giant sifter and covered the place in icing sugar. A for a country that is already painfully quaint it makes for many happy snaps.

I have not experienced much snow in my life. That hard, slurpee, artificial stuff they make at Buller doesn’t count. In the last week I have been snowed on, had many a snow fight, made a snow angel, attempted to make a snow man but gave up early on when I realized it takes a considerable amount of time and watched a blizzard (ok so it might not have been a blizzard per se but it what a lot of snow and it was coming down fast). There is something about the snow that brings out the inner child in everyone.

But! There a few things I have learnt about snow the hard way:

Snow make look white fluffy and pretty, so naturally, one is tempted to dive face first into it. When you go the dive you quickly realise that snow is in fact wet, cold, and sticks to your clothes.

When you, and many other people before and after you, walk on the same snowy path the snow gets compacted, then as it gets colder this wonderful compacted stuff re-freezes and turns into a mini ice skating rink. This I learnt when I ass planted on the footpath-legs straight out from underneath me.

Walking through the snow in inappropriate shoes= wet and cold feet. What are snow appropriate shoes? They don’t exist. Well, ok, snow boots maybe….

Snow and alcohol do not mix.

Grabbing a giant pile of snow, and then plunging your face into it, is not a good idea. (see photo proof above)

Snow in your ear is very uncomfortable.

When it snows the entire Dutch rail network packs it in. For example rocking up to catch my train to Germany only to be informed that there are no international trains running. Surely the rail network got the hint a long time ago that European winters get pretty cold, especially the further north you get, and it snows every winter in Holland; therefore will have to run trains in the snow at least once a year. Apparently not.

I haven’t even tried riding my bike in the snow-I’ve watched some Dutchies battle it out against the snow on their bikes and they struggle. So I’ve come to the conclusion there would be no hope for me. Although watching people have a tough time on their chose mode of transportation (I prefer watching cars and bikes) makes for fun time viewing.

I really do love kicking around in the snow, which is probably a good thing seeing as I am currently in Austria in the snow clad mountain town Zell am See. I am going to attempt to snowboard-“operation snow dud”. If my attempts at surfing are anything to go by i don’t think i’ll be dominating any slopes anytime soon.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!