Today’s theme was ICE. Ice-climbing in the day and watching an Ice-Hockey match in the evening.
Seriously cold this morning –18C! Ice-climbing followed by an ice-hockey match in Poprad. Before the ice-hockey match we hiked up in to the High Tatras again but this time for some ice-climbing. Hmmm! You would think that 42 and 49 years respectively might be a little old to start this fairly demanding sport? But under the expert tutelage of Tibor and Dana, both Graeme and I managed to get up a small frozen waterfall. I don’t think that we scored any points for technique but both of us were able to swing our ice-axes and make contact and keep our cramponed feet on the ice-wall without falling off. There might be hope for us yet!?
2/ Inside the quaint Tatra hut!
D & T really have this whole adventure sport worked out. After our climb we stopped in the High Tatras oldest hut. 130 years old, the Rainerova Chata is a tiny stone hut and is named after a famous porter. The stone walls are cluttered with old photos of climbers and porters and their paraphernalia. In the Tatras, human porters stock all the high alpine huts. They refuse to use helicopters to transport food and supplies to the high alpine huts. The porters are incredibly strong and carry immense loads on specially designed packs. Tibor has been a porter in the past and I think he still delivers loads to the huts from time to time.
3/Dana and us - glowing after a Vin Chaud!!
The Ice Hockey
Go Poprad, Go!! We went to our first ice-hockey match in Europe this evening. Both Graeme and I love to watch ice-hockey. We have been fortunate to see live games in Canada and the US and we’ve been hooked ever since. Admittedly the local Slovakian competition, Poprad v. Martin wasn’t quite at the same level as the NHL and the crowd was small, but the players were reasonably skilled and it was good viewing. And it was cheap - E2.40 for Graeme and E1.30 for me. Women getter a cheaper price! Obviously they are hoping to attract more women spectators.
Despite the predominantly male crowd, they were remarkably reserved, especially when I compare them to a good loud AFL crowd! I couldn’t help myself! I was yelling my lungs out when Proprad, the home team scored their first goal and then went on to win the match 4 –2. Unfortunately, everyone else around me was politely clapping! Clapping at an ice-hockey match? For goodness sakes, men were being body slammed into the walls at high speed, sticks were flying and arguments were breaking out between the players and umpires. And the crowd was clapping??? What was going on? At least their cheer squad went wild, banging their drums like indians on the war-parth whenever Proprad looked like scoring. I think these Slovaks need to go to an AFL match to see how to support your team!
And to finish the day – we shared some delicious ICE-cream topped with Dana's homemade blackberry syrup! How fitting!
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