Ski Blog: News and Views from the slopes.

Ski Relax at Gasteiner-Heilstollen underground health treatment in Austria.

Today I received an e-mail with an interesting question in my Inbox: "Could you please send information on an underground health treatment in Austria that is Radon based and has 4 stages in the treatment, each stage descends further underground and increases the thermal temperature?"

Well, probably most people have never heard about the Gasteiner-Heilstollen which are located near Bad Gastein in Austria, so I hope you will find this useful.

Heilstollen, a German word which means healing cave, is a tunnel system. A special train takes you 2.5km/1.5 miles into the mountain, where the warmth and humidity elevate the body's temperature to 38C/100F. This increases the uptake of radon, one of the noble gases, which accelerates cell metabolism through its short-wave rays.

For more information please visit: http://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/ or to make your travel arrangements contact SkiEurope at 800-333-5533.

And by the way..Gasteiner-Heistollen also offers Ski-Relax sessions once a week in the winter. Please check with them directly. (In winter 2004-05: every Thursday at 4pm; cost Euros 25)

"Girlfriends' Getaways"

I was watching CNN while working out this morning and a headline really caught my attention. I'm sure that most ladies have experienced a "girlfriends’ weekend" at least once during their younger "single" years, whether it was a shopping spree, bachelorette party or spa vacation.

Now according to CNN, it's a growing trend. Women of all ages and groups are leaving behind their spouses, significant others and boyfriends to escape with their girlfriends... enjoying adventure activities such as hiking, sailing, biking, or simply wine tasting!

This article made me think of where I would go for my "girlfriends’ getaway": a ski trip to the Alps or the Canadian Rockies would be my first choice, especially if I can take ski lessons from a cute Italian ski instructor, enjoy some great food, wine and my best friends, or just pamper myself at the spa!

Thinking about a ski getaway with your girlfriends? Feel free to email me for some ideas.

Olympic Turin...skiing, sighseeing and chocolate tasting.

Heading to Turin before or during the Winter Olympics? Here's a useful article about the Olympic city, what to do and see, what to eat and where to go. And something I'd like to add...in case you are chocoholic Turin is also famous for the production of gianduiotti (chocolates) and  offers a Chocopass for chocolate tasting. The pass can be purchased through Turismo Torino and costs Euro 10 (valid for 10 choco tastings in 24 hours) or Euro 15 (good for 24 tastings in 48 hours).

Hurray...for ski racing fans!

A recent article posted on CNN's Website announced that the International Ski Federation (FIS) may introduce a new cup event, the combined World Cup, in the 2006/07 winter ski season.
Let's hope an additional cup event will boost audience's interest for ski racing in North America and make ski cup events as popular as they are in the Alpine world.