January 8, 2017.  Some of you might remember that last year, Matthew and I spent New Year’s in Vienna dancing to the Blue Danube Waltz at the Rathaus Silvester Gala (Translation: “City Hall New Year’s Eve Ball”).  This year, we decided to go back to the same country to enjoy the same holiday, but from a different vantage point.  We joined friends for a ski trip to Bad Hofgastein.  No, the place isn’t on the naughty side of town, across the tracks from Good Hofgastein.  Bad means “bath” because the hamlet has some impressive hot springs and is located smack in the middle of the Gastein Valley, an Alpine skiing Mecca  … but more about that in a minute.  (P.S.  Fair warning:  this is a loooooong post, so pull up a chair and be prepared to sit a spell.) Continue reading New Year’s in the Austrian Alps →