Weather Day In Saas-Fee

We ended up with an extra day off ahead of our SL block thanks to some inclement alpen weather. Turns out, Saas-Fee is home to some of the most visually and audibly spectacular thunderstorms! We've been keeping busy with homework, games, and today we did a scavenger hunt that took the kids all around the valley.

The items on the scavenger hunt were:

1. A photo with an animal larger than you (cows!)
2. Five facts about a famous athlete from the Saaser region. 
3. Taste a local food that you have never had before, and write a review ("It was good.")
4. Ride two gondolas other than the ones we ski from, and take a photo at the top of each one.
5. On a map, plan a route to Saas-Grund and Saas-Almagell.
6. Find two churches, take photos of each.
7. Find hotels with a "Z," a "V," and a "B" in the name.
8. Learn the Swiss national anthem (probably the hardest question. Props to Maddy for the solo performance).
9. Find one of the most common family names in town and get an autograph and photo from someone with that name (Bumann, Imseng, and Zurbriggen all represented).
10. Take a photo of a live marmot. (One team was only able to video the inside of the marmot hole after the animal disappeared into the ground).
11. Extra Credit:
• Take a photograph of a live camel (there are two nearby)
• Full name of all 5 coaches (Victoria Beyonce Amorello, apparently)
• Names of TK's sons (Niklas and Sebastian)
• Names of both male NCAA champions from 2015 - both Burkies (Dom Garand and Rob Cone)

Kelsey, Teddy, and Sophie at the top of one of their gondola rides.

A local church.

I'm actually not sure what's going on in this photo. Maggie, Calvin, Matilda, Celeste.

Maggie, Calvin, Celeste, Matilda at gondola #2. "The blue gondola."

This is a photo of a photo of a marmot. No points were awarded, but it was the only one that didn't look more like a Bigfoot sighting.

Team #1 met local legend Nikolai Zurbriggen at his ski shop. Famous athlete (semi-famous, at least), and local family name all in one pic.

Calvin and the camel. "This was the only angle we could get."

Team #4 won the day, and a box of chocolates. Charlotte, Maddy, Ella, Julia, and Sammi. Maddy's solo rendition of the Swiss national anthem put them over the top. Their implementation of PowerPoint was excellent as well.

 More scavanger hunt photos are lost in email world but will be up soon!

And a couple group shots from after the speedball tournament. Congratulations to the grey team, I think you won! The white team (my team) definitely lost. We were 0-3 in the tournament but we'll come back stronger next time.

Maggie, Daphnee, Ella, Celeste, Kelsey, and Jennette (I think?)

Classic Burke session. The outdoors is the gym here, no matter what. This is looking up toward the ski area.

Obligatory jumping photo.

A little awkward on the landing.