a week in an Olympic Village

Skiing cross-country, snow tubing, clubbing, and plenty of restaurants. We went ice skating one night and one of the party did get his tongue stuck on the ice. After 20 minutes trying to release him we decided to go for a bite to eat. He couldn't taste the food as his tongue was ice burned.

Quick Tips:

Plan your week???? Forget it. The only thing that you HAVE to do is get your skis and boots on day one. That's if you didnt bring your own. I didn't. Breakfast is served between 7:30 and 9am, but I missed it. The upside is that the slopes are full of coffee bars and restaurants and at the start of every chairlift. Wear thin layers and only two or three. If you wear the thick layers then you will get hot and have to keep the sweater on. With thin layers you can take one off and still not be too hot.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way around is walking. Everything is within five minutes walking distance except the chairlift. When you hire or buy your equipment, the shops will offer you a bus pass for the week. As we got drunk every night we opted not to take the pass and sober up on the walk to the lifts.

We entered the restaurant at 3am expecting the place to be quiet or to be turned away. To our amazement, we were welcomed in with open arms and a glass of local Grappa to warm us up. We were seated in a cozy snug and mugs of hot chocolate were brought to us. The chocolate was beautiful, it was real chocolate, not powdered or condensed, but real. We ordered, by recommendation, a dish called gnocci, a pasta made from potato and not wheat as one of our party is allergic to wheat. It was to say the least a delight to taste and after completion the recipe was asked for and given freely.

The entree was next. I ordered the hot stone meal which comprised of a red hot stone, slices of raw beef, an egg, onions, and a clove of garlic. The idea is to cook the condiments on the stone and eat it as required.

After the main course came a selection of pastas on a large serving dish which we helped ourselves to. Then came a mix of traditional desserts - Cannoli, tirimasu, Italian ice cream, and pistachio biscuits.

We left at 6am full of food, wine, and a story to tell when we arrived home to our friend about a restaurant that served food and wine til the early hours.

We landed in Turin at 11:30am but were delayed due to losing a passenger. Eventually we took off to our resort in Sousse Doux in the mountains. The journey, although long, was very scenic and we were at the resort before we knew it. When we alighted from the coach, first thing I noticed about the ski resort was the lack of snow - not one flake to be seen. The sun was beating down on us and not a single snowbank in sight. We walked from the dropoff area to our hotel unit to be meet by a jaw dropping sight of the Italian alps and mountain range. We immediatly dropped our bags at check-in and headed to the nearest bar to sample local cuisine and beverages.

Eating is a must when on an activity such as skiing. Sousse has so many bars and restaurants to choose from. You can't go wrong if you find out where the locals eat. You cannot leave a restaurant without meeting the welcoming sound of an Apre-ski bar. Even if you're not in the mood to go out,it will soon change after a few beers and a glass of the local "grappa". But be aware, the grappa will hit you like a ton of bricks.

Nightclubs are a plenty in the area. We were regulars in every one of them and were not forgotten even after we left. I exchange numbers with some of the staff and are still in contact with them.