Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Aqua Dome, Langenfeld, Austria

Wednesday, January 01, 2025  , , ,  No comments

Monday, December 30, 2024

Once we reached Aqua Dome in Langenfeld from Innsbruck, 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: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips), Hot Tea
  • Alex: Wolfsbarsschfillet (Sea Bass), Subkartoffelsoupe (Potato Soup), Hot Tea
  • Inna: Avocado French Toast, Frittatensoupe, Hot Tea
Alex and Inna suffered from sore throats, so the hot tea really helped. The Frittatensoupe (beef bouillon with strips of pancake) was excellent, and we warmed up, after eating the soups.

Since our room #169 was still not ready after lunch, I decided to try Nordic (cross-country) skiing. I walked downstairs and rented some cross-country skis from Sunup Sports.

Ski Gear Rented (25 euros/day)
  • Skis: Salomon Classic 173 cm skis (ski length is based on weight of 80 kg)
  • Boots: Salomon (44.5)
  • Poles
One of the Aqua Dome concierges explained where the cross-country trails were located, and I walked around the Aqua Dome (toward the river/stream). I found a couple of cross-country skiers there and followed them north over the bridge toward a large oval with nicely prepared cross-country tracks. (The whole area around Aqua Dome has multiple cross-country skiing tracks)

There were numerous cross-country skiers outside - more than I had expected. Most of the skiers were using the newer skate-type skis and skating quite fast on the groomed surfaces.

I skied 7.42 miles for 85 minutes - not a bad effort for the first day of classic cross-country skiing. 

After I finished skiing, I dropped off my Salomon skis, boots, and poles at Sunup Sports and picked up the room key to room #169 from the reception (a room key for Aqua Dome Hotel is a small, waterproof electronic band worn on either hand).

Inna and Alex had already unpacked and prepared for the pools and the spa. Our room in Aqua Dome was quite large with a nice split between the main bedroom and Alex's room. There was a fully stocked bar (with cold drinks) and a nice balcony.

We first stopped by for a small mid-afternoon chocolate snack outside our room. It was delicious but a bit high in calories.

Since Alex got busy coding, Inna and I decided to visit the thermal pools on our own. When we reached the pools, they were so busy that I returned to our room. I planned to return to the thermal pools at a less busy time.

After Inna returned, we decided to eat dinner. We dressed and sat down at a nice table. However, there were lots of families and kiddies running around. 

I ordered the fish (as the main entree) and got Beef Boullion soup from the salad bar. There was an overwhelming variety of salads, pastries, and appetizers to choose from.

After dinner, we listened to live music for some time and then went out for a walk to Langenfeld (our nearby village), to work off the calories and explore the area.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Last Day of 2024!

After waking up, we walked over to the nearby breakfast buffet. I ordered coffee and we selected from the vast  variety of breakfast items:

  • Boris: Coffee, Scrambled Eggs, Pastries (Croissants, Sweet Breads)
  • Inna: Latte, Omelet, Pastries
  • Alex: Yogurt, Scrambled Eggs
The breakfast was excellent and the variety of pastries and other delicacies was fabulous.

After breakfast, we decided to go cross-country skiing as a group. We walked downstairs to Sunup Sports (in our hotel) and rented 3 sets of Salomon cross-country skies with boots and poles.

We decided to ski a few miles to the same area where I skied yesterday. We skied 6.3 miles for 82 minutes. Alex had not cross-country skied for 10 years and had to re-learn how to ski. By the end of the hour, he started to get the hang of sliding on cross-country skies. The weather was perfect, just above freezing with clear blue skies and no wind.

We finished skiing around 14:00 and dropped off our skis in the bike/ski storage room. We decided to eat a light lunch in the hotel and ordered a few items, including:

  • Boris: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips), Radler
  • Alex: Wiener Schnitzel Hot Tea
  • Inna: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips), Hot Tea

I really liked the Radler (beer + lemonade) and the Frittatensoupe.

After lunch, I dropped off all of the skis in the Sunup Sports shop, and then Inna and I decided to try the saunas. Alex decided to work out at the fitness center and go to a massage at 17:00.

The saunas were excellent - extremely hot - and we enjoyed them very much, Inna had a pedicure at 17:00, while I returned to our room #169 to rest (and listen to some Spotify podcasts).

At around 18:00, everyone was back in our room and we dressed for the New Year's dinner. There was a very long program:

  • 18:00: Champagne Reception and Dinner
  • 18:30: Raffle Ticket Sales
  • 20:30: Opening of the Dessert Buffet
  • 21:30: Order Champagne
  • 22:00: Dance Performance by Giulia del Buono
  • 23:00: Raffle Prizes
  • 23:30: Snacks
  • 23:55: Countdown to Donau Waltz
  • 24:00: Fireworks
  • 00:10: Laser Show
  • 00:15: Music and Dancing
We had a very long and elaborate dinner, eating way too much. We did not win anything in the raffle, but the number called was just a few digits off.

The New Year's Eve Menu was very elaborate, and included way too much food:

New Year's Eve Menu

Appetizers
  • Marinated cherry tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella
  • Smoked sturgeon fillet with pear-horseradish
  • Seafood carpaccio with aspire algae
  • Pike-perch terrine wrapped in salmon with herb-lemon dip
  • Cauliflower-carrot terrine with herbal dip
  • Shrimp pyramid with aioli and sauce Americaine
  • The delicacy of goose liver with apple and cinnamon
  • winter-marinated salmon with mango-chili
  • Mini tartlets with sweet potatoes and Asian radish
  • Two kinds of cones, shrimp cocktail, and vegan cheese
  • Pink roasted veal rack with porcini tiramisu and vegetable sauce
  • Venison galantine with porcini mushrooms and apricot-mustard chutney
Front cooking
  • Fines de Claire oysters with lemon and shallot honey dip
  • Cured salmon and pepper salmon with mango-onion confit
  • Venison ham with cranberry compote
Soups
  • Pepper-rosemary essence with smoked duck breast
  • Potato-fennel soup with turmeric
Intermediate Courses
  • Sole rolls with king crab
  • Vegetable tempura on a leek-almond puree
Sorbet
  • Mango passion fruit sorbet
Main Course
  • Herb-oil poached beef tenderloin
  • Vegetable frittata with spinach and feta cheese
Dessert
  • Berry Chocolate terrine
We were so stuffed but by the time we reached the Sorbet, we skipped the Main Course and Dessert.
I really liked the fresh oysters on a half-shell, shrimp, and all the other wonderful appetizers.

While eating dinner, we were listening to the live band IVY22: Stefanie Velt on vocals and Peter Greier on guitar. 



The band played a huge set list of songs from all the popular artists, covering the following:
  • "Careless Whisper" by George Michael/Wham!
  • "Blue Suede Shoes" by Elvis Presley
  • "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran
  • "A Night Like This" by Caro Emerald
  • "Dreams " by Fleetwood Mac
The dancefloor was mostly taken over by very young girls and adults dancing with them. At midnight, there were finally adults dancing the traditional Danube (Donau) Austrian waltz.

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Happy New Year!

We drank sparkling wine and ran outside to the sounds of the Austrian Waltzes (see Andre Rieu - The Beautiful Danube for an example). Multiple fireworks were being launched and we watched them for 10 minutes. Then, we returned to our room to watch Aqua Dome's Laser Show. (The fireworks were more impressive and entertaining).

We decided to start the New Year but swimming at Aqua Dome's thermal pools. There was special accommodation in the hotel to access the pool until 01:30. We changed into swimwear, donned our hotel robes, and headed for the pool. 

The pool was full of revelers (and we thought that there would be far fewer people). There were plenty of champagne glasses everywhere! Some people celebrate the New Year in the thermal pool! It was freezing outside and we had to scramble as fast as possible from one pool to another!

We swam around, enjoying the steam, the warm water, and the beautiful night outside. What a way to start a New Year! We spent most of our time swimming around the saltwater pool (the middle one). 

We returned to our room #169 at around 01:30 and went to bad. Inna's nasal congestion had gotten worse (after the pool swim), and she hoped to sleep it off. 

At around 08:20, I woke, showered, shaved, and dressed. Alex and Inna were still sleeping. We had planned to go on a pre-arranged 10:00 hike (guided by Aqua Dome staff), but they were not feeling well enough. I decided to cancel the hike.

At 10:30, we decide to eat our late breakfast. Inna was still unwell with a headache and nasal congestion. The breakfast/brunch was excellent as usual, though our waiters looked a bit bleary-eyed (and were not as attentive as usual).

After brunch, we decided to hike into the nearby village to look at the Lehner Wasserfall Klettersteig (Waterfall). The hike was quite easy over hardpack snow in the beautiful Austrian countryside. We reached the waterfall in about 40 minutes. Finding no coffee shops or other places (it was all beautiful houses), we returned to our hotel. The hike covered 3.55 miles in 82 minutes.

We changed out of our hiking clothes and spent some time at the bar, listening to the live piano player, and playing a medley of songs including the following (I didn't previously think these Dire Straits' songs could be played only on a piano and without a lead guitar):

  • "Romeo & Juliet" by Dire Straits
  • "Where do you think you're going?" by Dire Straits
  • "Yellow" by Coldplay

We were hoping to order some small bites and drinks, but there were too many guests and not enough waiters. While there was still daylight, I decided to try cross-country skating skis (while Inna and Alex ordered some soup and drinks).

At 14:30, I stopped by the Sunup Sports downstairs and rented the following gear:

  • Atomic Redster 173 cm Cross-country skating skis
  • Atomic skating boots
  • Poles

I wanted to try skating on these skis (as I had seen the vast majority of cross-country skiers doing). 

I put them on and tried skating the normal route. I immediately got extremely hot and had to stop to cool off. I decided to return to our hotel room, to drop off the heavy winter coat, and to switch out my socks to ski socks (the cross-country skating boots require longer ski socks).

After this change, I tried skating to the next village south of Aqua Dome and found the skating much easier. I was no longer overheating and my boots were no longer pinching me. I can see that skating is definitely faster, but it requires a bit of finesse to dig in each rail of the ski in the snow, to dig in.

I skied back to Aqua Dome and returned my rented skis to Sunup Sports. I ended up skate skiing 5 miles in 87 minutes. It's going to take me some more time to learn to properly skate ski.

After I returned to our room #169,  I spent some time resting and waiting for Inna and Alex to return from their activities. Alex worked out for 60 minutes at the fitness center (lifting weights), while Inna had a scheduled massage/treatment.

At 19:00, we headed for our usual dinner. The dinner menu included the following items:

Starters/Antipasti: 

  • Winter salad with pumpkin, marinated arctic char, and hazelnut oil
  • Zucchini cannelloni with tomato crostini, salad, and nuts
  • Tyrolean cheese dumplings with bacon-cabbage salad and herbal jus
Salat
  • Green salad, vegetables, dressings
Soup
  • Clear Tirolean chicken broth with noodles and vegetables
  • Cream of Cauliflower and coconut soup with spinach and radish
Main Course
  • Parsley-ginger trout with potato foam and broccoli
  • Local mountain lamb with green beans and potato gratin
  • Vegan stroganoff with herb risotto, oyster mushrooms, vegetables
Dessert
  • Warm Chocolate Temptation with chestnuts and spiced cherries
The dinner was excellent and I especially enjoyed my trout and the chocolate temptation. Inna was not feeling well and really enjoyed the chicken broth.

At 20:30, we decided to visit the spa (saunas). We first stopped by the normal spa and spent 15 minutes in a hot, dry sauna. However, the other saunas were a bit crowded, so we spent the rest of our time at Spa 3000 (a private spa area for hotel guests). It was much less crowded and we enjoyed the steam room and the warm pool there.

Thursday, January 2, 2025

I woke at 07:00 but decided against going to the Thermal Pools and slept a little longer. I finally woke at 08:15, showered, and dressed for breakfast.

We had a 10:00 hike to Eagle's Nest planned (with Patrizia, our local tour guide) and we wanted to get ready. I write about the hike in a separate post here: 

https://www.wisetrips.net/2025/01/hike-to-eagles-view-austria.html
After the hike, we spent some time at the Aqua Dome's bar, eating lunch. We ordered hot chocolate, soup, and Wiener Schnitzel, and rested from the hike.
  • Boris: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips)
  • Alex: Wiener Schnitzel Hot Tea
  • Inna: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips), Hot Tea
I decided to take advantage of the excellent weather and cross-country ski again. I rented skating cross-country skis and skied 6.26 miles for 76 minutes. After dropping off my rented skis, I rested in the room, while Alex and Inna visited the spa.

We ate our usual, 4-course dinner (salad, soup, main course, and dessert) at our reserved table, using the following menu:

Starters/Antipasti: 

Buffalo Mozzarella with colorful tomato salad
Apple Fries with Avocado
Pumpkin and Leek Risotto <-
Salat
Green Salad, vegetables, dressings
Soup
Clear Tomato Soup with basil, gin, and curd cheese gnocchi <-
Cream of Sweet Potato
Main Course
Fried filet of whitefish with beet tartare, almond sauce, and baked vegetables
Sous vide of beef with horse radish, vegetables, and potato
Dessert
Crunchy vanilla caramel bites and chocolate ice cream & blackberries
Chocolate and peanut brownie with butter and orange
We really loved the Pumpkin and Leak Risotto, and I am usually not a connoisseur of risotto. The Clear Tomato Soup was quite unusual - unlike most tomato soups that are red, this one was clear. It was still delicious. The sous vide of beef and whitefish were also expertly prepared. The two desserts were wonderful too!

After dinner, we sat at the bar to listen to some live music. PIoner (the female singer), accompanied by BlueNote (pianist), sang several classic tunes, including:

  • "In a Mellow Tone" by Duke Ellington
  • "I Love You Baby" by Paul Anka
  • "Let There Be Love" by Nat King Cole
  • "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra


Friday, January 3, 2025

I woke at 07:00 to my alarm, showered, shaved, and dressed. 

At around 07:45, I stopped by the Aqua Dome reception to purchase a daily pass for Solden. It was 79 euros + 3 euros deposit = 82. It's a lot cheaper than any of the US resorts for a single-day pass! (The 3 euro deposit was returned to me after I returned the ski card)

I had a small, quick breakfast, eating a bowl of yogurt with jam and some scrambled eggs. I returned to room #169 to dress for skiing. I put spare gloves, water,  and my GoPro in the backpack. (Spare skiing gloves came in really handy after my other gloves froze)

At 08:15, I walked downstairs to Sunup Sports to rent a snowboard and snowboarding boots. After trying a couple of snowboarding boots, I found none that fit me well. Either they were too small or too loose. Next time, I need to bring my own snowboarding boots (as it's difficult to rent the correct size).

I decided to switch to Alpine Skiing (as there were better ski boots available) and rented the following:

I found a pair of Fischer XTR RC4 90 HV ski boots that were reasonably comfortable, with good support and not too much pain. I attached my GoPro sticker to the helmet to record the skiing.

After paying for the gear rental, I walked to the bus stop in my ski boots (not too comfortable) and waited for Bus #44, headed for Solden. 

Bus #44 runs every 10 minutes and takes about 25 minutes to reach Solden Ski Resort. Gaislachkogl (the last Solden stop) has the main gondola. When I boarded the bus at 08:50, it was jam-packed with skiers and snowboarders and I had to stand the entire ride to Solden. 

Here is a map of Solden:


After arriving at Solden, I boarded the main gondola and proceeded to ski. It took me a few runs to re-learn the proper technique. The weather was cold (-12 Celsius at the top) and there were gusts of wind. It was quite sunny most of the time and only a light snowfall (I was hoping for more powder).

I stuck to the red slopes (blue slopes in the U.S. ski-rating system), particularly trail #11, as it was a nice long and steep run with an easy chairlift back C31. When I got cold at 10:20,  I stopped by the Rotkogolhuetta (Huetta) - a small self-serve restaurant near the chair lift C31. I ordered the following items:
  • Pretzel
  • Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream
  • Frittatensoupe (beef boullion soup with pancake slices)
I found an unoccupied table (quite difficult usually) and swallowed large spoonfuls of soup. Hot chocolate also helped to warm me up and the pretzel was delicious. While resting, I also installed my GoPro Hero11 on my helmet to record some skiing videos. I usually prefer to record videos using a selfie stick, but I am not sure how to use one on skis.

After this quick snack stop, I decided to ski to other parts of the mountain (to explore other runs) and started skiing trail #12, using chairlift C35. There were some remnants of powder on the trail and it was more fun than scraping on ice. I also noticed a ski park, nearby, with multiple jumps and obstacles with many small kids taking full advantage.

I continued skiing, stopping a few times to use the restroom and warm up. At around 14:15, I was starting to get cold and tired (my toes started to feel numb) and I decided to ski down. I used trail #11, followed by 7a, 7b, and 9 to get to the bottom.

Once at the bottom, I boarded bus #44 back to Aqua Dome. The ride back was about 25 minutes and the bus was full of skiers. Luckily, I was able to find a seat and the ride back was uneventful.

Inna and Alex were back from their snowshoeing adventure to the rustic little hut "Wiesle" and I stopped by the bar to drink hot chocolate and enjoy more Frittatensoupe. There were also curd cheese pancakes which I ended up savoring with gobs of sour-cherry jam.

Both Inna and Alex had some procedures at Aqua Dome and each went his/her own way.

For dinner, we stopped by at 19:00, ordering from the following menu:

Starters/Antipasti: 

  • Fried Chicken with Potato
  • Lentil and millet salad with balsamic figs and nut crunch
  • Grilled cheese in bacon with plum and apricot
Salat
  • Green salad, vegetables, dressings
Soup
  • Clear beef broth with pancake strips
Main Course
  • Ragout of catfish
  • Duck breast with sweet potato chestnut and carrot mash
  • Tomato stuffed with bulgur and nuts
Dessert
  • Amaretto passion fruit variation with chocolate
The Duck Breast main course was pretty good and the Fried Chicken appetizer was ok (fried chicken at our favorite Cracked & Battered in San Francisco is superior). The passion fruit dessert was delicious!



After dinner, we went to the thermal pool until 21:30. Inna continued to the sauna, while I stopped by to listen to IVY22 play a few songs, including:
  • "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
  • "I Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum

Saturday, January 4, 2025

I woke at 07:00, but Inna was very tired and needed a bit more sleep. We got up at 08:10 and put on our bathing suits for a morning swim in Aqua Dome's thermal pools. After we returned at 09:10, Inna took a quick shower and we dressed for breakfast.

As usual, our breakfast turned out delicious and we ordered the following items:
  • Boris: Espresso, yogurt with cherry jam, scrambled eggs, sweet breads and pastries
  • Inna: Latte, Omelet, deli cold cuts, pastries, sweet breads, hot tea
  • Alex: Cappuccino, yogurt, hot tea
I especially enjoyed my morning espresso, with yogurt and scrambled eggs. I also ate a few sweet breads and pastries. Alex ate this usual large bowl of yogurt but did not like the scrambled eggs. Inna ate an omelet and some cold cuts with cheese.

After breakfast, around 10:20, we decided to hike around the area. We walked southwards from Aqua Dome for about 80 minutes, enjoying this beautiful scenery:
  • trees covered in snow with icicles
  • a partially frozen stream running parallel to the mountains
  • Christmas trees decorated with various ornaments along the stream
  • all white snow expanses
  • large, snow-covered mountains in every direction
We returned at 12:10 for lunch, before the Alpaca Hike.  For lunch, we ordered the following items:
  • Boris: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips)
  • Alex: Wiener Schnitzel Hot Tea
  • Inna: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips), Hot Tea
We had an Alpaca hike in Solden planned for 1:30pm, but missed it. I misunderstood the meeting time as 13;30 instead of 13:00 and the animals had already left. Inna and Alex were very sad; they were so looking forward to hiking with Alpacas.

We decided to try cross-country skiing at 14:00. We walked downstairs to the Sunup Sports shop and rented cross-country skating skis, boots, and poles. Inna also purchased a cross-country top so that she would not sweat too much.
  • Atomic Redster 180 cm with Atomic boots, poles (for Boris)
  • Atomic Redster 170 cm with Atomic boots, poles (for Inna)
Initially, I showed Inna how to skate on cross-country skis and she worked on the technique. When she got tired, she returned to using the classic cross-country skiing technique. Inna made great progress in trying to learn the skating technique.

According to ChatGPT, these are the keys to smooth and powerful skating on skis:

1. Stance and Balance

  • Keep your body in an upright position with a slight forward lean, similar to how you would stand in a natural athletic stance.
  • Your knees should be slightly bent, and your weight should be centered over your skis.
  • Maintain a relaxed posture with your core engaged to help with stability and control.

2. The V-Position (Starting Point)

  • Begin with your skis in a "V" shape, where the tips of the skis point outward and the tails point inward.
  • This position provides a stable base from which to start your movements.

3. Glide Phase

  • Push off with one ski: To start moving, push off with one ski while the other ski glides on the snow. The push-off is done by transferring your weight to one leg while the other leg is extended backward and gliding.
  • The pushing leg should be angled outward, as you push at a 45-degree angle to the snow (not directly backward like in classic skiing).
  • The glide phase of the ski will occur after you push off, with the gliding ski coming forward while you prepare for the next push with the opposite ski.

4. The Double Pole (Upper Body Movement)

  • When skating on skis, you'll use your poles to assist with propulsion. The double-pole technique involves using both poles simultaneously as you push with your legs.
  • As you push off with one ski, you will also push down on the poles at the same time to help propel you forward.
  • The poles should be placed behind you and angled to provide support and drive.

5. Alternating Pushes

  • Once you push off with one ski, bring it back and prepare to push off with the other ski.
  • As you glide on one ski, your other ski should remain extended, and you alternate pushing from side to side.

6. Timing

  • The movement involves a fluid rhythm between your legs and arms. As one leg pushes off, the opposite arm pushes on the poles, creating a fluid movement that helps maintain momentum.
  • Practice coordinating your legs and arms to avoid jerky movements. A good rhythm is crucial for maintaining speed and energy efficiency.

7. Recovery Phase

  • After the push-off, the gliding ski comes forward to align with the pushing ski. The poles come forward as well, preparing for the next push. This phase is important for maximizing glide and minimizing drag.

8. Turning and Control

  • To turn or navigate curves, you can shift your weight to the inside edge of the ski and adjust your body position to maintain control. Turns often require a slight edging of the skis and subtle pole use for balance.

Key Points to Keep in Mind:

  • Proper glide: Try to maintain as much glide as possible between each push. A good glide is key to conserving energy.
  • Strong push-off: Focus on using your legs and hips for a strong, angled push to maximize the distance and speed.
  • Core engagement: Your core muscles play a big role in stabilizing your body and providing power during each stride.
  • Smooth transitions: Keep transitions between the push-offs fluid, with little wasted movement.
Inna and I cross-country skied for 5 miles in 90 minutes, covering some new villages south of Langenfeld and some forested areas never visited before. 

After dropping off our skis at Sunup Sports, we just made it in time to sample the Haiminger Apple Spice Strudel dessert (a specialty served with vanilla sauce). We gorged ourselves on a few cookies and strudel topped with cherry sauce and vanilla (being a bit peckish after our cross-country skiing exertion).

At 17:30, we proceeded to use the Aqua Dome's private sauna (hotel guests only) for 15 minutes of dry heat and relaxed for the rest. I continued to read my Ian Fleming biography on my Kindle (with cups of fruit tea to relax).

I returned to our room and rested, while Inna continued to enjoy the sauna until 19:30. Once she returned, we quickly dressed for dinner.

After sitting down for dinner, we looked at the menu:

Starters/Antipasti: 

  • Beef Carpaccio with arugula, tomatoes, and mountain cheese <-
  • Vegetable bowl with pearl barley, vegetables, and potatoes
  • Truffle spaghetti with arugula and Grand Podano
Salat
  • Green salad, vegetables, dressings
Soup
  • Borscht (cabbage soup with dill and beetroot)
  • Potato and Kale soup with bacon and leek
Main Course
  • Grilled Pike-Perch filet with rose curry foam, pea-pods, and macadamia potato mash <-
  • Cooked topside of veal with sprouts and tomato dumplings
  • Cappellacci with porcini mushrooms filling
Dessert
  • Cherry poppy seed slice with honey <-
The Beef Carpaccio was excellent and I liked my Grilled Pike-Perch Filet. The Cherry Poppy Seed Slice was also delicious. Alex was not very hungry and skipped dessert. Inna enjoyed the Potato and Kale Soup but I decided to skip the soup. Alex raved about the Truffle Spaghetti appetizer but I was already too full to try it.

After dinner, Alex and Inna decided to revisit the sauna and/or the pool, while I decided to stay by the bar and listen to live music by Hatchek.



Hatchek, the two-man acoustic guitar duo, played the following songs:
  • "Knocking on Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan
  • "I Can Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon
  • "Let It Be" by the Beatles
  • "Living on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi
  • "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC
  • "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • "Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2
  • "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd
I was surprised by Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". It was very well played and I enjoyed it a lot.


Sunday, January 5, 2025

After waking at 08:00, I showered, shaved, and put on my swimsuit. Inna and I decided to enjoy the thermal pools before breakfast and headed there.

We enjoyed a wonderful time in the almost empty thermal pools (07:00 - 09:00 is reserved for hotel guests only) and visited all the 3 saucer pools. It was lightly drizzling (as promised by the weather forecast) but quite warm outside (38 degrees Fahrenheit today vs. 12 degrees Fahrenheit the day before). We marveled at the outdoor beauty of the surrounding mountains and valleys and the light layer of snow covering the area.

At around 09:30, we returned to room #169 to dress for breakfast. When we arrived for breakfast, our table number had changed to a new location. We noticed a lot of new faces.  A lot of new people had arrived and the breakfast buffet was extremely busy. I couldn't even find a spoon (for my yogurt)! 

The breakfast was delicious but I found the crowds at the buffet a bit more irritating than usual.

After breakfast, we stopped by the concierge to check for tomorrow's 10:00 hike. We need to be in the lobby by 09:50 with helmets, as there is a plan to ride toboggans at the end. (Update: we decided to cancel the hike, as Inna and Alex would rather hang out at the spa).

We also made arrangements for our departure to Zurich Hofbann from Aqua Dome. A hotel shuttle would drop us off at a bus stop for bus #320 at 15:03 (bound for Otztal). We would ride the bus about 18 stops to Otztal Train Terminal, where we would board a train for Zurich Hofban. I also purchased and reserved 3 seats on the train using the OBB iPhone App.

We decided to hike around the village, with a stop in downtown Langenfeld, to get some euros out of an ATM. I found an ATM in Raiffeissenbank near the main church (Kirche). The ATM worked fine and I was able to withdraw euros.

We also stopped by INTERSPORT Glanzer Längenfeld, a large sports store that specializes in skis and bicycles. I was hoping to find snowboards and boots to rent (for next time), but this store carries a vast collection of skis (both alpine and cross-country) but no snowboards. Next time, I need to bring my own snowboarding boots.

We returned to Aqua Dome and continued to hike for about 4.2 miles for about 107 minutes. We enjoyed the brisk cold air and the beautiful mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and running streams. The only thing we disliked was the smell of "cow dung" which was piled quite high (and smelled badly, when any breeze blew our way).

We found an interesting 5-star hotel near Aqua Dome (by accident) on our hike:
Inna read the reviews and it's rated 4.9/5.0 (extremely high). Next time, we will consider instead of Aqua Dome instead (as it includes free access to Aqua Dome and is close by).

After returning to our hotel at 13:45, we quickly changed and sat down for lunch. We ordered the following items (our standard lunch menu at the bar):
  • Boris: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips), Espresso
  • Alex: Wiener Schnitzel, Hot Tea
  • Inna: Frittatensoupe (Beef Boullion with pancake strips), Hot Tea
While eating lunch, we listened to a beautiful soprano and piano player singing a multitude of popular standards, including:
Before it got dark at 16:30, I wanted to skate on cross-country skis one last time. Once I finished soup and hot chocolate, I rushed to Sunup Sports to rent my skis. I had to wait about 20 minutes, as another family was renting 4 pairs of skis.

I finally rented the following skating skis and boots:
  • Skis: Atomic Redster RT 192 cm
  • Boots: Atomic
  • Poles: Atomic
This time, I got the very long Atomic Redster RT 192 cm skate skis and they were very fast. I could skate much faster than on the shorter 180 cm skis. I did not realize that 12 cm of extra length would make such a large performance difference.

I skated on my Atomic Redster skis for 8.62 miles in 76 minutes, hitting 8.5+ mph. I did sweat a lot and got tired at the end, but I was happy with my progress.

After returning to room #169, I showered and walked over to Spa 3000 to use the sauna. I spent 15 minutes in the hot, dry sauna, resting in a relaxing chair, drinking warm fruit tea, and reading my Kindle (Ian Fleming).

At 18:30, I returned back to our room and waited for Inna to return from her treatment. Alex left to visit the thermal pools. He ended up swimming in 2 of the 3 saucers.

At 19:15, Alex returned and we dressed for dinner. As we walked to the restaurant, we heard another acoustic band playing. The band continued to play throughout dinner (All of the bar space was occupied by people dining). 

The band played covers of the following popular songs:
  • "I'm On Fire" by Bruce Springsteen
  • "Layla" by Eric Clapton
  • "Stand By Me" by Bill Withers
  • "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits
  • "Sad Songs Say So Much" by Elton John
  • "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits
  • "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran
  • "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.

After sitting down for dinner, we looked at the following menu:

Starters/Antipasti: 

  • Tyrolean Bacon Salad with bacon, walnuts, and mushrooms
  • Grilled Brocolli with chili, nuts, mushrooms, and carrot cream <-
  • Caramelle with nut butter, potatoes, carrots, and herbs
Salat
  • Green salad, vegetables, dressings
Soup
  • Winter Lentil soup with smoked salmon & vegetables <-
  • Creamy Onion soup with apples and nuts
Main Course
  • Salmon Trout with herbs, sweet potato, and crosne <-
  • Saddle of Venison with walnut crust, moss pear, and potato <-
Dessert
  • Coconut Mango Bomb with chocolate sponge cake <-
  • Lemon Cake with salted caramel, oat milk, and raspberries <-
I didn't care for the Grilled Brocolli but the Winter Lentil soup with Smoked Salmon was excellent. I liked the Salmon Trout and Inna also enjoyed her Saddle of Venison. Both of the desserts were splendid  Inna also got 4 scoops of gelato to share and we eagerly devoured it all.


Monday, January 6, 2025

Return to Zurich (for our eventual flight back to San Francisco)

Inna and Alex decided to cancel our planned 10:00 hike, as we wanted to spend our last few hours in the spa and thermal pool.

We worked at 08:00 and I showered, shaved, and dressed. Initially, we planned to visit the thermal pools in the early morning but decided to eat an early breakfast instead (followed by a later visit to the thermal pools). We had to check out of our room by 11:00 (we were not able to delay checkout until 12:00 since the hotel was fully booked).

We selected the following items from the breakfast buffet (and ordered the coffee drinks from our waiter):
  • Boris: Espresso, Yogurt with Cherry Jam, Scrambled Eggs, Sweet Bread and Pastries
  • Inna: Latte, Omelet, Deli Cold Cuts, Cheeses, Pastries, Hot Tea
  • Alex: Cappuccino, Yogurt, Omelet, Hot Tea
After breakfast, we quickly packed our bags, and headed to the thermal pools (for one last time), while Alex headed to the fitness center. 

We visited all three saucers and enjoyed the beautiful views of the mountains. It was a blistery morning with strong gusts of wind. The air temperature was 40+ Fahrenheit (unusually warm), and the snow was starting to melt. We took a few turns around the lazy river and returned to our room at 10:55. 

We quickly changed into our normal clothes and queued in line to check out. After checking out, we decided to hike around the area one last time. During the hike, we visited the Naturhotel Waldklause, a 5-star hotel where Inna considered booking our next Austrian winter vacation.

The Naturhotel Waldklause hotel was smaller than Aqua Dome but quite charming inside. It's a boutique hotel (and reminded us of  Hotel Zur Pfeffermuhle in St. Anton). Naturhotel Waldklause has a yoga studio and provides free mountain bike rentals in the summer. Cross-country skis can be rented from INTERSPORT Glanzer Längenfeld and delivered directly to one's room (but the hotel does not have its own ski rental shop - a small inconvenience). Aqua Dome has Sunup Sports on the property making ski rentals very convenient.

We continued the hike for a while, trying to stay within the area of the tall trees (to stay out of the blistering southerly wind). In many places, the snow had melted and became soggy. With the strong southerly wind and lots of debris on the snow, it would have been an unpleasant day to cross-country ski.

At around 12:45, we returned to Aqua Dome Hotel (where Alex was waiting) and ordered some lunch at the bar (while we played cards). We ordered the following:
  • Boris: Frittatensoupe (beef boullion with pancake strips), Hot Tea
  • Inna: Wiener Schnitzel, Hot Tea
  • Alex: Frittatensoupe (beef boullion with pancake strips), Hot Tea
After paying for lunch at 14:30, we dressed and prepared for the hotel shuttle to take us to the Kirche bus stop for the #320 bus heading to Otztal. We were dropped off at 14:50 and waited for about 15 minutes for bus #320 to arrive (15:04).  At the Kirche bus stop, there was an electronic display showing the expected bus arrival time (this re-assured us that the bus was actually coming). We had a 45-minute bus ride  (with about 18 stops) until we reached Ötztal Bahnhof (train station).

We waited for the train to Zurich to pull in on platform 3 at 16:14 and boarded it in 2nd class wagon #307, seats 41, 42, and 43. Our 3-hour journey to Zurich was uneventful. On the train, I watched an episode of Shogun on my iPad Pro and read a little bit of Ian Fleming's Biography.

Our train pulled into Zurich train station and we ordered an UberXL to take us to Hyatt Regency Zurich Airport The Circle. A white Toyota Prius showed up (thankfully, it was the larger version that could accommodate all of our 3 large suitcases). In about 15 minutes, we were dropped off in front of the Hyatt Regency. After checking in, we dropped off our luggage in room #827, rested, and descended to floor #2 for dinner.

We decided to try the Lebanese Babel restaurant at the Hyatt and sat down inside. We looked at the menu and decided to order the Experience Menu:
  • Golden Beet Hummus
    • black sesame, rapeseed oil
  • Salmon Kibbeh Nayeh
    • alpine salmon, cracked wheat, olive oil
  • Arayes
    • beef flatbread, pine seeds, pepper paste
  • Jawaneh Dajaj
    • chicken winglets, garlic, coriander, lemon
  • Mulwarra Lamb Shank Tagine
    • onion chickpea jam, vermicelli rice, pine seeds
  • Um Ali
    • baked pastries, nuts, dried fruits
The Golden Beet Hummus was the best hummus ever (even better than our favorite Oren's Hummus in Los Gatos). It was creamy white with small bits of sweet white beets in it. The Salmon Kibbeh was ok. The Arayes flatbread was nothing special. The Jawaneh Dajaj chicken wings were delicious but the portion was tiny. The Lamb Shank was excellent and Alex eagerly devoured it.  The Um Ali dessert took a very long time but was delicious. Service was very friendly and very fast initially, but then it was super slow and we had to wait forever for the Um Ali dessert.

We checked out the fitness center and the spa at the Hyatt Regency. The Fitness Center has a couple of workout machines and the spa has a tiny sauna and a rest area. 

Our hotel room #827 is small but has a nice bathroom and rain shower.


Tuesday, January 6\7, 2025

After waking at 08:00, I showered, shaved, and dressed. When Inna and Alex awoke, they showered and dressed. We checked out of our room and headed for the airport at 10:30. We hoped to eat breakfast at the airport (as hotel breakfast was $50/person).

Our hotel was quite close to Zurich Airport, so we rolled our heavy suitcases to the airport. Once we dropped off our suitcases, we had to go through multiple layers of security and passport control.

Eventually, we reached our "E" gates and stopped by for a quick breakfast/lunch at Pret A Manger. I had a small quiche and an espresso, while Inna drank a latte with a small quiche.

Our boarding for Swiss Air LX38 (ZHR to SFO) was scheduled to start at 12:15 but was delayed until 12:45 (though Inna boarded earlier as she was flying in business class). Alex and I were sitting in Economy 33C (aisle) and 33A (window). Alex wanted to upgrade to Business Class or Economy Plus but it was too expensive to do so (Economy Plus upgrade was $500/person; Business Class was $1200/person).

During the flight, I watched the following movies and shows on my iPad Pro:
I really enjoyed watching both Reagan and Shogun (Season 1). 

We landed in San Francisco at 16:00, breezed through passport control, collected our suitcases, and ordered UberX to take us home. The UberXL ride was very expensive ($130) and there was heavy traffic on US-101 and Hwy-85.

Aqua Dome Trip Report

Highlights

  • Cross-country skiing directly from Aqua Dome to nearby villages
    • Learning to use skating technique on cross-country skis
  • Enjoying the amazing thermal pools and saunas at Aqua Dome
  • Hiking around Langenfeld with Patrizia (our local guide)
    • Hike to Eagle's View
    • Snowshoeing to "Wiesle" hut
  • Alpine Skiing at Solden Ski Resort
  • Dining delicious breakfasts and dinners with elaborate menus and freshly prepared food
  • Watching the New Year's Day Fireworks
  • Listening to live piano/guitar at the bar
  • Playing cards and city-naming games with Inna and Alex
  • Drinking Radler (beer + lemonade)
  • Inna and Alex enjoying various massages and treatments

Lowlights

  • Everyone getting colds (sore throat, nose congestion)
  • No fresh snow (I was hoping to go downhill skiing or snowboarding on fresh powder at Solden). 
  • Missing the Alpaca Hike (by 30 minutes)
    • Next time, read the meeting time closely
  • Inability to find proper snowboarding boots to rent

Links


German -> English Words
  • "Wunderbar": Wonderful 
  • "Donau": Danube
  • "GruS Gott": Hello (Greet God)







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