Wednesday 17 March 2010

The Gallery: Black and White

I know, I know. These are different photos to the ones I had up earlier. I suddenly decided that I liked these ones more - still the same day, still the same run down. So it is a bit less of the WHITE and a bit more of the Black & White. That's the joy of it being my blog. I can do what I want. Hoorah!


Date: Christmas Day, 2008
Place: Jahorina Mountain, Sarajevo


My family came to Bosnia for Christmas 2008 and we decided to stay in Jahorina, just outside of Sarajevo. Being Christmas Day and all, we'd had an early start. The boys were so excited, and had opened the stocking presents with enthusiasm. Then there was sudden quiet, they were totally engrossed in their new toys. Mum looked at me and Dave and told us to take the opportunity and get out there; the boys were going to be easy to look after for the next hour or so and we weren't going to get a better chance that this to get some skiing in.

So we did. We were almost the first up the mountain that morning. At the top of the mountain it was a beautiful day, but freezing cold. Above the clouds, it was clear and we could see for miles. It had snowed over night and we choose a route that no one had skied yet. The snow was amazing, beautifully light and powdery, heaven on earth for the snowboarding Dave and pretty fun for me on my two skis. We raced each other down the mountain. We ski at about the same speed, are around the same standard and are both very competitive. We hadn't had so much fun in ages. It was cold, exhilarating, life affirming.

About half way down the mountain we hit the clouds. Everything went white. Dave took a tumble. Too busy laughing at him, I wasn't concentrating on what I was doing and down I went too. Served me right, Dave enjoyed it enormously.

We managed a couple of runs before putting our parent hats back on and returning our grown up responsible selves. But I'll always remember that Christmas morning, when we got to spend some time together, just the two of us, doing something we adore, having so much fun and feeling so alive.

(Week No. 3 of Sticky Fingers' Gallery prompt of COLOUR. There are some amazing pictures there, go and have a look).

29 comments:

Trish said...

Looks and sounds fabulous! Great narrative to go with the picture.

(just read your comment on mine - now I'm frustrated that I couldn't persuade the family to go to the opera in Verona! Will go back!)

Josie @Sleep is for the Weak said...

These are gorgeous, full of early morning mystery. What a lovely memory to have!

x

Victoria said...

What a lovely story and what amazing snow. I often think that my memories are what keep me going through the long boring days, when you're stuck in and are fed up with the endless child-related clearing up. What a lovely memory to have.

London City (mum) said...

Oh WOW! That looks amazing.

LCM x

Muddling Along said...

That looks like great fun - nice to be able to take off the parent hats for a while and enjoy doing something you love like that

nappy valley girl said...

Looks absolutely beautiful - what a wonderful experience. You've made me want to go skiing again - shame I'll have to wait till next winter....

Nappy Valley Housewife said...

Beautiful. I love skiing. It's about the only sport I can do (no eye/hand coordination necessary). Sometimes, when you have a really good run and everything is working together, it's such an adrenaline rush and all the feel-good endorphines kick in. It's that combination of immense joy and sheer exhileration. There's nothing quite like it.

Cherished By Me said...

I love snowy pictures and to get ones of you skiing is fantastic....the snow looks sooo inviting to ski on. :0)

Very Bored in Catalunya said...

Wow, that's a lot of white. xx

Unknown said...

That looks awesome, not jealous in any way shape or form, I'm not I tell you.

Potty Mummy said...

Gosh, snow? Haven't seen that in a while... (great photo's, btw!)

If I Could Escape . . . said...

What a lovely story to go with your fab photos!

MrsVikkitoria said...

What a wonderful memory. Thanks for sharing it and the lovely photos.

MD xx

Mwa said...

Sounds like an amazing time! Skiing is my favourite pastime, too. It just takes you completely away from everything else.

ella said...

Lovely pics and what a great way to spend a Christmas morning!

Tara@Sticky Fingers said...

What's this what's this? You changed your pictures? Ah the pressure you all put on yourselves!
Very cool pictures though, very very jealous

Nickie O'Hara said...

Great story to go with the fab pictures :) Such a unique experience x

Dorset Dispatches said...

Trish - you must. It was amazing.

Josie - thanks, it was lovely.

Victoria - I hold onto it with intensity.

LCM - was!

Muddling - It was so refreshing. We adored it. It was great to do it together as well.

NVG - I don't know when we'll next be skiing. It is convenient to go here, less so from the UK.

NVH - There isn't. We felt amazing.

Nova - it was perfect.

VBC - slightly less white now I've changed the photos, but it was very.

GJ - Glad you are not. Would hate to think of you eaten up with envy at your computer...

PM - all gone here. AT LAST! Although they are warning of another to come before we finally get rid of winter. Enough already to winter.

If I Could Escape - Thanks

Modern Dilemma - thanks!

Mwa - love skiing. You feel so good after it.

Ella - It was perfect. I don't think we'll ever reach that level of perfection again.

Tara - couldn't resist it. It's my blog and I'll tinker with it if I want to... la la la.

Nickie - It was lovely.

TP said...

I miss you! Cx

Dorset Dispatches said...

Thirsty P - Miss you too! Looks like the boys will be back in the UK next week! When are you coming to visit (get ye out of Iraq woman!)

Jo Beaufoix said...

Great pics and you really brought them alive with that fabulous narrative. I felt all alive too reading it. Brilliant.

Mari's World said...

Oh how I miss skiing and your photos show off the perfect powdery snow ever! Love the memory that goes with the shots

Laura McIntyre said...

Skiing on Christmas - awesome ,really love the pictures. Wonderful memories.

Paradise Lost In Translation said...

Wow what fab conditions!

Anonymous said...

What an incredible way to spend Christmas morning...beats standing in the kitchen peeling spuds and stirring gravy...

Harriet said...

Skiing!!!

That's all I wanted to say. (great action shots too though by the way)

Calif Lorna said...

What a great story to accompany your photos. I'm really enjoying looking back over my photos for different shots to match the topic.

Time away from the kids to be adults is just the best thing ever. Good for us and for them!

Dorset Dispatches said...

Jo B - Thanks. It is good to feel alive sometimes!

Mari - I love skiing, I always feel so great. And the snow that day was amazing.

Laura M - it was great. I'll treasure the memory forever.

Paradise - they were good! Did you get anything like that in Macedonia this year. Apparently the snow in Sarajevo this year wasn't quite as good.

Mummmeeeeeee - really ,it totally does! We went out to a restaurant for our Christmas meal, and because it is in the Serb area of Bosnia, which is Orthodox and they don't celebrate Chrismtas until Jan 7th, it was a totally different Christmas dinner.

Plan B - Oh yes. Skiing. It is GREAT!

CalifLorna - Exactly! And me too about enjoying going back over photos to find the shots that I want to post.

Nishant said...

These are gorgeous,
home based data entry