A digital travel diary. · WP v1.08 · Updated
Monday, December 30, 2024 . Once we reached Aqua Dome in Längenfeld from the Ötztal Bahnhof (train station) using bus #320, we dropped off our 3 large suitcases and decided to grab lunch (as our room #169 was not yet ready). . . We decided to grab lunch at the cafe and sat near the bar. We ordered the following items: . . Boris: Frittatensuppe…
Read More: Relaxing at Aqua Dome, Langenfeld
Welcome 2025! . We are celebrating the New Year at Aqua Dome in Langenfeld, Austria! . . . We had a wonderful New Year's Day celebration at Aqua Dome with a fine dinner and an enormous dessert buffet. . . . . . . . . 2024 in Review. Highlights . A fabulous trip to Portugal with stops in Porto, Douro Valley, Aquadome, Piodao, Coimbra,…
Read More: Welcome 2025!
Is human knowledge only to be found in books?. As wonderful as books represent, document, and express human thoughts, they are not a substitute for direct, personal contact that comes from seeing, hearing, feeling, and experiencing things for oneself.. . Can any book truly capture the exhilaration of windsurfing on Maui, snowboarding on freshly fallen powder at Mammoth, piloting a Cessna single-engine aircraft, swimming with…
Read More: The Bucket List 2024
. How was 2024 in Sports? I was more active than in previous years. Tennis was my most intense activity. . 187 days of playing tennis at Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC). . 97 days of Fitness at Almaden Valley Athletic Club. 14 days of SUP surfing (Waikiki Beach on Oahu, Lihue's Kalapaki Beach). . 9 days of wing foiling (Crissy Field and Coyote Point).…
Read More: The Year in Sports 2024
Which are the best restaurants, spas, and travel destinations? . At the end of 2024, I will rate the following (from best to worst) based on my personal experience. . . . . Restaurants. . Even though Michelin has not rated it, Mama's Fish House on Maui is our favorite restaurant worldwide. It combines an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere with exceptional cooking and a magnificent tropical…
Read More: Best of the Best 2024
Sunday, December 29, 2024 . At around 18:00, we decided to see the Lumagica Christmas Light show in Innsbruck. This was a major highlight of our stay in Innsbruck, and we are so happy that we did not miss it. . . The tickets were 19.90 euros per person, and there was a long line to enter. I could purchase tickets online or in person…
Read More: Enjoying Lumagica Christmas Light Show
After breakfast, Inna and I decided to walk to Schloss Ambras in Innsbruck (a 4.2 km/1-hour walk through downtown Innsbruck). . . . . . As we walked through Innsbruck, we noticed the various shops (including numerous hair salons). When we reached the southern part of Innsbruck, we noticed some of the uglier/cheaper housing (rectangular apartment buildings where pensioners probably reside). We saw excellent public…
Read More: Visiting Schloss Ambras Innsbruck
We rode the Nordkette Funicular one level down to Alpine Zoo, where we spent a few hours looking at the following birds and mammals: . . . Mammals. Beaver. Chamois. Elk. Otter. Wolf. Sheep. Cow. . . Birds. . Common Raven. Bearded Vulture. Golden Eagle. Black Woodpecker. Hermit Ibis. Snow Grouse. . Here is a short video I recorded of a woodpecker: . . .…
Read More: Visiting Alpine Zoo in Innsbruck
Inna reserved four nights at the Hotel Innsbruck from December 26 - 30, 2024. We wanted to explore the Christmas Markets, visit popular local museums, and ski in the area. . . . I sent an email to the Hotel Innsbruck to inquire about snowboard rentals in the area: . . 1. Where is the best/closest snowboard/ski rental shop (near the hotel)?. We recommended „Die…
Read More: Innsbruck, Austria
Wednesday, December 25, 2024. After breakfast, we decided to head into town and try hiking the Verwall Trail around Verwall Lake (the trail starts at Hotel Mooserkreuz). . . According to our hotel's concierge and Snow-Online: . Verwall trail is considered one of the most beautiful trail sections in Austria. This 10-kilometer intermediate route starts near Hotel Mooserkreuz and leads into the scenic Verwall Valley.…
Read More: Hiking Verwall Trail in St. Anton
I reserved two days of snowboarding, with the idea of extending it by one additional day if the snow conditions were excellent. . . . Here is a map of the Ski Arlberg Ski Resort: . . . . Sunday, December 22, 2024 - Renting Snowboards . . After lunch, we boarded the hotel's shuttle for a short ride to Nasserein, where we stopped by…
Read More: Snowboarding Ski Arlberg
The famous Austrian village of St. Anton am Arlberg has long been a dream ski destination for me, so I was excited when Inna reserved four nights at the Pfeffermühle Hotel in St. Anton from December 22 - 26, 2024. . . . . . Pfeffermühle Hotel recommended renting skis and snowboards from Alber Sport (which also has on-site ski storage lockers). The closest shop…
Read More: Enjoying St. Anton amd Arlberg
For our winter vacation, we planned to visit Austria's Tyrol region (via Zürich, Switzerland), where we could ski at the famous St. Anton am Arlberg, Innsbruck, and the Solden Ski Resort (Längenfeld). . . Inna purchased tickets on the Swiss Air flight LX039 departing at 19:30 from San Francisco.. Our itinerary was as follows:. . Date Location Hotel Activities . 12/20/2024 SFO Fly Swiss Air…
Read More: One Day in Zurich
The Inna purchased tickets for the 2024 Holiday Tour of her favorite band, Pink Martini. The concert was scheduled for Saturday, December 14, at 19:30 in SF Jazz in San Francisco. . . . The band features the following members:. Thomas Lauderdale - piano (founding member). China Forbes - vocals. Antonis Andreou - trombone. In addition to the prominent members, there were a few new…
Read More: Pink Martini at SF Jazz
. As written by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley:. . Following its hit stage adaptations of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma, TheatreWorks returns to the Regency with this Pride and Prejudice sequel that is perfect for the whole family. This charming romantic comedy full of festive fun stars a different Bennet sister: bookish Mary, who is tired of being in the middle…
Read More: Miss Bennet Christmas at Pemberley
Today, we saw Lia Ahedjakova, a famous Russian actress, playing Esther in the play "My Grandson Benjamin" at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco. . English:. "My Grandson Benjamin" is a surprisingly piercing story of family relationships. The main character Esther lives with memories of the past, in her memory traditions and orders from childhood. Domineering and accustomed to deciding everything for others, she unsuccessfully…
Read More: My Grandson Benjamin at Herbst Theater
To help practice guitar and piano, I purchased a new Apple iPad Pro 13"/M4 256GB model (on Black Friday sale at Costco for $1099 in Lihue, Kauai). Fortunately, Hawaii has a 4.5% sales tax, compared to 9% in California (so it's cheaper to purchase items in Hawaii). . . The larger screens make it easier to read notes and do my music lessons, and are…
Read More: iPad Pro 13″ M4/256GB
Over the past few years, I have surfed various stand-up paddleboards. Unfortunately, the paddleboards available to rent in Oahu and Kauai are not designed for surfing, so I am constantly frustrated by the poor, oversized boards I am forced to ride. . . . . I recently read a review of an inflatable surfing-focused paddleboard from an Australian Company called Honu. Their Honu Bondi small…
Read More: Buying Honu Bondi 8’8″ iSUP
Saturday, November 23, 2024 . After waking up at 06:30, I showered and dressed. At around 07:00, we drove to Oakland International Airport for our Hawaiian Airlines (HA) flight #67 to Lihue, Kauai. Our plane departed on time, at 09:45. The flight was smooth, with some occasional turbulence. . . Since there were no movies on the plane (but there was free Starlink Wi-Fi), I…
Read More: Back to Kauai
After some deliberation, I decided to learn to play a new musical instrument - an acoustic guitar. . . I researched available guitars on Craigslist but found nothing worthwhile. I purchased a brand-new (and highly rated) Yamaha FG830 acoustic guitar from Amazon.com for $349. . . . . . . . Although I used to play the piano, I have no prior experience playing guitar,…
Read More: Learning to play guitar