Kim: Just for a bit of history, Salzburg was the birthplace of Joseph Mohr, who wrote the words to Silent Night. This popular Christmas carol was composed and first sung in the village of Oberndorf, just outside of Salzburg, in 1818. This is where the oldest nunnery in the German speaking world (established in 712) is located. The real Maria from The Sound of Music taught in this nunnery school.
Darren: Our arrival in Salzburg included many of the things we've come to expect on a "travel day." We rode a train, did some laundry, checked in to a new place, walked to the nearest grocery store and then showered and collapsed. The lady who rented us the place was very helpful although we spoke alot by hand gestures as her English wasn't the greatest and Kim and my German is extremely lacking. She was very kind though and even helped us find the Church's address on a local map to show us where we'd be going the next day.
The old town is beautiful. The Salzach River runs through town and it's lined with grassy riverbanks, trees and bike paths. The Cathedral was amazing and decorated inside with extremely detailed white wood. We rode the funicular up the hill one day to tour the fortress that sits overlooking the city. Great views from the top.
We attended a Mozart dinner theatre one night and met some really neat people at our table. Three of the four couples were from the states but one couple was Romanian and spoke great English. Fun conversations. The music was great and accompanied by a 3-course meal. Another night we attended a Baroque Hall concert. It was a piano/violin duo who were incredible. The music touched us both.
One day we rented bikes and rode down to Hellbrunn Castle. The ride took us along the river at first, then through some meadows and dirt rode paths. Really pretty. The palace is known for its trick fountains and we took the tour to check it out. It was really fun. The tour guide showed how the designer made the fountains thoughout the garden shoot water and catch people off guard. He got people wet and made people scream and laugh all the way through the tour. He was a fun guy and you can tell he enjoyed his job. We had a picnic in a huge park by the palace and then headed back to town. We got cleaned up and went to Mirabell Gardens and listened to a free brass band playing there. The gardens are spectacular and fun to wander through.
Kim: Salzburg was so much fun. I absolutely loved it. It had a little bit of everything I love. Music and culture, green surroundings, historic downtown, outdoor recreation, beautiful architecture and bell towers. If I haven't mentioned it already, I love bells. I have always loved them. Some of my favorite memories of this trip have been waking up to the sound of bells. So mystical.
At church on Sunday we met a couple from Utah who were traveling around Europe, ending in Belgium where the guy's parents were serving a mission. We met a woman originally from Tucson who married a German man and has been living in Germany for 13 years. It's been fun meeting so many different people on this trip and sharing stories with fellow travelers. None of us have the same story. Not all of us believe the same way. We're all from different places, yet we all have that same travelers spirit. So fun!
Later on Sunday we went for a walk around town. On a high trail that circles around the city (offering amazing views of the buildings and town below) we met a man and a woman from Salzburg. They have lived in Salzburg their entire lives and described to us what it looks like in the winter. It sounded like a fairytale. Someday around Christmas I'll definitely have to drag Darren back. They also told us about a bakery at the foot of the mountain right by a waterwheel. Apparently its the oldest bakery in town, dating back to 1150. We found it the next day and bought one of each kind (there were only 3). One was called Roggenbrot. Very heavy and dense but yummy!
The Salzburg Cathedral was really cool. The intricately carved white wood was different than the others we have seen. It was really pretty against some of the other darker furniture. Mozart was baptized here, "Amadeus" means "beloved by God". We also walked through St. Peter's Cemetery. There were many tombs and graves amidst many small gardens.We learned that in Austria, gravesites are rented, not owned. Rent bills are sent out every 10 years. If relatives don't care enough to make the payment, the remains are chucked. Another good reason to remain on good terms with family members. I told Darren if he "chucked" my remains, I'd come back to haunt him. :) On a Hollywood note, while the cemetery scene for The Sound of Music was just a set, it was inspired by this one. We also walked by the 1925 Festival Hall. This is where the nervous Captain von Trapp waited before walking onstage just before he escaped with his family.
The dinner theatre was a lot of fun. The couples we met provided very entertaining conversation. Especially the Romanian couple. He was a spinal surgeon and his wife was a doctor as well. He told us he gets 29 days of holiday (vacation) every 6 months. WHAT!? Forget 3 weeks a year, let's move to Europe!
Mirabell Gardens were so beautiful! I would love to imitate some of the designs and layouts in a garden of my own someday (but on a much smaller scale of course). The statues, arbor and stairs by the palace were used in The Sound of Music as well.
Hohensalzburg Fortress is built on a rock 400 feet above the Salzach River. It was never really used as a Fortress, since it was so foreboding that nobody actually attacked the town for a thousand years. It was surrendered to Napolean for a while though. It was fun to walk around and look at the mini-city within it's walls. It was here at their Marionette Exhibit that Darren and I posed as chickens and Sound of Music puppets.
Our bike ride along the Salzach "Salt" River was fun. So peaceful and green. It would be so fun to live in a place that offers so many bike trails. Yes Gilbert has some. But riding along a stinky canal has never been my "cup of tea." One of the first things we saw upon our arrival at Hellbrunn Castle was the famous gazebo from The Sound of Music and of course I couldn't pass on a photo op.
Salzburg was awesome! Can't wait to go back. How long is my "can't wait to return" list?? Pretty long ;o)
Darren: Our arrival in Salzburg included many of the things we've come to expect on a "travel day." We rode a train, did some laundry, checked in to a new place, walked to the nearest grocery store and then showered and collapsed. The lady who rented us the place was very helpful although we spoke alot by hand gestures as her English wasn't the greatest and Kim and my German is extremely lacking. She was very kind though and even helped us find the Church's address on a local map to show us where we'd be going the next day.
The old town is beautiful. The Salzach River runs through town and it's lined with grassy riverbanks, trees and bike paths. The Cathedral was amazing and decorated inside with extremely detailed white wood. We rode the funicular up the hill one day to tour the fortress that sits overlooking the city. Great views from the top.
We attended a Mozart dinner theatre one night and met some really neat people at our table. Three of the four couples were from the states but one couple was Romanian and spoke great English. Fun conversations. The music was great and accompanied by a 3-course meal. Another night we attended a Baroque Hall concert. It was a piano/violin duo who were incredible. The music touched us both.
One day we rented bikes and rode down to Hellbrunn Castle. The ride took us along the river at first, then through some meadows and dirt rode paths. Really pretty. The palace is known for its trick fountains and we took the tour to check it out. It was really fun. The tour guide showed how the designer made the fountains thoughout the garden shoot water and catch people off guard. He got people wet and made people scream and laugh all the way through the tour. He was a fun guy and you can tell he enjoyed his job. We had a picnic in a huge park by the palace and then headed back to town. We got cleaned up and went to Mirabell Gardens and listened to a free brass band playing there. The gardens are spectacular and fun to wander through.
Kim: Salzburg was so much fun. I absolutely loved it. It had a little bit of everything I love. Music and culture, green surroundings, historic downtown, outdoor recreation, beautiful architecture and bell towers. If I haven't mentioned it already, I love bells. I have always loved them. Some of my favorite memories of this trip have been waking up to the sound of bells. So mystical.
At church on Sunday we met a couple from Utah who were traveling around Europe, ending in Belgium where the guy's parents were serving a mission. We met a woman originally from Tucson who married a German man and has been living in Germany for 13 years. It's been fun meeting so many different people on this trip and sharing stories with fellow travelers. None of us have the same story. Not all of us believe the same way. We're all from different places, yet we all have that same travelers spirit. So fun!
Later on Sunday we went for a walk around town. On a high trail that circles around the city (offering amazing views of the buildings and town below) we met a man and a woman from Salzburg. They have lived in Salzburg their entire lives and described to us what it looks like in the winter. It sounded like a fairytale. Someday around Christmas I'll definitely have to drag Darren back. They also told us about a bakery at the foot of the mountain right by a waterwheel. Apparently its the oldest bakery in town, dating back to 1150. We found it the next day and bought one of each kind (there were only 3). One was called Roggenbrot. Very heavy and dense but yummy!
The Salzburg Cathedral was really cool. The intricately carved white wood was different than the others we have seen. It was really pretty against some of the other darker furniture. Mozart was baptized here, "Amadeus" means "beloved by God". We also walked through St. Peter's Cemetery. There were many tombs and graves amidst many small gardens.We learned that in Austria, gravesites are rented, not owned. Rent bills are sent out every 10 years. If relatives don't care enough to make the payment, the remains are chucked. Another good reason to remain on good terms with family members. I told Darren if he "chucked" my remains, I'd come back to haunt him. :) On a Hollywood note, while the cemetery scene for The Sound of Music was just a set, it was inspired by this one. We also walked by the 1925 Festival Hall. This is where the nervous Captain von Trapp waited before walking onstage just before he escaped with his family.
The dinner theatre was a lot of fun. The couples we met provided very entertaining conversation. Especially the Romanian couple. He was a spinal surgeon and his wife was a doctor as well. He told us he gets 29 days of holiday (vacation) every 6 months. WHAT!? Forget 3 weeks a year, let's move to Europe!
Mirabell Gardens were so beautiful! I would love to imitate some of the designs and layouts in a garden of my own someday (but on a much smaller scale of course). The statues, arbor and stairs by the palace were used in The Sound of Music as well.
Hohensalzburg Fortress is built on a rock 400 feet above the Salzach River. It was never really used as a Fortress, since it was so foreboding that nobody actually attacked the town for a thousand years. It was surrendered to Napolean for a while though. It was fun to walk around and look at the mini-city within it's walls. It was here at their Marionette Exhibit that Darren and I posed as chickens and Sound of Music puppets.
Our bike ride along the Salzach "Salt" River was fun. So peaceful and green. It would be so fun to live in a place that offers so many bike trails. Yes Gilbert has some. But riding along a stinky canal has never been my "cup of tea." One of the first things we saw upon our arrival at Hellbrunn Castle was the famous gazebo from The Sound of Music and of course I couldn't pass on a photo op.
Salzburg was awesome! Can't wait to go back. How long is my "can't wait to return" list?? Pretty long ;o)