Blissfully drunk

This afternoon I went on a company Rollerblading outing in the town of Thun. As of about 6pm, I was ready to go on a semi-rant tonight... Frutigen people suck for the most part. I'm out in a recreational atmosphere, rollerblading, with people I'm supposed to be bonding with, and almost no one talks to me unless I specifically address them. Oh yes, they are loud and boisterous to one another, but not to outsiders. One guy out of 15 talked to me without me addressing him first, though he did go through my host. Anyway, I found the best counteractive measure I could conjure, drinking beer, and lots. To my happy surprise, the company covered it too.
The beer had an interesting effect. I still couldn't understand a word people were saying in Swiss German, but I would speak high German to whoever I felt like whenever I felt like without even caring. They didn't say much back, but I don't care...I'm still a little drunk.

We got back and I ate some dinner with my host, Peter, at a restaurant. I got another beer. Then we came back to the house (chalet, haha). We had another half liter.
By this time, I'm talking my head off to him about God knows what: triple jump, Steve Prefontaine, and the history of linguistics for sure. I know he didn't care, but I didn't care that he didn't care. Then I made him teach me some Swiss German. I'm getting some ideas so hopefully I can decode the language to the extent where I can get the gist on conversations.

After awhile we were quiet... I know he was probably as drunk as I.

I just sat there for about 30 minutes staring at the mountains as the darkness fell. They snow to turned to red, and then to gray. I just reclined in the chair, listening to the bells of the cows and sheep in nearby fields chime softly and randomly. I saw the the lights of the chalets in the valley igniting with a comforting warm glow. I just thought, "damn I've been missing out on a lot in life." I was in complete bliss and didn't ever want it to end.

Wait a second, I came to the mountains to become chisled and grizzled. That wasn't grizzled, that was... wistful.

Anyway, below is a picture that I took this weekend during the Kandersteg "bike-plausch," because it's too much work in my current state of sleepiness to transfer rollerblading photos from today. Maybe soon.... Good night.