I’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU!
What happened when a Bond newbie signed up to visit 007’s lair in the Austrian Alps?
EIGHT completed missions, no bullet wounds, 11 explosive devices disarmed, casino winnings of £213million and 28 amorous liaisons — no, this is not the result of a crazy weekend in Las Vegas, rather it’s my predicted statistics should I ever decide to become an MI6 operative.
I’ll probably omit from my CV the less impressive data of £270billion in collateral damage, a measly three villains terminated and a blood alcohol level chart that only seems to rise.
I’m being fed this information following a scan of my arm in the new 007 Elements installation in Sölden, Austria. Fans of James Bond will recognise it as the Hoffler Klinik in Spectre, the 24th movie in the lucrative franchise.
I cannot class myself a Bond fan — in fact, I have never seen a single Bond film. And so it was with curiosity and trepidation that I approach the installation — would it be interesting for those who are unfamiliar with Ian Fleming’s work? And would I understand the significance of the content?
The answer is yes to the former, veering towards no on the latter — initially.
Travelling in the cable car up to the Alpine mountaintop — an exquisite experience, with incredible views — we stop half way to change to a different line. At the
station we see one of the cars used to film the mountainous chase sequence and the cable car in which Q sits while trying to help Bond out.
At this stage, it still means little to me, though the Bond lovers around me are snapping away and talking to each other excitedly. When we get to the top, the ice Q structure — an aptly-named restaurant that already existed when the Bond location finders came across it — rises majestically above us. The glass structure is a stunning architectural feat, made even more impressive by the fact that it’s atop the 3,048m Gaislachkogl Mountain — bring a jacket whenever you visit as even in summer it’s chilly up there.
ELEMENTS itself is made up of nine galleries and spaces, each one offering a different look at Bond. You enter through a room known as Barrel of the Gun, which really does feel like exactly that, screening the iconic opening sequence and immediately immersing you in the brand.
In one room we see the clip from Spectre that was filmed at the location and it’s at this point that it all starts to make a little more sense to me and I can finally get in on the excited chatter. The clip itself is about 10 minutes long, showing Daniel Craig as Bond entering the Klinik before embarking on a snow-filled chase around the mountain, with the bad guys in cars and Bond in a plane.
It’s a really high-octane segment, featuring 18 cars, and gives me a new respect for the team who were dispatched here to set up and film it. We’re joined on our visit by Neal Callow, the art director on Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre, and he reveals the huge investment of time and money that went into setting up the scene.
Sitting in the location where it all actually happened is a surreal experience — one part of the installation looks out over the road on which the chase occurred and it takes on a whole new meaning. Another room, the Action Hall, contains the half of Bond’s plane that’s left after it smashes through a wood shed, with huge splinters of wood located around it in the exact manner in which they blew out during filming.
Another reminds me of a villain’s lair. Filled with mirrors, the 360degree room reflects scenes from Bond movies throughout decades, with booming music and dramatic lighting. Another, the Legacy Hall, has interactive displays which have information about the Bond films, behind the scenes footage, iconic film posters and costumes used.
The Tech Lab is my personal favourite room, featuring the computer that gives me my spy credentials as well as a look under the bonnet of a Bond car, the legendary ‘Golden Gun’ and an interactive display that shows you how scenes are layered on top of each other to create the incredible effects.
After all this Bond excitement, we retire to the ice Q restaurant, where we’re treated to a wonderful lunch surrounded by incredible scenery.
I take the opportunity to indulge in one of the Bond trademarks that even those who have never seen a film will know: a martini. And, of course, there’s only one way to serve it...
It’s a delicious treat and best enjoyed sitting on the terrace enjoying the Alpine scenery.
After lunch we head back to Sölden to Das Central Hotel, which is where many of the Spectre crew stayed while doing their epic work. Nestled at the bottom of the valley, it’s a truly magical Alpine setting and owner Angelika Falkner — sister of Jakob Falkner, one of the main people behind 007 Elements — is always on hand to offer a warm welcome and local advice.
The hotel’s two restaurants, Feinspitz and Ötztaler Stube, are a must-visit, with local ingredients and traditional cuisine — a schnitzel is a must.
With my spy credentials now firmly in my grasp, it’s time to take a trip to the nearby Area 47. Describing it as a water park or an adventure area does it an injustice as it is so much more than either.
As we arrive, we see someone jump from right under the huge bridge that runs across the entrance to the park — a 27m high drop — on a Mega Swing that con- tinues to fling them back and forth for about 60 seconds before they ease gently to the ground.
LOOKING up to see who’s next, we see someone else launch themselves on to the Flying Fox, a 400m zip line that takes you right over the entire park.
Next to that is a high ropes course running right under the bridge — as rope climbing is one of the few adventurous activities I don’t really like, I doff my cap to them while wondering what it must feel like when a train rumbles right overhead.
Our destination today is the water area. It’s a pleasantly warm summer’s day and when we get there, there are crowds of people young and old lying on towels on the grass, enjoying the music and chilling in the sun. Having seen some of the slides available I’m keen to jump right in.
There’s a small number of the usual twisty and wavy versions, but then we move on to the more serious contenders. When you have to wear a crash helmet and lifejacket for a water slide, you
know you’re in expert territory.
The first one we try is the Cannonball, on which you lie vertically lat, cross your arms, press two buttons beside your shoulders and hen get ‘fired’ out by a massive gush of water.
Next is Blobbing, a huge bouncy castle-like structure onto which you jump then scooch forward and wait for the next person to jump on. When they do, you’ll be aunched off into the water. The queue for this moves a little slowly so if it’s long, maybe do the other activities first and go at the end if you have time left.
The Surf Slide involves lying on a kind of half surfboard, going face irst down a slide and then skimming across the top of the water o the side of the lake. Lastly, we head up to the top of he Water Ramp, a slide that goes up at the bottom, launching you nto the air before you land back n the water. The speed I get to on this is a litle terrifying and because I have my eyes closed, I dangle in the air or what seems like an eternity before I open them just as I crash nto the water.
I feel like I’ve landed a little awkwardly but get a huge rush of adrenaline so don’t feel overly hurt. We then move on to a rafting tour, joining a bus full of fellow adventurers to head to the beautifully scenic Imster ravine — stopping unexpectedly along the way to cheer on the riders in an Alpine cycling race.
THANKFULLY a beginners course, it’s easy enough and our instructor shows us the basics and even allows us to swim and play some games along the way.
Back at Area 47, the wakeboarding course proves a bit more challenging. Like waterskiing on a snowboard, it’s incredibly difficult to get the hang of but if, like me, you fail miserably, sitting on the sidelines watching the pros in action is just as entertaining.
It’s only as we leave to head back to the hotel that I realise I’ve damaged my ribs coming off the Water Ramp so back at Das Central, I take myself off to the spa to relax and indulge in some therapy.
A small word of warning here: as in most of Austria, some parts of the spa are completely clothing free so make sure to keep an eye out for signs if you don’t want an unexpected surprise.
Sölden has done a wonderful job at making itself a year-round destination. While one of Austria’s most popular ski resorts — with, I imagine, 007 Elements making it even more so — it has also built up its hiking and biking trails to entice visitors during the summer months.
The cable car system is second to none and it’s well worth jumping on and heading off for a hike. There are some wonderful eating spots along the way, I can highly recommend the Gampe Thaya mountain hut — go on an early morning journey and stop in for breakfast.
Their Kaiserschmarrn shredded pancakes for dessert — yes, you can have dessert for breakfast when you’ve hiked to the restaurant — are absolutely divine.
And at €17 per person for the egg station, bread rolls, cold meats and cheeses, dessert, orange juice and tea/coffee, it’s a no-brainer.
Back at the hotel, I nurse my bruised ribs before starting the journey home. I think all those statistics went to my head and convinced me I really was a super spy.
Although it’s nothing another Martini won’t fix...