Salzburg, Austria
April 27 - April 30, 2011..... 4/27

Another day, Another train trip, and Another Country.

Yes, we are now in Austria - Salzburg to be exact.

The train ride was quite nice....it started out a bit overcast, but no rain to ruin the scenery, and cleared up for us to enjoy the beauty & majesty of The Alps.

Dinner our first night in Salzburg was atop a 30 story building on top of Monchsberg in the Old Town, overlooking the Salzach River.  

4/28/2011

Thanks to those who recommended the "Sound of Music" tour in Salzburg as a "must-do".

IF you are not a fan of this movie - you might want to skip this email.

The sights/locations relating to the movie (& photos attached) included:

•The Mirabell Gardens - Maria and the children were seen dancing around the statue of Pegasus, the winged horse, and throughout the gardens singing 'Do-Re-Mi'.

•Leopoldskron Castle - The front side of the castle was used as the Trapp family home, the children were boating on the Leopoldskron Lake and fell into the water. The Venetian room was copied from the castle and used as the ballroom.

•Hellbrunn Castle - This hunting castle was built in the early 17th century by Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus. In the gardens the glass pavillion was reconstructed for the pleasure of those fans still returning after 30 years.

•St.Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang - Scenery shown at the beginning of the movie was filmed at Lake Fuschl on the way to St. Gilgen.

•Mondsee Cathedral - where the movie's famous wedding scenes were filmed •Nonnberg Abbey - Nonnberg Abbey is the oldest convent in the German speaking part of Europe. Maria was a novice there. The baron and Maria were married here in 1927. The scenes for the movie made here include the opening with the nuns going to Mass and Maria arriving too late.  (no photo attached).

We then strolled through the old part of Salzburg - which includes an upscale shopping area, with lots of cafes, etc.

I loved some of the "local" window displays.

Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart - and there is a museum right in the midst of this busy shopping street.

Note the mimes....Mozart is on the right and Tom is the one on the left!!

4/29/2011

Our final day/evening in Salzburg started and ended with Mozart, where he was born 1/27/1756 and lived for his first six years.

His home contains much history of Wolfganag Amadeus, his father - Leopold, and his sister - Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart (nicknamed "Nannerl").

(Leopold was a German composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. He is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook. Nannerl was an excellent pianist.)

We then toured the fortress of Hohensalzburg atop the Festungsberg mountain (in the old city of Salzburg).  The original construction of the fortress began in 1077.

There is a tram which takes one to the foot of the fortress - but one still has to make a hefty climb to the top, but the view is well-worth it.

Next stop, The Salzburg Cathedral (German: Salzburger Dom) where Mozart was baptized.  It is quite impressive on the outside, and the inside is spectacular.  It has 8 altars plus the high altar, a gorgeous dome (220 feet high), and multiple organs.

Dinner was then at Stiftskeller St. Peter, the oldest restaurant in Central Europe, established in 803 AD, and is known to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant and inn on the Earth.  Don't worry, Tom's beef did not taste that old!!

We ended the evening at St. Peter's Abbey listening to two Mozart piano concertos.

Off to Vienna tomorrow morning and yes, another train.