The Bucket List 2024

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 Whistler, piloting a Cessna single-engine aircraft, swimming with sharks...

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The Year in Sports 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 Club14 days of SUP surfing (Waikiki Beach on Oahu, Lihue's Kalapaki Beach)9 days of wing foiling (Crissy Field and Coyote Point)2 days of snowboarding (St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria)2 days of cross-country skiing (Langenfeld,...

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Best of the Best 2024

Which are the best restaurants, spas, and travel destinations? At the end of 2024, I am rating the following (in order of best to worst) based on my personal experience.RestaurantsEven 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 setting (overlooking Maui's North Shore, near the famous...

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Enjoying Lumagica Christmas Light Show

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 queued up to enter. I could purchase tickets online or in person (and decided to purchase them in person).Lumagica was amazing with fantastic, colorful decorations...

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Visiting Schloss Ambras Innsbruck

After breakfast, Inna and I decided to walk to Schloss Ambras Innsbruck (a 4.2km/1-hour walk through downtown Innsbruck). As we walked through Innsbruck, we noticed the various shops (including numerous hair salons). When we reached the south part of Innsbruck, we noticed some of the uglier/cheaper housing (rectangular apartment buildings where probably pensioners/retired people reside). We saw excellent public transportation everywhere,...

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Visiting Alpine Zoo in 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:MammalsBeaverChamois ElkOtterWolfSheepCowBirdsCommon RavenBearded VultureGolden EagleBlack WoodpeckerHermit IbisSnow GrouseHere is a short video I recorded of a woodpecker: After finishing touring the zoo, we stopped by for lunch in the Zoo's Cafeteria.  We selected the following:Boris: Espresso, Spaghetti BologneseAlex:...

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Innsbruck, Austria

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 Boerse“ for rental equipmenthttps://www.dieboerse.at/en/2. Are there snowboard storage...

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