It had previously been agreed that no member of the group would try skiing until Saturday evening’s performance was over – you can’t dance with broken bones and no-one in the group had ever skied before.  So a ski lesson for eight members had been booked for 10am Sunday morning. 

However, it seems we can’t get through a day without a performance of some kind and today, Sunday, five members of the group don costumes to dance for a short film in the snow at the back of the hotel.  We are to dance holding burning ‘夣305;ra’ – those slivers of resiny pine sold as firelighters on the market.  But the ‘夣305;ra’ delivered to the hotel are just normal lengths of wood so won’t burn.  The ends are soaked in diesel – they still won’t stay alight in the cold wind that is now blowing.  Someone produces cotton wool which is soaked in diesel, wrapped around the previously diesel-soaked ends of the sticks – and now they burn a treat.  With the bonus of diesel dripping down over our hands as we dance backwards and forwards in a line in the snow to music from two local guys playing drum and zurna.  We are in danger of turning into living torches when the cotton wool starts to drop off, the snow is soon dotted with flaming specks, and we are dancing with unlit sticks again.  Of course we all get the giggles, but the cameraman from a local TV station seems happy and soon we are back inside trying to get rid of the stink of diesel – and changing for the next item on the day’s programme.

{mosimage}We all go by minibus to the Ski Centre outside the ơmkar Hotel for the lesson due to happen at 10am.  We wait for the instructor but he doesn’t appear and those on skis are raring to have a go, so Coşkun and this writer volunteer to stay at the meeting place while the other eight have a go without benefit of instruction.  There are lots of tumbles and a spectacular four-person pile up but, fortunately no-one is injured.  By the time the instructor finally arrives only two people have enough energy left to take the lesson.  The others settle for comfy sofas and mulled wine in the Hotel – sensible people.  When the lesson ends almost everyone has a go at tobogganing before returning to our hotel late in the afternoon.

Dinner was followed by a quiz (when David Groom is in the group there’s always a quiz) won by the female team and then singing, dancing and drinking till midnight with off-duty personnel from the other two local hotels.  An excellent, relaxing and well-earned day off.