Ski Week in Austria -- Day Two

Every year our kids' school closes for a week in February for "ski week."   That is true of most German schools as well.  We've taken advantage of that week in the past to do some traveling, but since this year is our last year in Germany, we thought doing some skiing was a must.

The school organizes two trips in Austria:  one for families and one just for kids.  David didn't want to be left out (what skier (i.e. David) wants to sit at home while their kids go skiing in the Alps?) so we opted for the family trip.   To make things easier for everyone, I decided to stay home with Becca.  We figured she wouldn't be able to handle ski school for 6 days out in the cold and I wasn't so sure I could either.

The ski resort David and the kids are staying at is Bad Hofgastein near Salzburg in Austria.  It is part of Ski Amade, a network of 28 ski areas and towns that combined, make up the largest ski area in Europe (860 km of downhill slopes / 278 modern ski lifts).

Here are kids at breakfast on the second day of skiing. I just included this picture to show the breakfast nook -- you see these in most traditional restaurants in Germany and Austria and we'd love to build one into our kitchen area once we move home.

Micaela, James and Emilie waiting for the Ski School bus.

Emilie in front of the Schlossalm mountain

Getting ready to begin class. All the kids are learning to ski without ski poles.

All the kids need to wear these vests which read "Don't go so fast -- there's a kid here."

David on his way to his lessons

David stitched together three photos to get this panorama shot.  Click on it to get a better view.

The ski instructor leading the way

This would make a nice winter vacation chalet.

Gorgeous scenery

They had beautiful weather and terrific views on the second and third days.

The ski center in Angertal

David's ski group

Emilie, Micaela and James returning from the bus from ski school

The grown-ups went on a horse-drawn sleigh ride through protected forest lands this night for dinner.

No cars are allowed in this area.

Three of the ladies on the sleigh ride. In order to keep warm everyone bundled up, used lots of blankets and drank a generous amount of schnapps.

David said even all bundled up with blankets, it was almost unbearably cold and the schnapps helped.

The restaurant served only game that was caught locally. After the group warmed up with Jägertee, they were served fresh trout as an appetizer with venison with red cabbage as the main course. Dessert was Apfelstrüdel.

By the time the arrived at the cabin/restaurant on the sleigh it was totally dark. The only lights were from the cabin and the stars shining brightly in the sky. Here's the cabin as they left. On the way back it didn't seem as cold as various flasks of schnapps seemed to mysteriously appear along the way.