Winter wonderland and weekend links

Ever since my move end of January, it’s been a record cold winter here in Switzerland (yes, that is where I live – no, I don’t ski and I don’t yodel, there are goats across the street though), with returning temperatures between -15 to -20 Celsius. This means that when the sun breaks through the mists on a crisp morning, the world is bathed in dazzling brilliance. Winter person or not, I love the sound of cracking snow under my boots and feeling my cold cheeks tingle.

And then of course – the mountains! I had forgotten how much I missed them. I’m not a big hiker, yet all my childhood and teenage years I have lived in viewing distance of the mighty alps; later I moved away to city lights and traffic jams, to shopping rush, expensive streets and shallow people. A few years in that environment have almost wrecked me, but I’m finally out and back among the sane and solid. A couple of hundred people applied for the old apartment, of course. Good luck in the rat race.
Now, I’m looking at one of the most famous and majestic views this country has to offer. I live close to blue lakes and mountains that are ever-white, even during summer time as people go swimming and BBQing at their feet. The city I grew up in and love is only twenty minutes away. I’m home.

Since we keep enjoying such beautiful winter vistas from the new veranda and the weekend has almost arrived, I decided to share a few glimpses with you (and because Tesh shouldn’t be the only one with cool winter photographs!). An exclusive view from the living room (from east to west, all images expandable), as the sun is setting here in the heart of Europe –

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau; possibly the most well-known mountain range of the country. Thousands of international tourists visit every year.

My personal favorite: the majestic Niesen. A massive pyramid mountain that inspired a great many local artists.

The Stockhorn with its peak beacon completes the panorama to our west.

Weekend link love

As has become a regular thing on MMO Gypsy, it’s time again to share a few new links of fellow bloggers / sites I have come across lately and found interesting, or who have contacted me to say hello. I usually collect these until I have at least 3-4 recommendations and since Hugh from the Melting Pot has published a similar round-up just recently, I decided to include them as well. As always, if you’re on the lookout for newcomers in the neighborhood, pay them a visit sometime!

• Avatars of Steel – long-term reader of the blogosphere, the author has finally taken up her own pen and is blogging from the perspective of a “raid guild leader and game tourist”, who successfully manages to combine her gaming passion with family life.

• MMO Attack – a general MMO news portal that has launched but recently. An ambitious project, attempting to join the league of other general resource sites – Kirk & Co. can certainly use some support and feedback!

• Hypercriticism, where Milady is joining our ranks of general MMO critics and has managed her debut with quite a buzz already.

• The MMO Melting Pot round-up for this March 2012.

A warm welcome to all of you and of course best of luck and fun publishing!
To everyone in general, I wish a wonderful weekend – be it out in the snow or elsewhere!