GstaadLife

If you missed the yodeling festival, then you really did miss something. For those of you who were not here last week, or for those of you who just want to look back on it all over again - here are some videos of this fantastic event:

Impressive alphorns...

...flag swingers,...

...yodeling of the finest and...

...cute mini yodelers.

Also the parade through Gstaad was impressive - but see for yourself:

Off season in Gstaad can hide secret treasures - such as the one below experienced last Saturday on the Eisbahnmatte, where one alphorn player after the other randomly arrived for an impromptu recital (and this is not the first time this has happened; see "On any given Sunday").  Oh, and If you are here right now you might have also noticed the most beautiful infestation of dandelions across the region's meadows: more than we can remember in recent years, literally seas of yellow. Come up, slow down...

One of the most beautiful Misses in Switzerland - Rita from Turbach.

Last Saturday the most beautiful cows of the 17 livestock farming associations of Saanenland were presented on the 'Eisbahnareal' in central Gstaad (where the tennis and volleyball also take place). It was a fantastic, curiously Swiss event with hundreds of cows and as many spectators. We, ignoramouses, had to inform ourselves of the criteria for winning this particular pageant, with evaluation of ability to walk in a bikini and high heels making way for judgments of an exceptionally beautiful udder, great horns and a gorgeous back line. So just like any other beauty pageant then. Below a short video of the event.

We stumbled upon this awesome headcam movie of two freeriders going down Glacier 3000 the "wrong" side of the mountain. The film is entitled 'The White Death'. Not to be emulated please, but good to watch nevertheless...

When you ask most people why they read the Anzeiger von Saanen, our local newspaper, they'll tell you it's for the ads. When you ask people what they don't like, they'll often say the articles are too long, or that's its restrictive to only have news on Tuesdays and Fridays. Well, the Anzeiger seems to be listening to both the kudos and the critics, with the launch this week of Anzeiger von Saanen TV, a new local info service broadcast onto digital screens positioned in public places around Saanenland.

If you are here right now you might have seen them already - for example while taking a coffee at Charly's, picking up some bread at Brot Bar, working out at Move it, filling up at Overlap, waiting for Dr Amiet or Dr Hauswirth at Chalet Sante, or up at the Hotel Kernen in Schönried. And according to the Anzeiger there are many more locations coming onto the network over the coming weeks and months, including the new Landhaus in Saanen, the MOB station in Gstaad, Raiffeisenbank, the Alpenland in Lauenen, the Molkerei in Schöenried and Glacier3000, to name a few.

Top: Stefan Romang with his new screen running the Anzeiger von Saanen TV local info service at Charly's. Above, regulars at the bar in the Hotel Kernen in Schönried catching up on their local news.

The screens themselves display a mix of local and regional news next to local ads and offers. The cool thing is -- and this we haven't seen anywhere on our travels at home or aboard -- the ads aren't just generic national campaigns...they're are all those useful bits of information masquerading as advertising that appear week in, week-out in the paper. And on top of that, each screen is slightly different, with offers from the local venues where the screen hangs such as items on sale, daily menus, ski conditions, immunization advisories and the like.

While the Anzeiger is a sister publication of this website -- and while we've had issues in the past with the publication's sometimes annoying sense of conservatism -- we have to say that the whole thing all looks quite slick, certainly not the stuff of a sleepy local newspaper. With all the news from the region uploaded every weekday in short summaries, we're psyched that we no longer have to restrict our news intake to twice a week. Right now everything is in German but we are working on getting our hands on it, at least in the high season, so you don't have to rely on your German skills. There's lots in today's newspaper about what this all means for local business and advertisers, but from our consumer perpsective, we say bravo to the Anzeiger. More after the jump.

There are many Christmas markets in Switzerland but we still think that the Christmas market in Montreux is one of the best. Take the MOB down to Montreux, enjoy a wonderful ride through the winter wonderland to arrive at the probably-not-so-snowy Montreux --  which manages to make up for the lack of snow by offering up a town-wide heart-warming Christmas atmosphere, with lights, music, many many stands with wonderful gift ideas, and of course many Glühwein and food stops (even a few VIP champagne bars if crowds aren't your thing). If you have kids then a run up to Rochers-de-Naye (2,032m above Montreux) to see Santa is an absolute must. But be sure to ask ahead at the train station for the Santa train because at peak times you need to reserve seats. See for yourself and see you there:

Is the High Fly going to crash? Well, the extreme snow-jumping event is definitely in trouble, according to a report in today's Anzeiger von Saanen. Two important sponsors, Quicksilver and Saanen Bank, have dropped out, a move that has placed the event planned February 21, 2009 in distinct jeopardy. Approximately SFr 45,000 are missing and if the money cannot be found within the next two weeks the event will have to take a break for a year. A shame because participants have already signed up and the event has always been a highlight for the young of our region. Hmmm, might this be the first signs of the global financial crisis and upcoming recession creeping into the the hallowed local economy of Gstaad-Saaneland? Well, hopefully the event can be saved and if you wish to participate in the rescue package call Simon Bolton from the organizational commitee on +41.79.247 76 17. It might be loud, it might be not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has become part of our region. See for yourself below:

Unless you've not picked up and English-speaking newspaper in the past 2 weeks, then you'll know that James Bond has returned in his latest movie entitled Quantum of Solace. It's Daniel Craig's second turn as 007, and the story continues where his highly successful first effort, Casino Royale, left off.  GstaadLife.com regular, Claudine Ferguson, was on hand in London for the premier weekend, and here's what she had to say by sms as she left the theater:

Heart in mouth at the opening sequence. Slick graphics. Moody soundtrack. Fights frantic. A nod to Goldfinger. Scenes as gritty as Bond himself. And, then it was over. Quantum of Solace: almost forgetable plot; still not to be missed. With Craig as Bond, nobody does it better.

Click here to read what the Guardian thought of the movie:

This is a crash-bang Bond, high on action, low on quips, long on location glamour, short on product placement. Under the direction of Marc Forster, the movie ladles out the adrenalin in a string of deafening episodes: car chases, plane wrecks, motor boat collisions. If it's got an engine, and runs on fuel, and can crash into another similarly powered vehicle, with Bond at the wheel, and preferably with a delicious female companion in  - well, it goes in the movie. 
 

Click here to watch a video interview with Sir Roger Moore telling us what he thinks about Daniel Craig's portrayal of Bond (hint "I was a lover, Craig's a killler").

And for the serious Bond geeks among you, click here for all the B-roll footage and stuff that will become DVD-extras, including 5-minute featurettes on the locations, the music, the girls, and much more.

Then judge for yourself by watching the trailer below. Quantum of Solace opens this Thursday November 6 at the Kino Gstaad. Call 033 744 14 74 for reservations.

Taki speaks again, this time on the status of the conservative movement and what he thinks of the National Review, the place where he got his start in journalism. Click play below to start the video.