To the slopes! Errr… slope? Errr… hill?
To refresh your memory:
The Ski hill at Yi Shui
It’s really more of a gentle rise, isn’t it?
We approached our ski adventure with no expectations. We were just excited to get out of Linyi. We knew ahead of time the snow was artificial and since there aren’t any towering mountains nearby, we knew the ski hill would be small. I don’t think we expected it to be quite so small, or so crowded, or the snow to be so… crunchy! So what substance are the skis at Yi Shui Ski Hill missing? WAX! The snow is so hard and rough, that the skis barely move at all. Since the ski lift wasn’t working at first, we just walked right up the hill with our skis on. It was a bit like cross-country skiing, without the proper skis.
At Yi Shui, there are three skiing areas. Don’t think it is all grand or anything, the three areas put together are about the size of an American football field. (I don’t even like American football, but having grown up with this measurement tool in my head, I can’t seem to relate to any other kind of example!)
Area One – The Bunny Hill
The Bunny Hill is really flat. I’m not sure how anyone trying to learn could get any real practice on this area. Over on the left side is a vertical wall that several people were attempting to climb. Despite the obvious deficiencies of the ski hill, everyone seemed to be having a good time. And that’s really what matters.
Area Two – This is the same hill seen in the first picture (Here called the Middle Area)
Area Three – The Competition Slope
There’s a little bit of skiing fun for everyone! True beginners, middle skill and even competitors! I joke, but who am I kidding, I was a little unnerved skiing for the first time in nine years. After all, the last time I skied it had actually been seventeen years since I touched snow. I went down a slightly icy ski slope in Northern Spain with poles and arms flailing, screaming hysterically and going faster than everyone around me, all completely unintentional. People on the ski lift above me actually applauded. I knew this wasn’t going to happen this time, but still, there were plenty of wipeouts and so I shoved off the top of the hill with a lot of trepidation.
At the bottom of the steepest portion of the ski hill.
I didn’t fall, but I did have a heck of a time trying to shift my weight from leg to leg as I attempted to perform some graceful turns. There’s not much that is graceful about my athletic abilities, though, and I ended up snowplowing down the hill. My niece and nephew inform me that this maneuver is no longer known as the snowplow. Seems these days the kids call it the pizza wedge.
While there were plenty of spills on the hill, there were also a few skiers who knew what they were doing. Case in point – this guy who went down the hill backwards:
The guy in the middle, in yellow
And then there was the guy who was kind of enough to take someone’s skis down the hill – the DH
And plenty of people were taking risks in order to learn something:
Dads the world over teach their kids to ski
And even a few creative types were “doing it their way”
With one ski pole! No idea what happened to the other one!
But most people spent a great deal of their time posing for photographs!
The DH and L., a professor at Linyi Normal University
There were kids of all ages there that day:
The family that skis together…
Moms the world over also have their jobs!
This girl was very enthusiastic – I love her hot pink skis.
But the real reason we were at the ski hill was for a little competition. Every Saturday the local TV station, Lanshan TV, sponsors a downhill speed competition. The top speed wins a TV. At the end of the season, all the first place winners will be invited back to compete for a car!
Representing Ba Li Zou An (Julia’s Bar): a Spaniard, an American and a Canadian (also a Russian, not pictured)
The local TV station interviewed each contestant before their race.
That would be the DH, showing off on one of the jumps.
To successfully complete the race, each skier had to negotiate two jumps, then pass by the teddy bears and through a space formed by two Santa Clauses before crossing the finish line. The DH showed off a bit too much with his jumps and came in third place with 42 seconds.
The DH with TV presenters and his prize – an electric hot plate
What he could have won – a 32″ TV!
The TV Presenter at the bottom of the hill – he LURVED the foreign boys!!
So we didn’t win a TV or a chance to win the car – we had a blast just mingling with the crowds, joking with the TV presenter (who seriously loved the boys), seeing the cave and being part of something. We posed for pictures with tons of people, got interviewed for TV and spoke broken Chinese with anyone in earshot. I’d say that was a successful day.
And no broken bones or serious bruises, either. 
You can see all the pics of the day here.
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Yi Shui may not be Lake Louise, but what a fun day! Actually, my athletic skills are atrocious (not to mention I’m a big chicken) and I would do much better and have more fun skiing Yi Shui than the mountain slopes in Banff! Thanks for sharing Global Gal.
Lisa
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Magical Winter Day! =-.