Ankara, Turkey - Yesterday was the first ever, maybe last too, Import Olympics. Brittany and Kate were the event organizers and it was a day filled of drinking and good laughs. The North Americans introduced American college drinking games (beer pong, flip cup, etc.) while the Swedes taught us shot gunning a beer is not something they do regularly (me too).
The evening ended with a spectacular electrical storm that lasted for over 3 hours. Lightening bolts stretched across the sky and some striking right into downtown Ankara. We had a decent view of the storm from our top floor apartment.
After the storm, I was watching a movie on my laptop in bed when everything started to shake as if Brittany was jumping on the bed. Realizing quickly she wasn't (she was out) and it was in fact an earthquake, my Vancouver Island elementary school earthquake training kicked in and I bolted for the closest door frame. Just as I reached it, the quake shook a glass off my desk and smashed all over the floor. The shaking stopped and I ran onto the balcony to see my coach on his balcony at the other end of the apartment. We shared a quick laugh and went inside.
Coach and I sat in the living room and shared some stories of disasters. Personally never being in a disaster, coach shared his experience of the earthquake he survived in 1980 when he was coaching in the Italian Serie A Hockey League (top league in Italy). Over 2,000 people died and he managed to escape his crumbling apartment with his baby son clutched to his chest.
The earthquake we experienced lastnight probably wasn't even a 5.0, but it was a good way to help the heart skip a beat!
Just wanted to add that the weather for the past week has been amazing. It has been above 15'C (60'F) this week! Winter, so far, has consisted of a combined 1.5 weeks of 0'C and 3 days of snow. That was the quickest winter I have ever experienced.
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