travel Archives - Page 12 of 74 - My Healthy, Happier Life

I hope you guys are having a wonderful weekend whether fighting the bitter cold weather or enjoying sunshine.

Here in Europe the continent seems to finally realize that it’s Winter. France and Switzerland have both received a fair amount of snow in the past two weeks and there is more on the way.

Six of us left Geneva yesterday morning to spend the day cross country skiing in La Clusaz, France. Located an hour from Geneva, the picturesque, small ski town was perfect for a one night trip. Kerrie and Ed, our friends who planned the trip, did a great job and we would happily return to the hotel, restaurant and bars we went to yesterday!

Since it was our first time cross country skiing, Bo and I started the day with a two hour lesson. Per the recommendation of the staff at Espace Nordique des Confins, the cross country course where we were skiing, Bo and I stuck to parallel skiing, the more classical style of cross country skiing. There are actually two types of cross country skiing these days, as explained online:

There are two techniques of cross-country skiing. Using the older classical technique, a skier travels with skis parallel and kicking backward to create a gliding motion across the snow. The more-recent skating, or freestyle, technique, developed in the 1970s, closely resembles the motions of ice skating. With this technique the skier pushes the inside edge of the ski simultaneously backward and outward at about a 45° angle, thereby generating more speed than with the classical style.

Cross country skiing uses different boots, skis and poles than downhill skiing. There were no ski pants, helmets or big jackets in sight. Everyone, including us, was dressed in clothing that resembled or was the same as what you would wear for a winter run. Everyone, including men, were wearing spandex pants. On the gear front, the boots felt more like running shoes and were so comfortable that during lunch I completely forgot that I was wearing them! Unlike in most downhill skis, the boot bindings are only connected to the ski at the toe, which allows for easier movement and larger range of motion.

During our lesson we spent the time practicing form and movement, as it’s important to have proper alignment to maintain balance and not injure yourself from over-extending your legs. You are constantly pushing and pulling your body while engaging every muscle group to move yourself forward, especially on the uphill portions. I didn’t realize it before but one aspect of traditional “parallel” cross country skiing is that your skies are in a track. These tracks make up courses which you can follow, often having a wider path running parallel for those people who are doing the skating method of cross country skiing.

Within thirty minutes of starting, Bo and I were both sweating profusely. By the end of the two hours we were comfortable enough to conquer the 2.5 kilometer course on our own, before taking a quick break for lunch. In the afternoon Bo and I both snapped into the skinny skies again for another hour or two of practice on the trails. I really enjoyed timing myself on the 2.5 kilometer course, focusing on getting faster while becoming more efficient in my movement while Bo went with the guys on another, more challenging course.

By the time we finished we were all freezing due to the mix of heavy snow and cold sweat covering our bodies. Still the Southern girl at heart, I couldn’t head back to the hotel without a picture in front of the snow covered fir tree! I still squeal with excitement every time I see large accumulations of snow!

Our hotel was a small, quaint hotel located in the center of town. Though described on their website as being simple, we found the accommodations perfect! Our room included a full bathroom and queen size bed, two things that aren’t always easy to find in ski towns. In addition, for a small extra charge we were able to enjoy a large breakfast this morning including toast, eggs, meats, cheeses, yogurt, fruits, pastries and coffee. How adorable is the small fireplace and sitting area?

We started Saturday evening off on the right foot with bubbly at Le Caves de Paccaly, a popular après ski bar located within feet of our hotel. We started on their outdoor terrace, enjoying the DJ and views of the falling snow but ended up moving inside as the small heaters weren’t enough to keep us warm in the 20 degree weather.

After working up an appetite we headed down the block to our dinner destination, La Scierie. Our group of six thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and food at this upscale restaurant featuring Savoyard cuisine. Though some things on the menu were quite expensive, the set menus were a good deal at 45 euros including appetizer, entrée and dessert. Each dish was a unique interpretation on the classic which was fun to experience throughout the night and also sparked a lot of fun conversations. My warm goat cheese salad featured melted goat cheese, intended to be used like a salad dressing.

The most popular entrée of the evening with our group was the chicken served two ways. The homemade gnocchi placed atop roasted leeks was the perfect way to enjoy a small dose of one of my favorite pasta dishes! While I can’t quite put my finger on the two chicken cooking methods, the shredded and pulled chicken left me wishing the portion was larger!

After dinner the evening continued into the early morning hours thanks to lots of dancing, friends who make you want to stay out past your bedtime and one too many round of drinks. As Bo and I aren’t drinking alcohol Sunday through Thursday, we realized last night that our tolerance has plummeted. Not necessarily a bad thing but definitely a hard lesson to learn after a round of tequila shots at 2am.

Thanks for a great Saturday gang, though my Sunday afternoon headache doesn’t thank you one bit.

Your turn – What is your favorite alcoholic beverage when you’re out with friends?

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Greetings from St. Petersburg!

We are in love with St. Petersburg thus far and have enjoyed a packed afternoon and evening complete with a guided city tour with Best Guides St. Petersburg.

Due to how spread out St. Petersburg is and the unpredictable weather, our tour was primarily a driving tour though we stopped to walk around and tour four sites. The weather today was overcast and 29 degrees. Not nearly as cold as we expected when we booked this trip but definitely colder than Geneva.

Our tour guide and driver met us at the airport before we quickly headed off towards our first stop, Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas.Built in 1743 it is known as the Sailors’ Cathedral due to it’s origin as a church for the naval regiment living in the area. As it is still an active church, there are no pictures allowed inside but the Russian Orthodox cathedral is decorated in the ornate, Baroque style inside. I found the below image online which gives you an idea of how the whole church looks. Interiors of St. Nicholas Cathedral in St Petersburg, Russia

Our next stop was Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, the largest Russian Orthodox Cathedral in the city and the fourth largest orthodox cathedral in the world! Completed in 1858, this Neoclassical church looked very different than St. Nicholas due the vibrant colors and architectural style. Since St. Petersburg is situated on a river delta, the foundation for the church was created by driving pylons into the ground!

Though the dove in the dome’s center looks small, it is actually over five feet wide! During the Siege of Leningrad during World War II the Russians painted the dome gray to camouflage it against the sky.

From here we headed towards the river bank to see the city from a different vantage point. All St. Petersburg’s rivers and canals, fully navigable in the Summer, freeze during the Winter, which is an incredible site.

Our final stop was Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, a church very different than any others in St. Petersburg. The church gets it’s unusual name from the fact that it was built over the same spot where Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. Unfortunately, these pictures don’t begin to do justice to the church’s beauty. The church was just reopened in 1997 after more than 30 years of restoration.

There are over 7,500 square meters of glass tile mosaics decorating the inside and outside of the church – more than any other church in the world. The bright, vibrant, colorful beauty of the church explains why the project ran horribly over budget. The interior especially, left us each in awe. There are multiple mosaics of Jesus surrounding you, from every angle, portraying him at different periods of his life.