The short version: It sucks, it sucks big time, it sucks a bit more every single day and it seems to suck a bit more hour by hour. No idea how to say that in proper German.
The long version
Monday 3 out of a possible 10 points.
Tuesday 2.5 out of a possible 10 points.
Wednesday don't even leave the house.
Thursday don't even leave the house.
Friday an insane 1.5 out of a possible 10 points.
On Saturday there was some snow and then we got an incredible 5 out of 10 points for 2 hours and then it was far too warm again and only the bakery with its sweets could console us over the sorrow. Back at the lodge by lunchtime and waiting for the forecast snow for Monday.
As we all know, hope dies last and so on Sunday, despite everything, we put on our skins and went up for an hour. Expectations were low but, as we all know, you can always go a little lower. The snowpack was howlingly unstable, the south-facing slopes "destroyed" by cracks in the snowpack, snow slabs and everything else that wasn't fun, the north-facing slopes totally disfigured by the wind. Simply put, ZERO fun.
The pictures should comfort you a little from the sorrow and remind you of the good times of years gone by.
I would actually have flown to Salt Lake City two days ago, but as it's only spring that melts the little snow there, I'll be staying in Japan for a week longer.
Country and people
One year ago, the strongest earthquake in Japan's history (9.0 on the open-ended Richter scale) led to a tsunami and the subsequent meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi reactor. The tsunami killed 15,850 people, destroyed 300,000 homes, damaged 600,000 houses and washed away entire villages. The World Bank estimates the cost to the Japanese economy at USD 200 billion, making it the most expensive disaster in history.
Atomic energy
The meltdown and the associated consequences will keep the operators busy with clean-up work for another 30-40 years. Japan has 51 reactors, 49 of which are currently shut down. The two remaining ones will also be shut down soon. After thorough inspections, individual reactors will gradually be reconnected to the grid. 85% of the energy required is currently imported. 80,000 people have been evacuated and it will take 20 years before the areas around the reactor are habitable again.
Influence on the winter sports industry
The few areas close to the reactor will almost certainly all go bankrupt. Although 99% of all areas are unaffected, some regions are suffering from a 50% drop in foreign tourists. Given the already poor visitor numbers, this is a financial disaster. Foreign media in particular have contributed a lot to this, e.g. a Hong Kong newspaper reported that 100% of the country is contaminated, including water and food. The report is of course grossly exaggerated and false, but countless tourists have canceled their bookings.
Here are some links that remind us of the events
Gruesome video of the earthquake and tsunami
Video of the tsunami in fast motion
