These are a few of my favorite things...

After completing a three-day Fulbright Orientation a few weeks ago, the blog has unfortunately bogged down. The timing of the seminar may seem odd, but the university people have recently arrived because their start date is much later than ours. BUT before orientation it was time for a haircut, something I had been putting off for a week because I was nervous about not having my usual Kirby and trying to tell someone what I wanted. So, my colleague Zuzka hooked me up with her girl Magda, who works close to my flat. With very sketchy directions I found the building, but it was easy to find the salon, as MAGDA was plastered all over the widow. I met Magda who was in her 20's, wearing jeans and a red T-shirt. Her hair was black, sort of short, but with longer bits that were the color of her T-shirt. Uh-oh! She had some sort of a young male assistant who didn't do much of anything but the three of us managed to negotiate a color and style and it came out OK. I learned later that Magda is a local celebrity, having starred in some Slovak reality show. As a result someone set her up in this new location, hence the giant MAGDA window dressing.

But back to our Fulbright group, which seems to run the gamut in age, experience and subject area. I've already mentioned Jon and Nicole who are here with me in BA, teaching Math and English, respectively. Another Jon has taught English in Prague, will teach here at a Police Academy and joked about showing the Police Academy films to his cadets. Jen is a recent graduate who will teach English in Nitra, joined by Mark (linguist from UW Whitewater) and wife Betsy who will have a baby in January!. Kathy hails from Northern Ill. University, is an ESL specialist, and will be here in town, as will Janeil, an artist and administrator who works all over the world, most recently connected with Lill House in Chicago. Josh will head for Martin, a town in the Tatras, and Chuck and Susan will stay put so he can teach business law here at the University. Some of these folks stay only for four months; others are due to arrive next February.

It was hard to miss three days of school, having just built up a bit of momentum with my students. I left some lesson plans for my substitute, but found them on my desk Monday morning - untouched.The meetings were helpful but long, and included a blitz course in Slovak. I find the language difficult and feel a little better when even the locals agree. Nora organized an efficient orientation for us, and built in time for coffee, lunch and dinner so we really got to know one another. Also included was a reception in our honor at the home of the US Ambassador, with some seventy people in attendance. Friday was the last day and we finished it with a night at the ballet, Le Corsaire.

I figured I'd be informed and went on-line to get the story and shared it with others. But at the end, everyone's reaction was,"Huh?" The ballet was amazing, but the story line was a little shaky. Sold into slavery - pirates - wedding- rescued - re-sold into slavery... (Went on-line subsequently and found out that the story is considered silly at best and most modern staging eliminates the last act, hence the "Huh?". Face it, you don't go to ballet for the plot.)

So that was an exhausting three days and it would have been nice to relax over the week-end, but I had planned just the opposite. It was Cycling World Championships in Salzburg, Austria, Christian was riding and I was going. I had worked very hard on my arrangements for both transportation and lodging. Jan, at school had checked trains for me, trying to eliminate changing stations. Looking on-line I figured out how to get a hotel both close to the station and an easy walk to the race. John, Christian and I had a wonderful meal that evening at the USA Cycling Team's hotel, a 400 year old farm, owned by the same family all those years, and at some point converted into a restaurant/hotel. The working farm still exists, however, and the staff boast that everything served there is fresh.

The race on Sunday was great and we had Tour de France weather to make it perfect. Incredibly I got to see Christian as he rode up to the start line. He said later that he had to laugh at me as he rode away, I was so excited. True! It was the World's! I was in the VIP stands wearing the credentials of one of the US women who had already gone home. Watched 2 laps with riders coming round about every 45 minutes, but with almost 5 more hours of racing (265k race) I decided to head into downtown Salzburg to be a tourist.

I toured Mirabell Gardens which were right behind the start/finish area, and then made the short walk across the river into the old town, which includes the home where Mozart spent most of his growing up years. As it was Sunday afternoon, most of the shops were closed but that didn't stop people from strolling around. I saw many Tyrolians- drindls, wool jackets, even lederhosen. People still do really dress like that, and no, I did not see Julie Andrews singing, "The hills are alive..." but certainly expected to! Edelweiss, edelweiss, bless my homeland for... OK, staci (enough).

Back to the grandstands now for the final five laps, and not a seat to be had. I sort of worked my way up to the front row and sat on the stairs, 30 meters from the finish line. (Compared to the TdF finish, very loose security.) By serendipity I was next to a British couple, the Walls, Louis and Christine from Worcester, and huge cycling fans. This was so much fun because they so thoroughly enjoyed the racing, understood the sport, and even knew a bit about Christian. Also, Louis had a great camera with scanning abilities, and after a few laps, sure enough, got a picture of Christian. After exchanging addresses Louis said he would send me the photos, and Christian has instructions from me to send him an autographed picture.

The race was very exciting with lots of changes typical in such a long distance. And even though Christian had many CSC teamates there, this time he was riding for the stars and stripes. The Americans were looking good in Salzburg (in spite of their ugly black, blue and red jerseys). Christian's CSC mate, Fabian Cancellera had cooked everyone in the Time Trial (averging over 50k/hour - I don't drive that fast to the grocery store) but American Dave Zabriskie got the silver. Dave told Velo News, "I knew Fabian would be strong but I didn't know he'd be superman." The women also did a suberb job in the TT, with Kristin Armstrong winning gold and Christine Thorburn getting bronze!

We had a significant American presence on the road that day with Tyler Farrar going out early and staying out in a looong break.But eventually everyone came together and we grandstand critics had lots of opinions as to who had the best tactics, fastest sprint, strongest teamates, and just good old luck. Of course no one could say for sure, but we all had our hopes and allegiances. Across the street from us things were heating up, fans having staked out standing-room-only space hours ago. (The estimate was 300,000 spectators that day.) Then standing wasn't good enough, nor was shouting. People were climbing up on window ledges, hanging on signs and singing crazy-sounding songs. And the crazies got crazier, particularly a very vocal Italian group directly across from our stands,

Although we were watching the action on the Jumbotron, we did not see the Spaniard, Xaviar Cabre Florenco hit the brakes going into the final turn. This created a split, with Zabel, Bettini and two other Spaniards, Valverde and Sanchez getting a jump on the field. Valverde caught Sanchez' wheel, but it looked to be Zabel's day. Bettini would have none of it, however, and caught him in the last 50 meters, winning by a bike wheel. Meanwhile everyone, and especially the aforementioned crazy Italians went ballistic. Seeing Paolo Bettini singing up on the big screen, you would have thought he was performing in an opera, so dramatic is the anthem and so moving was the scene. They call him "The Cricket", and before you could say "Jiminy", up he was lifted by Zabel and Valverde. I still get shivers writing about it.

I just recieved some excellent 8x10 photos in the mail from amateur photographer and new friend, Louis Wall in England. He sent two pictures of Christian and two of the finish, and his image of the finish is just as I described. Some thirty meters before the line, all money is on Zabel... before Bettini comes around on his right shoulder to claim the title and those very special stripes!. Thanks again, Louis!