We showered and then met Christine and Jae-Young for dinner. They had met at the ice caves they had visited that afternoon. Young was Korean, about to start school in Paris as an exchange student. We went to the Gasthof Zauner, ivy-covered and very picturesque. The waiter, Mario, spoke excellent sarcastic English, and we had a great dinner together. 
Mario (Photo credit: Christine Hoffman)
I had the “Gypsy Skewer”—chicken, sausage, steak, liver, and onions cooked on a skewer in a spicy sauce, with rice on the side. And of course several mugs of Kaiser beer, which turned out to be my favorite Austrian brew. 
Young, Christine, Dorinna, and Rich at dinner (Photo credit: Mario)
Afterwards, we went to Ruth Zimmermann, the town bar. It was smoky, but filled with friendly drunk Austrians. We only had time for one drink before they closed at 11:00. Not much of a nightlife in Hallstatt… The hotel was locked up and the lights were out. We had a key, but it took a long time before our group of inebriated foreign tourists figured out how it worked (Dorinna got us in). We exchanged e-mails with each other, said our goodbyes, and ended the night.
Dorinna, Rich, and Young at Ruth Zimmermann’s (photo credit: Christine Hoffman)
Group Shot in the Main Town Square (photo credit: Christine Hoffman)
Das Haus von Ruh 