It's Christmas tomorrow. Now the birth of some dude two thousand years ago doesn't mean much to me, but I have to admit that the kickbacks of that advent are pretty cool. We've had a work Christmas event in Klagenfurt, another one in Zürich, and now I'm on Christmas holidays. Hallelujah.

First, the work event. Just like last year we were flown to Ljubliana and a taxi drove is across the Sloveian border to Klagenfurt. This time it was on Thursday night, and with a developer meeting planned for Friday morning we (the Swiss guys) sensibly and defiantly hit town. Naturally Friday morning was terrible. Nothing new there. After the dev meeting we went bowling (see below), and then went back to the flat to sleep a bit. Friday night was the planned event, this time hosted in the cellar of the brewery across the road. Well you can guess the theme. Still strung out from the night before, I didn't have as much interest in drink as the other guys and, incredibly, escaped the double-hangover that befell the rest of the group. It was well catered with great service and good company.

Saturday we recovered. We ate re-heated pizza from the previous day's lunch, and hung out until the taxi took us back to the airport. Flight was uneventful, though I was just as exhausted as last time. Arrived in Zürich, played some computer games, and slept. Bliss.

The Switzerland work event was also quite cool. The event was in a restaurant atop Uetliberg, which is the nearest, highest point from Altstetten. Food was Raclette, a traditional Swiss meal of melted cheese on potatoes, gurkens, pickled onions, different meats, and other various selectables. It'd snowed at that altitude so everything was white and Christmassy, though a touch chilly.

So Christmas
Standing by the fire, drinking glühwein, and eating bread-on-a-stick.	Uetliberg Lookout Tower

So Chrstmas Event No. 2 was cool too. Last weekend Thomas, Jürgen and I went to Austria to go skiing. We spent the first day in a thermal resort, which I must say was fantastic. They had pools, steam rooms, and saunas. We spent the whole day slowly cooking ourselves, rinsing off, and doing it again. Afterwards we met one of Jürgen's uni mates Gandalf in Klagenfurt. We hit town and found my favorite rock bar in Klagenfurt, though it was a little too packed and its music was a little too contemporary for my liking that night.

Rose early the next morning and went skiing. My feet are odd-shaped and don't fit ski boots very well, so I tried snowboarding. Big mistake. I fell on my knees, my ass, my wrists, and my back. Twice I fell downhill, backwards, and thwacked my head on the snow. Second time I broke my beloved sunglasses. Went home with a mild concussion and the solemn determination never to snowboard again. Ha! That'll teach the stupid sport...

And that's all. It's Christmas eve. This morning I went with Emil, Sonya and Claudia to a restaurant called Tanenbaum. Just like last year we sat outside, ate military chow, drank glühwein and froze our collective asses off. Last year there was gourkermusik (a big loud freaking brass band), but this year was an Alp Horn trio. I snapped a shot.

You know, something I like about Switzerland is that the perceived culture actually exists. You really find people who eat lots of cheese, yodel and play Alp Horns. I feel that New Zealand has been somehow misrepresented by an image of strong Maori culture, kiwis, and super-friendly locals. The truth, whether in my opinion or in fact, is that the Maori only one ethnic minority of many intermingled cultures, kiwis are nearly extinct, and New Zealanders are as closeted as any humans you'd find on this planet. Well it's interesting to draw comparison at least.

Tomorrow I have lunch with the Grossi (grantparents) and my cousin Ursula and her family, then head back to Zürich in the evening to catch a special Christmas rock event at the Alpen Rock House. Looking forwards to it. I'll be skiing from Thursday till the 3rd of Jan in Belalp again. There's a big group of us going so it'll be a blast. I'll write all about it sometime.