Just like Switzerland , Liechtenstein is a country i just drove in and out of basically . Yeah i drove through it to go to Grusch but that wasn't the longest stay :) The big day for me was New Years day . Now remember some of my friends told me that there is no way to play hockey in Liechtenstein ... well i proved them wrong and did it in the most beautiful way . I am pretty sure some of them just didn't believe me and even on New Years Eve when i left earliest telling them we have to skate the next day i don't think they fully believed me . I booked ice on my own at an outdoor rink in a ski resort in Malbun ! I contacted a fellow named Christoph who was very helpful and we get us some ice time .
What a better way to start the year ? Outdoor hockey with your friends from Germany and England playing in Liechtenstein ...on the side of a mountain !!!! I think for everyone this was a treat ... only problem was that Timo and Rainer were in comas when we were ready to leave LOL ... somehow i talked Mr.Consistency Timo into waking up and driving us to Malbun . Buddy thanks for making it happen . At least this time driving through this area we got to see the country during the daylight and yeah it was really beautiful . Liechtenstein is not heavily populated . It is quite quiet to be honest as i was told , i was not about to test that theory because there is no way i can afford a night of partying here .
This was my 22nd country that i have played hockey in and it was somewhat special being with the people i was with and it being the first day of 2014 , the view was inspiring . The ice was eh not so good , it is natural ice and from what i was told it was the last year they were going to have this rink there :( have no fear they are putting in pipes for the new rink which will hopefully be there next year and it will be at a higher elevation ! Did i mention i got changed in a garage next to a tractor ? Getting naked practically outdoors is nothing new to me LOL ... please try not to picture me naked on a tractor in the winter , or do it and have some permanent scars :P 
I should mention that we skated at Engelbert's Eis Platz ... we met Engelbert , he was the one that told me to change in the garage . I think they were confused when i rolled up with my gear . People were coming out to take pictures of us as i am sure they don't see too many goalies there . Its a shame the guys from Vaduz don't use this ice , they should ! I would suggest everyone goes to check out their new rink next year ... here is a link to contact them if you want to go , seriously you all should ! http://www.tourismus.li/en/winter/more-winter-sports-activities/ice-skating.html
We skated around for about an hour , as i said the ice was a bit rough so we didn't play a game . It was a light skate with the guys and gals shooting some pucks at me , we gave some hockey lessons to our non hockey playing friends that were with us and it was really a lot of fun skating around with no pressure about winning or losing or letting in a goal ... it was like when i was a kid and that is really why this was special . I have to mention that the staff from the ski resort Christoph , Moni and Engelbert were all super amazing . We had a beer with them in the lodge there and then headed on our merry way back to Austria . I can't babble on enough about how amazing this place was , just look at the pictures and figure it out yourselves !
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