3000 Good Things: A Dream Come True!

Amalia in Salzburg!

We got our target heart rates charted first thing in the morning yesterday. We had planned to leave the apartment at 5:20, but didn't leave until 5:30, and had to wait a while for the first tram. So when we got off the underground at the Westbahnhof, we booked it! It probably would have been quite the site: five girls running through a mostly empty station just before 6 am on a Saturday, but thankfully we made it with a couple minutes to spare. What a relief!

The five of us had our own cubicle on the train, so we were able to shut the door, turn off the lights, and spread out a little bit to rest. I listened to music, and got to watch the sunrise over the fields, with scattered fog burning off. Being a nature girl, it was nice to see fields and trees and cows!

We arrived in Salzburg a little before 9:00 and made our way to the meeting point for our "Sound of Music" tour! Our guide, a middle-aged American man, was a hoot. He was full of terrible puns and jokes, he sang along to the sound track, and he acted out different parts of the movie to illustrate what we were going to see next. We couldn't stop laughing! 

Our first stop on the tour was the lake that the children and Maria are canoeing in when The Captain and Baroness Shraeder get home. Here is a photo of me in front of the lake (which is home to several swans and ducks!) 

Next we went to the Gazebo that was built for the famous "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" number. It has actually been relocated because of the large number of tourists that want to see it. 

It is now located on the Hellbrunn palace grounds, which has a lovely garden, with tall flowers, perfect for hiding behind. :)

We then reloaded the bus and drove out to the beautiful lake district near Salzburg, meanwhile listening to, and of course singing along with, the "Sound of Music" soundtrack! Unfortunately the overcast and fog did not burn off in Salzburg yesterday, so we did not see any mountains or hills (a reason - among others - to return!), but it was still a gorgeous drive through the country and past the drinking water quality, freezing temperature lakes. The next destination on our tour was Mondsee, where the church that was used for the filming of the wedding is located. The population is just over 3,000 (half the size of my beloved Hood River), and the culture of the town reflects that. Women wear dirndl and men wear lederhosen, and the people are so friendly. We had a bit of free time in Mondsee, so we decided to go to a little cafe for an early-afternoon treat. 

Our timing was perfect when visiting the church. One wedding was just ending, and the next was starting to set up, so we had a little time to look around and listen to the brass choir warm up. The church is gorgeous and very recognizable from the movie. 

After our tour we visited the lovely Mirabell gardens where the majority of the "Do Re Mi" scene was filmed. I have no idea how many times I have seen the movie, probably about 75, so I know it pretty well. I could probably recite most of it, needless to say: it was a priority to essentially reenact that scene! So, I marched around the Pegasus fountain.

I ran through the hedge tunnel, then spun, skipped, and sang!

The gardens are absolutely beautiful. I was amazed by all the colorful flowers at this time of year. 

Salzburg has its own lock bridge. Isn't Pauline sweet? 

As all the girls I was with, including myself, are music majors, we had to see the house Mozart was born and grew up in. It is now a museum, which we chose to forgo this time. 

By this point it was 14:30 and I hadn't really eaten since 5:00, so we decided to find a lunch spot. On a side street in the old-town area we found a little hunting-lodge-esque traditional Austrian restaurant. After a while a group of women in dirndl came in, they starting singing some traditional songs at one point, and most other people in the restaurant started singing along. I decided to try their version of a squash ravioli. It was delicious, and I think it is the first time I have had a meal in this region of Europe with complex flavors, rather than just a comfort food quality. 

This church went through a refurbishment project that was just completed this year. I loved the all white interior. It was simple, and un-overwhelming to look at, because details blended into the background until I was ready to look at them. 

More churches can always be found around another corner. I like the ivy growing on this one. 

Pauline, Jenna, and I decided to walk around a little bit while the others sat on the church stoop. Salzburg is a wonderful town for exploring.

I even found my soul pickle!

What a fun group of girls with which to spend a relaxing day in Salzburg!

More Maria Moments: Splashing in the fountain during "Confidence."

The old-town square of Salzburg:

We ended the day on a hotel roof-top cafe with an excellent view of the old-town below. 

This day has been about 14 years in the making, and it did not disappoint. I could barely contain my excitement all day. I can't even explain how much fun and how memorable of a day it was. For any "Sound of Music" fan, it is a must. Salzburg is a wonderful city in its own right, as well. A city of about 150,000 people, it has a special charm, and the people are more friendly. The atmosphere feels very relaxed, which I'm sure is partially due to the fact that we were there on a Saturday. Wearing my dirndl also added to the magical-ity.