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Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start...
"Did you do your homework?
What homework?
Did you watch the Sound of Music?
No. Why would I do that?
Because you're going to Salzburg, silly."
(roll of the eyes)....Whatever.
That was the exchange between my pal, fellow JUG and cohort Nancy Kivlen and I about Yamila's and my upcoming tour to Salzburg. Nancy is a travel aficionado, world traveler, a rabid Julie Andrews fan and an expert on fun. Ok, so her urging prompted me to download The Sound of Music to my iPad in our 11th hour of packing the night before our trip. I had every intention of watching the film on our long transatlantic flight, but the wine made me sleepy and I dozed off.
Now as I'm standing on the train track platform at Hauptbahnhof, getting a briefing from our tour guide Lucia (who's from Spain) I get a sense of deja vu. "Anyone here seen The Sound of Music,?" Lucia asks. "Well your day in Salzburg is going to bring back all the memories of the movie and the Von Trapp family." (Groan. Alright Nancy, you were right.)
We boarded the train to Salzburg and enjoyed an easy, two-hour ride through the scenic countryside of Germany and Austria. Bright green rolling hills dotted with Bavarian-style homes and perfectly staged horses, cattle and sheep. It's a scene right out of a movie. Yes, THAT movie.
Rounding the last mountain bend and the bridge over the Salzach River, lovely Salzburg comes into view. What a gem. Scenic. Sparkly clean. And breathtaking.
A quick bus transfer from the train station into town, brings us to the heart of the old city. Think Vail and Aspen with a touch of Rodeo Drive. Mountain charm with a subtle air of affluence and style. Narrow cobblestone streets, tall walls of brightly colored old buildings and designer shops.
"Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do!"
Hey ... what was that? Did you hear it?
We enter the grounds of the Mirabell Palace Gardens. Standing at the top of the stairs, overlooking the gardens, something here looks familiar.
"So Do La Fa Mi Do Re..."
There it is again.
A familiar sense of deja vu hangs in the air like a sweet long musical note. A do-re-mi kinda note. "I feel like dancing," says the smiling and always effervescent Yamila. Of course she does.
"So Do La Fa Mi Do Re, So Do La Ti Do Re Do..."
The charm of this place is palpable. The locals are pretty and chic (just like Aspen). We people watch, stroll and visit all the right sites: The Bridge of Locks, Mozart's birthplace, the Hohensalzburg Fortress, Saint Peter's Abbey, Cemetery and Catacombs, the Residenz Fountain ... and of course, the memorable gated Convent door made famous in the Sound of Music.
The old city is a maze of narrow streets and shops that are easy to get lost in. Lost in a nice way. From the vantage point of a street side cafe, it's simply lovely to drink in the sights and sounds of Salzburg.
You don't have to be a Sound of Music fan to appreciate the magic of this place. But the movie did add a catchy soundtrack to its surroundings in a sweet do-re-me sorta way.
- comments
Nancy I'm so glad you got to see this adorable place. Yes, it's enchanting and charming to say the least. My mother is reminding me of our 3 week trip through Europe we did together in the early 80's where we were met by a sweet old man, Herr Schmidthuber, in lederhosen who escorted us to his home (Bed & Breakfast) where we enjoyed homemade Jam ("a drink of Jam and Bread) and slept under feathered comforters. I'm glad you will both have great memories of this magical town.
Donna Marie How fun!