They flooded the streets of little Ramsau, walked shoulder to shoulder passing kiosks, beer tents,

food fries, bandshells, TV stations and police checkpoints.

They carried flags, noisy bells, horns, drums, paddles and whistles. And hidden beneath their coats, they carried a flask of homemade hospitality, a clear over proof liquid of warming spirits that brings tears to the eyes of the gulpy guzzler.

I said to Jan: "Take a picture of this bearded Bavarian in his black overcoat with the big silver buttons and the yolk over his shoulder". From the yolk hung two huge church tower bells tolling the carnival of cross-country skiing.

"Dad you must come to Europe to watch real cross-country skiing", begged Beckie after the last visit.

"You must see the little mountain villages laced with cross-country ski tracks, the groups of skiers endlessly sliding past mountain peaks looming over rich hotels, banks and resorts".

In Austria Jan and I skied into town, skied to the stadium and skied remote mountain trails that lead to the famous alpine guests hotels formerly farmsteads, now serving hot apple strudels with ice cream from the local farm.

Gone are the Swiss cows and yodeling milker. The idyllic mountain farms in flower studded meadows under snowy peaks turned into guestanches serving the Euro dollar spending tourist.

Austria's World Cup layout was unique in that you watched the skiers as they traversed the difficult trail system on a mountain acting as a screen for the roving eye.

"There's Beckie", shouted Jan. Beckie looked like a snowdancer on narrow wooden slats. My heart pounded watching her speeding forward down a sharp turn on a breath-stopping downhill.

Why are cross-country racing trails so dangerously difficult?

The Russian women's team dominated the World Cup. They openly admitted that medals mean rubles, and rubles pay for food, family and friends.

After every race, we met Beckie and the Canadian team in the tightly secured compound. We laughed and cried over the results, then settled in the best restaurant for the biggest wiener schnitzel and a bottle of the best Austrian wine.

Canadians are well liked in Europe and treated with the greatest hospitality.

Like every holiday, the good times outweigh the negatives, like crowded airports, narrow roads, 25 km backups and lugging your baggage up a mountain trail in a blizzard because your car is stuck.

Watching Beckie performing at the world stage was emotional and gratifying. European food is very tasty and beer is served in the hotels, in the corner store, on the bus, airport or railway station. You learn and compare and you gain a new appreciation for our great homeland Canada!