Only a few weeks before, this place was a swarming bee´s nest of tourists and beer drinkers. Now…it´s rainy, dull looking and just a few movers taking things down. I also found out, the beer halls…which look like actual houses. Cost one million euros to put up and take down..and I thought they stayed up all year long…sheesh.
After that gallant journey…it´s off to Salzburg.
Oh and just a side note…it wasn´t until my ride back from Copenhagen did I finally find out it´s not necissary for me to reserve seats on the train. For about four countries, I´ve been told by the train people I needed to reserve the seats…well those seats cost money…so I was a little choked to have paid all the money for the Eurail pass and still be paying extra out of my pockets…whoooie…was I ever pleased to hear I only needed to pay for a ticket if I was taking the over night train. Only down part…standing for two hours…when there´s no seats….ahhh good thing I have youthful knees.
Alrighty then…back to the topic at hand…Salzburg…the home of the magnificient Mozart, the rolling hills(no they are not a band) and the sound of music. And before you ask…no I did not go on the sound of music tour…would you like to know why? Well…I walk down to the place where they meet for this, so called…“world famous, Sound of Music tour“ and I´m greeted by dozens of decked out tourists…singing and dancing to all the different songs from the movie…uh Mom…did I see you amongst those people there?...hahaha just kidding, but seriously I pretended that I was lost…and hightailed it out of there. Geez if news got out that I was attending some Sound of music nerd convention…my goodness…I´d be ruined.
Anyways, Salzburg is another of Europe´s beautiful cities. Divided by a river, surounded by hills and lush greenery, you can just hear the music of Mozart as you gaze through the shops or walk along the river side. After my run in with the nerd squad, I made my way through the city centre. Easily one of the nicest cities I´ve walked through thus far.
The shops are all high end, but built with a very old style look. They all must have these intricate iron signs that hang from their entrance. Very classy and unique.
While strolling along the many streets, I come across a chocolate shop. I look through the windows first…read a few of the signs, then discover that this was Salzburgs first ever chocolate shop. Oh…well excuse me…I muuuuust try this. Pop in…order some chocolates and POW…I´m blown away. Some of the best chocolate I´ve ever tasted…also it sells one very unique chocolate…I think the translation is…the mozart of chocolate. Other´s have tried to copy the recipe, but I tried all those too. This one is by far the tastiest.
After my splurge on chocolate…I hike around some more…until I get to the base of this enormous hill overlooking the city. A sign reads Monestery with a beer mug beside it…ahhh I see…now this must be the hill my Aunt was talking about (quick side note: after walking around for a few hours I realised there were many hills in Salzburg, so finding the monestery one…I thought would be a challenge)
I decide to take the hike of leg numbing proportions, instead of the simple route paved for tourists. Yes the hike was beautiful, and there wasn´t a soul in sight (oh two guys were playing baseball, so stoped to watch for a little), but arriving at the beer hall, boy I was sure hoping the beer was worth it. And sure enough...it was...mmm...goldeny little droplets of beerfullness glory.
Next stop...the crystal mines.
Now I researched this baby out hard core and it looked like one of the coolest places I'd be stoping along my trip. So I took a two hour train ride to the town of Wattens...the original place for Swarovski Crystals and home to this magnificient crystal display.
You may be thinking...oh a crystal display...whopdidooo...hahaha...well little ones it's not solely crystals...it's optical illusions, crystals of gigantic proportions and tons of lights, sounds and movements.
Still the Entrance to the entire thing is my favorite part. It's a huge grass face, with crystal eyes that change colour.
I spent the entire day at the crystal worlds until, I missed my first train back to Salzburg and decided to wonder around the town of Wattens. I tried getting into the Swarovski headquarters, but the guards wouldn't let me by...even when I said I was Canadian...strange.
Returning to Salzburg I met up with a guy I had met in Munich, and we headed back to the Monestery brewhouse...just because I knew I wouldn't be having beer like this for quite a long time.
Finally...the day when I leave it's rainy...therefore it feels good to get on the train and go some place else...unlike these unlucky days when it seems bad, buuuut turns out to be a beautiful day.
All in all, Salzburg is a quiet city. Small enough that you can walk everywhere and see everything that needs to be seen, however it isn't the most eventful city. I think it would be a great place to visit and stay a long period of time when I'm...let's say...closer to retirement...and then maybe I'll take part in that little song and dance they call the sound of music.
1 comment:
I would have sooo gone on the tour! Just reading your comments had me humming "My Favorite Things". Thanks for thinking of me, Mom
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