snow – Wayfaring: Still

Leavenworth, the Bavarian Village

December 5, 2005July 29, 2021 GennLeave a comment

The penultimate Saturday of my work trip in the US saw us driving to Leavenworth, a town located in central Washington with the entire town centre completely modelled after a Bavarian village in the 1960s. Naturally this town became a major tourist attraction with festivals and activities organised year round to keep up the hype. P really wanted to visit for the beer and the sausages while I was sold when I heard about the Christmas lightings. Since it wasn’t too far a drive from Everett, we left it as one of our final day trips before we flew home.

It was very scenic along the way since Leavenworth is located within the Cascade Mountains and was an apt precursor to how the town would look like. As usual, I didn’t embark on any research, leaving all the decision-making to P our exceedingly competent trips organiser. We made a quick stop at the entrance to the town to take pictures of and with this welcoming board.

*A signature Bavarian building decked in Christmas decor*
*along the main street of the town.*

We walked into the town and saw the signature Bavarian architecture along the beautiful main street. It felt like we were instantly transported to the European continent. The multitude of visitors ambling about was evident of the popularity of this town as a weekend getaway. Apparently everyone shared the same braincell: most of us wanted to arrive at the town early enough to enjoy the atmosphere while there was light but were all eagerly awaiting the Christmas light-up.

*Taking a picture with Father Christmas.*

It looked like the children were having loads of fun sledding down the gentle slopes and I envied them. To be honest, I wished I were a child again, living in the moment with no cares in the world except for going down the slope as quickly as possible and making a splendid landing. Also, I was secretly envious of the way they were all warmly bundled up because I was starting to feel the chills, having been out in the open for a while. My two companions were feeling the same way, so we started exploring the retails shops instead, admittedly it was mostly for their heated spaces.

By and by, the small town got more and more crowded as visitors drove their way here before dark and getting harder to move around with hindrance.The sun was setting, so was the temperature dipping rapidly. Most revellers began drinking German beer or mulled wine to keep warm, but since I enjoyed neither, I continued suffering the cold in silence. It was an unfortunate circumstance that the sausage bun I ate did little to elevate my little problem that was frozen fingers.

And night fell. Everyone gathered and huddled closely together in the central square and in the darkness, waited with frozen, bated breath for the instance when we would be greeted with the awesome Christmas lights. We were not disappointed; the atmosphere was magical and brought back fond memories of what I felt as an eleven-year old in California Disneyland near Christmas. This was even better, with real snow!

I took a gazillion number of pictures after the light-up but only these few made the cut. The difficulty of taking pictures at night is very real for an amateurish photographers, and it showed in how many of them I had to painfully reject. Few there might be, they were enough to bring back the memories of that evening in the magical town nestled within the Cascade Mountains. Although I’m not fond of driving in winter, I would love to bring the mister back to visit one day.

Passing Up on Skiing at Stevens Pass

November 14, 2005July 29, 2021 Genn1 Comment

And exactly one week later, we found ourselves driving up to yet another ski resort. I guess P truly wanted to snowboard. 😆

Throughout the week prior, D & I pondered over following P & Y (one snowboarding, one skiing) up to Stevens Pass since we both were certain we didn’t want to engage in either. Our Saturday could otherwise be spent doing something else but since there was only one vehicle to be shared amongst the four of us, we would effectively be car-less, and that left us with few options on where we could go. Furthermore D wanted to be the self-appointed driver on the drive down – he was being nice, knowing P would be too tired to drive safely after expending his energy snowboarding the whole day. So I too, decided to tag along otherwise D would be quite lonely.

The scenery along the way wasn’t as fantastic (last week’s drive was better) but the landscape was a lot more dramatic than Crystal Mountain’s. It was also much further but we were driving all the way there for the powder snow. According to our American colleagues, Mount Baker has the best powder snow for winter activities yet driving so far wasn’t an option for us. So Stevens Pass it was.

ToD-Stevens021 — *Visible ski slopes as we were driving up.*

From afar we could see the ski slopes. Felt so excited for the both of them. We started out slightly later than planned, at about 7.30am instead and when we finally arrived, it was just over 9.00am. Not many cars yet, but during the short 10 minutes preparing ourselves in the car (wearing more layers and gloves), there was an endless stream of cars arriving.

Again, time for pictures. Lots of them. Since we were more than adequately dressed this round, D & I ventured out of the cafeteria to walk about the ski resort when we got bored with sitting and sipping on our hot drinks. There were lots of space to explore.

ToD-Stevens037 — *Ski lifts were not even half full.*

It was still pretty early into the ski season so the lifts were not utilised at full capacity. Wished I could ski well enough to warrant additional expenses on buying ski suits and renting equipment, but I’m not exactly competent yet.

It started snowing midway into our exploration of the resort. From our prior experience, we knew that whilst falling snow may look all nice and romantic, it is not so nice to get wet from the melted snow. We walked back into the cafeteria shortly after, not wishing to get wet.

A parting shot prior to leaving Stevens Pass. One thing I didn’t quite like about this particular ski resort… it was a steep slope at the entrance to the resort. Walking up wasn’t too much of an issue but leaving was an absolute nightmare. Last week I couldn’t stop laughing at Y, but this week he had his revenge. I had so much trouble manoeuvring the steep slope down he took pity on me and lent me one of his ski poles (D took the other). Hilarious sight, I know. This taught me an important lesson in life: that karma exists. 😆

I sat beside D as he drove down the mountain, promising to keep talking to him so he wouldn’t doze off. But the interior of the car was so warm and toasty I dozed off. Felt so bad…

An unpleasant incident took place while at Stevens Pass. The resort had racks set up just outside the cafeteria/rest area for skiers and snowboarders to park their equipment since they were not allowed to bring them in. One thing I noted while I walked past them was that locks and chains were not involved (unlike in S. Korea, the other ski resort I had been to). Suffice it to say that the system was very much based on trust. I was skeptical that it would work, but well… who was I to judge?

P had a slight accident while snowboarding hence he stopped and came in to rest a lot earlier than Y, who continued skiing for a couple of hours more. By the time we got up to leave the resort, P couldn’t find his rented snowboard when he went to one of the racks to collect it. He panicked, and made a rash decision to pick out a random snowboard belonging to someone else. I didn’t agree with his action, but kept quiet since it was his decision to make (losing the snowboard entails a large fine).

Turns out that the snowboard he took and tried to return to the shop was also a rented one, and the other guy was a lot smarter in reporting the loss. Apparently all these rental shops maintain one system to track stolen/lost equipment. P got into a bit of trouble at the shop, I heard from Y. In the end, he had to pay a fine for losing his snowboard, but they decided to go easy on him for the other transgression since his intent was not with malice.

A questionable decision aside, it wasn’t really fair that P had his rented snowboard stolen. Seems like the system based on trust has broken down long ago.

Day Trip to Crystal Mountain

November 7, 2005July 29, 2021 Genn2 Comments

Courtesy of our parent company in the US, the four of us from Singapore were assigned a vehicle for our exclusive usage. With the exception of Y who didn’t drive, S, D and I took turns driving to and from the office daily. I didn’t want to, and they didn’t dare to ask initially since they thought I couldn’t handle a large car (Toyota Sienna). That was till they found out I drive a CRV back home. Boo… I really hated driving as it got progressively colder in Everett; the steering wheel got so cold in the mornings I drove with my gloves.

But they were nice enough not to ask me to drive during our long trips out of Everett come weekend. We were all rather easygoing about where to go, so P was usually the one planning the activities. We just gamely went along with whatever he had in mind.

ToD-Crystal006 — *The route to Crystal Mountain was very scenic.*

So, P planned for us to visit Crystal Mountain one Saturday morning since it wasn’t located too far away from Everett. The thing about Washington State is, it is full of mountain ranges all over the state. They have no lack of ski resorts receiving lots of snow each winter due to their geographical location so we were really spoilt for choices.

Alas, I was not packed for skiing on this work trip. And ski resorts in the States (I’m not sure about the other countries) don’t really rent out ski suits or equipment; you are supposed to get that all sorted out before driving up to the resorts. P must have researched all that and wanted to check out one of the closest ski resorts. I wasn’t complaining; the drive was scenic and I had the prime spot of sitting beside the driver. Heh.

We checked the temperature and weather conditions up on the resort before leaving and were all excited to learn that it was snowing! It was a long drive and P volunteered to be at the wheels the whole time. He seemed to enjoy driving.. I forgot how long the ride took, but it was long enough for us to make a few picture stops along the way in order to stretch ourselves.

The drive got progressively more interesting as we drove up to the resort. Somewhere along the way we also had to stop to put the snow chains on the tyres. I’d seen snow but to see the alpine trees get covered in more and more snow as the altitude increased was such a novel experience. At some point, I even wound down the window to feel snow drifting onto my face, much to the chagrin of my companions (they didn’t appreciate the cold).

ToD-Crystal013 — *Snow several inches deep.*

It was still early November but oh my, the snow was falling fast and furious. P and Y were the ones who wanted to recce a ski resort so they went ahead while D and I lingered everywhere to take pictures. D accidentally stepped on a spot full of fresh snow and we were quite surprised to see that it went so deep.

ToD-Crystal020 — *Poor Y was struggling so hard behind.*

This picture I captured of my three colleagues + a stranger was quite hilarious. You see, Y was wearing very insensible leather shoes to the ski resort and he was slipping and falling ever so oft. I really pitied him but I simply couldn’t comprehend what he was thinking when he wore those shoes. So, as we walked towards the resort, I was lagging behind and saw that it was a good spot for a shot. Asked D & P to stand and pose… and while I was fiddling with my camera, a stranger in full ski garb decided to join them for the photograph. That was so spotting of him. Without waiting for poor Y to join us (that’s the poor guy on the left struggling to walk in the snow), I took the shot. Makes for a very interesting picture, doesn’t it?

We walked into the resort and took in every sight and sound. None of us decided to ski since 1] none of us was really dressed for the sport (they don’t do attire rental here, unlike in Korea) and 2] the lift ticket is really expensive! The guys starting discussing about skiing and snowboarding at Steven’s Pass next weekend but I’m two-minded about joining them.

I was without a beanie…

And then I was wearing a beanie.

I’d brought along very limited winter wear to the States, and was most certainly not expecting ski resort visits. After nursing a headache from the cold, I finally succumbed and decided to get a beanie on the spot. Instantly felt much better after wearing it.

The snowfall was getting a little too heavy for comfort and we were all quite prepared to leave soon after our pizza lunch. By this time, we had started getting worried about our drive down the mountains. We decided to head to the information counter in hope of retrieving some useful information for the drive down. They had limited information but advised us not to step on the accelerator nor the brake and drive really slowly, ignoring any honking from cars behind us.

ToD-Crystal039 — *I was so taken by this sight I misstepped and slipped.*

At around the same time, the ski resort made an announcement stating that all access up and down the mountain would be closed in about an hour’s time, when the snow was predicted to get extremely heavy. We didn’t count on getting trapped up in the ski resort hence decided to head down immediately.

I would have loved to walk down the same direct route we walked up, but that wasn’t quite possible with Y’s leather footwear so we had to make a detour round the main road (more photo-taking opportunities yay!). I found the carpark with so many cars covered in snow a really pretty sight and was so preoccupied with taking pictures I slipped and fell. Got my jeans all wet as a result. Fortunately it was already nearing the end of the trip.

I wondered how our car would look like by now (with the heavy snowfall). Boy was it a long and cold walk before my question was answered.

ToD-Crystal042 — *Our Toyota Siena after a couple of hours out in the open.*

The car didn’t look too bad at all. After snapping some shots, I quickly darted into the car while the guys attempted to clear some of the snow on the windscreen to try increase visibility for the driver.

On our slow drive down the ski resort later on, we came by a vehicle that got into quite a bit of trouble and couldn’t get out of the snow heap. Being foreigners new to snowy conditions, we were in no position to help. Hopefully they managed to get the vehicle moving again, or they run the real risk of getting snowed in.

Thankfully, we got off the mountain before they closed all road access.

Of First Snow

November 26, 2004May 2, 2025 GennLeave a comment

The first fall of snow is not only an event,

it is a magical event.

You go to bed in one kind of a world

and wake up in another quite different,

and if this is not enchantment

then where is it to be found?

– J. B. Priestley

Without a doubt, winter is irrevocably and undeniably my favourite season, for a myriad of reasons: Christmas would be around the corner (for the Northern Hemisphere, that is), I almost always prefer cold to warm weather and, who doesn’t have romantic notions of a White Christmas, cuddling with your loved one by the fire with the aroma of roasting chestnuts permeating the whole house? Why, even Winter is my best-loved concerto from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. ‘Nuff said.

Oh wait, there is but this one little problem – that we hail from a region that doesn’t get to experience winters (we should be very worried if we do). The closest we have are the northeast monsoon rains from December to March that help bring down the ambient temperature by some: from an average of 32°C to 27°C. Snow, the all-essential element for a white Christmas, is however conspicuously absent.

There is a famous saying: ”If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain”. Since we can’t have things our way, we must then bow down to the inevitable. Well yes, we have since long resigned to our fate; while we don’t get winters here, our beloved country has provided us with much in return. For the winter experience, we always have the option of travelling.

Honeymoon First Snow — *Encounter of ‘first snow’ when we were at Sincheon Walking Street.*

There is snow, and then there is first snow. Apparently, the Koreans decided that first snow (첫눈) should be set apart from other snows, and the logic of this completely eludes me. If you’d ever watched Winter Sonata (겨울 연가), you would have noticed that the motif of first snow was repeatedly emphasised in the said Korean drama series, especially whenever the two lovers met. It must be a certain significance known only to the Koreans.

Determined to uncover the basis of the Koreans’ obsession over first snow, I delved deeper with the aid of the internet. Nothing useful showed up, possibly because I typed and searched in English – I have a strong hunch the concept must be best explained in Hangul (한글), which unfortunately, is a language I was not familiar with at the time of writing this post. From what little information unearthed, I deduced that first snow could refer to first love, meeting of lovers or that witnessing first snow with your beloved means that this will be an everlasting relationship.

Whichever the case, fact is everyone gets excited over the first snowfall of the winter. Years back during our mini honeymoon to Korea, we witnessed Seoul’s first fall of snow while shopping along Sincheon Walking Street (신촌동). Understandably, we tourists hailing from the Tropics were squealing away in delight, but I was surprised to find the locals equally excited: some started dialling and speaking on their mobile phones informing their loved ones about it while others got busy taking snapshots.

Considering the romantic connotation of first snow, I take witnessing it on our mini honeymoon as a good augury for our marriage.

TRIVIA:
South Korea (officially known as Republic of Korea) has a temperate climate with 4 distinct seasons. Their winters are notoriously long, cold and dry while their summers are short, hot and humid. They are however, less vulnerable to typhoons than Japan, Taiwan or the eastern coast of China. The country is warmest in July and coolest in January. On balance, South Korea sees 116 days annually with measurable frost, and on average, one can see frost throughout the whole of every January.