That Snowy Start

I MAY HAVE GLID SOMEWHAT SMOOTHLY through the decade that makes up my twenties, but I spent the last of its holiday seasons staggering and stumbling through the snow. A trip up to La Molina on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees provided not only my first experience in the snow, but also my first exploit on skis, which proved a tiring, tiresome feat for this tropic-born non-athlete.

In Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I, Anna introduces the children of Siam to the concept of snow: "It is not only hard, but very slippery too. When people walk on it, they fall down, and slide….. Not only do the lakes and rivers freeze, but the raindrops, as they fall, are changed into small white spots that look like lace!"

The children respond with assertive skepticism but I can personally vouch for the part where you "fall down and slide."

With the first week of the year spent sore, aching and unenthused, I find myself with a snow-imposed resolution of getting fitter and stronger, should I intend to ski again. At some point in this lifetime, I ought to try enjoying at least one sport.

Does après-ski count?

La Molina ski resort, Alp, Cerdanya. Photos by Lady San Pedro.