Festung Fortress...Salzburg Day 3

I woke early on Tuesday and headed downstairs for the first of many buffet breakfasts I would experience in Austria. The liverwurst was a-flowin' and so was the cheese, rye bread, and plain, sour yogurt. Again, I'm reminded of how much of my childhood was affected by this type of food and I was so glad to find it all exactly the same as what I remember.

A walk downtown quickly ensued. Here is an example of some bread in a shoppe window:

...and a local cafe...

...and the place where I first tried vanille kipferl. I actually cried when I saw the cookies lined up there while in line for a cappacino. I told the shoppekeeper, "Oh my god, I used to make vanille kipferl with my Oma when I was a kid!"

She was not impressed. Her response?

"Me too." Sigh.



Walking across the bridge, snapping all the Austrian flags along the way...

And one happy camper. Note, it may seem that I am wearing the same outfit the ENTIRE time on my trip. You would not be wrong in this assumption. I had two pairs of tights, one pair of jeans, runners, and a pair of boots. The boots never came off and the coat and scarf stayed on as well.

Walking through Salzburg one last time, drinking in the sights near the Dom...

In all their glory and creepy splendor...

Then I headed up to the Festung Fortress. This turned out to be the highlight of my trip, but I didn't know it then.

Four brown men insisted on taking this type of picture. I obliged.

Looks like such a daunting place, non?

I think this is where some part of the Sound of Music was filmed...can't be entirely sure though.



However this was the gazebo where Lisl and her beau danced to Sixteen Going on Seventeen. Or is it Seventeen Going on Eighteen? I can't recall.

Birds of the area (this is where the trek started to take an unknown tour and my trip got infinitely better)...

Looking ahead...over that wall, the most beautiful scenery was witnessed by yours truly.

Just look at that view.

Experimenting with the panorama setting...

What a happy little duck...

Some lovely French Canadians took my picture with the Alps. Are you kidding me?!



On my remarkable walk home, I took a detour through the houses of the area. I saw so much from what I know about Austrian culture...so many things that reminded me of my Oma.

Geraniums...swoon.

Pathways,

Views...

...and walkways...

Down at the mountain's base, a university spreads out before me...

Looks a bit different than Weldon, non?

Gorgeous yellow buildings...

...and spectacular views...

How cute are traditional Austrian clothes?

My last stop was a trip to Mirabell Gardens in the day time. Gorgeous.

LOVE the self portraits.

Love the couple who agreed to have their photo taken. Married 52 years, they explained. Swoon.

And I was off to the train station, headed to Vienna...

Most beautiful three hours of my life.

Hopeless Optimism. Gotta love it

The Austria pics are taking an eternity to load, so I'm posting other things that are inspiring me today. I heard this song and just about cried laughing. I mean, it's perfect in its simplicity and so very honest. We've all been there...some more than others, I trust.

Thought I could hear the Ghost at times singing this. Though I'd like to think he's happy as our cat in sunshine, at times, I'm sure there were (are?) moments when these lyrics ring true. I had to laugh at the line about the coffee going to waste. Ha! How very me.

But eventually, the future comes, doesn't it? And life moves on in all her glory.

On the morning when I woke up without you for the first time
I felt free and I felt lonely and I felt scared
And I began to talk to myself almost immediately
Not being used to being the only person there

The first time I made coffee for just myself, I made too much of it
But I drank it all just cause you hate it when I let things go to waste
And I wandered through the house like a little boy lost in the mall
And an astronaut could've seen the hunger in my eyes from space

And I sang
Oh, What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?
What do I do without you?

On the morning when I woke up without you for the first time
I was cold so I put on a sweater and I turned up the heat
And the walls began to close in and I felt so sad and frightened
I practically ran from the living room out into the street

And the wind began to blow and the trees began to pant
And the world in its cold way started coming alive
And I stood there like a business man waiting for the train
And I got ready for the future to arrive

And I sang
Oh, What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?
What do I do without you?

—The Mountain Goats

Love from the King of Canada

Ring the bells that still can ring,

Forget your perfect offering.

There is a crack in everything,

That’s how the light gets in.

—Leonard Cohen

There are some quotes that cause some moments to become more poignant than they were seconds beforehand. It makes my heart glad to know that at times, I write things and show you things that make your heart dance, your brain tick, and your mouth form into a perfect, small smile. For what other reason would I write things down where only you could see them? Oddly, this has become my journal, you my private audience, and for all the reading of it that you do, I am eternally grateful.

I hope you are having a wonderful day.

Day Two: Salzburg in the Snow

On Monday, it snowed all day in Salzburg. I got up late (considering I was sharing a room with five women...one of whom was 75!...9 am is late), skipped breakfast, and headed back up that glorious mountain for a run. It was wet, freezing, and I was playing with fire (of course, not literally, as it was freezing and wet) that I wouldn't get sick from a lack of smartly packed, proper running clothes, but out I went anyway.




Upon my return from the spectacular run, I met up with Sarah, a recent grad from NYC (originally North Carolina) for pasta and wine at Pasta e Vino. They made three pastas everyday...and only three. They served a cheese platter from the deli they had set up in the restaurant (as part of the classy decor, no joke...it was totally amazing in this place), and the wine was a-flowing. For only about $40, we ate and drank ourselves silly for two hours. I can't make this stuff up: Salzburg was amazing.

After this, as it was her first day there, Sarah and I parted ways. I wandered around, a little drunk, and wound up in this traditional Austrian shoppe:



To answer my question, "What does one buy that is so very Salzburgian?", the shoppekeeper gave me three entire shots of Austrian schnapps. Good god. Without a place to store this bottle of schnapps, without the restraint to not drink too much in one sitting, and without the desire to be completely hungover from the potent, sweet mixture, I thanked the woman profusely for getting me right tanked, and quickly proceeded back to the hostel to sleep off my stupor.

Upon awakening, I skipped over to Mirabell Gardens for a tour at dusk. What a glorious place.

Day One: Salzburg

On Sunday, October 24, I woke at 4, got myself all backpacked up (yup, one small backpack, about the size that you took to school as a kid), and jumped in the back of a very nice car. The taxi driver took me right to Stansted and I was rudely jolted into Ryan Air reality: only ONE bag is allowed on the plane. No purse, no coat...ONE bag. Argh. Poor bag got QUITE the workout.

Though the flight was late, I had a Starbucks in hand and was pleasantly surprised when we landed 20 minutes early. I slept the whole way there (about an hour and a half) and was just amazed when I saw this upon landing...



(are those the ALPS in the background? I think so.) Sigh.

The rain was thick, the clouds were low, but my spirits were super high as I embarked on what turned out to be the first of many journeys on my own. I jumped on a city bus, headed into town, and had the busdriver kindly direct me to my hostel. I know what you are thinking: hostel? That is so super gross. I would think so too, but this place was amazing. If you're in Salzburg, please check out the YoHo International Hostel. It was in the middle of everything and was just so pleasant to stay at.

I couldn't yet check in, as it was before noon, so I took a walking tour of what turned out to be my favourite city in the world. No kidding. Trumps TORONTO and you know how strongly I feel about THAT city.

I found so many little sights like this one...

and fell in love with the nooks and crannies along the way. Took this staircase up...

to overlook the city well into Kapuzinerberg, which overlooks the city. I hope I'm saying the right place...I've just looked it up on Google Maps, since I've long abandoned the city map I carried around for three days. Who has room for it with so little space? Anyway, here are a few views from atop the city...

Again, Alps in the background? I think I'm in heaven.

A new type of bench. I think this is actually a kneeler, as there was a religious monument in front of it. Nonetheless, I'm in love with this place.

At the bottom of the (huge) hill, I continued on my travels of the city...

...wound up crossing the river...

...without forgetting to look back from where I came...

...and stumbled upon yet another favourite theme: repetition. In front of the Salzburg Residenz, in Mozart's Square, many a horse-drawn carriage awaited guests.

I couldn't help myself...I wandered into the Salzburg Residence where Franz-Joseph and his wife Elizabeth (or Sissi, as she was known by admirers) lived for the duration of their lives. Well, maybe...you know how little I like history. They could have lived in Hofburg as well, but I forget. Anyway, here I am, snapping pics like it's my job of the place these royal humans called home. THE place. It was remarkable even for this non-history-lover.

This is the chair in which Franz-Joseph sat to have an audience with people. In the adjoining room, Mozart played his first concert for an audience. He was six years old. I can't make this stuff up.

Alas, I arrive in the great hall of some sort. What a tool...I had to take self portraits (much to the amusement of those fellow tourists around me who wondered why they couldn't just take the picture. Part of the fun, friends, part of the experience).

I've told this story to many of you in my life and hope that the video gets to actually play where you are. Let me set the stage...

Years ago, I dated this wonderful human being whose family had traveled to Austria in his youth. He had told me that they eagerly hiked up this huge mountain, but it was the walk down that really killed them. He told me they all had blisters from the rubbing that their shoes had on their feet as the descended the hill. Much to their surprise, it was not the climb up that wore them out (as expected), but rather, the trip down. Such is life, at times, right? So I think of this every single time I walk down a hill. Think of that family, trudging with three boys down an Austrian hill, as their feet blistered. Strange what sticks, isn't it?

Anyway, as an extension to the story, one night as the family went out to mass, I stayed home and was listening to Sting (who, as we know also sings Roxanne...A-Leash, Dave, just for you). I was young, so Sting was still pretty new to me. So new in fact, that hearing Fields of Gold was still pretty much an existential experience. I put it on repeat, as is my habit, much to the chagrin of many a roommate, and listened the whole time they were away. Imagine my surprise when, while looking up at this breathtaking view, a man begins to play Fields of Gold on an acoustic guitar. Could there be a clearer sign that it was this place I was supposed to be at this moment? Nope.

A still frame of what I saw while the song still played. Is this place amazing or what?

Then I took a nice stroll along the river. Took my time getting back to the hostel, where I dined on goulash and the unlimited salat bar (yup, that's how they spell it there). What a great day.

Always remembering to look forward...

...while never forgetting to glance back.