Danube River Cruise

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Salzburg

The hills are alive . . . . with the sound of music. La, la-la-la . . . .

Here we are, in Salzbug, Von Trapp Family Mecca. I may have forgotten to tell you that we actually had a concert our last night in Vienna by Elizabeth Von Trapp, granddaughter of Baron Von Trapp. It was truly lovely, she has a beautiful voice. Anyway, Salzburg is a bit of a ride from the River and full, I mean FULL, of tourists. The tour directors tell us that it is usually more crowded than this, I can't imagine. The streets are narrow and winding, cobblestones and tall buildings. We did not avail ourselves of it, but apparently there are some very good Sound of Music tours you can take here. Salzburg is famous for the iron signs outside the merchant establishments, there's even a Golden Arches here with a fancy sign! The story is that the storefront was a restaurant and the new franchisee didn't want to change the sign, so they added the arches. First stop is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He lived in a small apartment on the second floor of the building with his father, mother and sister. We get to see compositions he wrote at age eight, and later on in his career. The apartment is small and close, and there's no bathroom! Chamber pots, dumped in the nearby river, thank goodness for modern plumbing! We then proceed through town and the large main square to a lovely cemetery, then to a restaurant for lunch and some musical entertainment. Tom and I skip dessert to head over to the Fortress Hohensalzburg. We ride the funicular up the side of the mountain, apparently a high speed funicular! We climb to the ramparts for a wonderful view of the entire area, it is a gorgeous day. Tom is a little nervous of the height, but he does quite well once we're up there. We briefly visit a marionette museum in the fortress and walk around, taking in the sights. We descend again by funicular, then head out for a little shopping and to find the St. Sebastian's Cemetery, where Mozart's mother and father are buried. The streets are full of people; shopping, eating, seeing and being seen. The cemetery is a gem of quiet contemplation in this hubbub. Just beautiful. The Austrians plant many beautiful flowers among the headstones, it is a nice touch compared with the lawns we have here in the States. Another trek through the streets back to the bus, then we head back to the ship for dinner and a quiet evening of cruising.

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Photos

Austrian Beer!
Good Stuff, Really good stuff!