I wasn't able to go online during my trip, but I kept a virtual diary of my experiences per city so I wouldn't forget, then just post them online when I've got time.
I already had a good impression of Austria, based on what I’d seen in Innsbruck. Plus, Salzburg was highly recommended by the staff from the Swiss embassy – that’s why I believed him, because he sounded more impressed with Salzburg than with any other Swiss city. Hehe
And he had reason to be. Salzburg really was GORGEOUS! The city itself looked like something out of a fairy tale. Even the residential buildings looked great. The view of the Alps from the city wasn't as good as it was in Innsbruck, but it still looked beautiful as a background to Salzburg’s interesting structures.
Most of the city’s highlights are within walking distance from each other, so it was easy to go see them. I dropped by the house where Mozart was born and where his family lived until he was about 14 years old.
I went to see the Salzburg cathedral, from where I saw this small alley going up that people seemed to flock towards. Curious, I followed them and saw that the alley led up a hill. It seemed like a good idea, so I went along. The climb was a bit tricky as some of the old snow had hardened and made the road slippery. Part of the way had stairs and I had to hold on tight to the railings to make sure I didn't slip.
The road led us to a place called “Fortress Museum” which had an overlooking view of the city. From there, you could see the turrets and the roofs of most buildings, as well as the Alps. I was there around 3:00 pm, and there was a good sunshine then, so the view was really pretty then.
From there, I walked around some more to get a really good feel of the city before heading back to my hotel for a good night’s rest. I had an early start the next day for the “Sound of Music” tour, which I was really looking forward to.
The next morning, I was up at 5:00 am to dress up and prepare my things. I would be heading straight to the train station after the tour, so I had to check out before I left.
The tour cost me 33 euro – a bit steep, but I really wanted to see the sights shown in the brochure, which included some parts of their countryside. When the tour started, I was starting to regret paying so much for it, because the guide took us to the parts of the city that I’d already seen the day before.
But when we started to leave the city, the tour got better. We first passed by the Nunnberg Abbey where Froilan Maria used to be a nun. From there, we went to the Von Trapp Mansion and the lake where the kids fell from a boat while singing. Those areas were closed off to the public, though, so we were only able to get a glimpse from afar, but it was still a nice experience.
We also went to the glass pavilion where Louisa and Frederick went around dancing and singing “I am sixteen going on seventeen…. Blah blah blah”. And all throughout our trip, our tour guide played the different sound tracks from the movie. And my tour mates were such fanatics that they all sang along. I felt like the contrabida for not singing along with them (Im not THAT familiar with the movie after all). Hehe.
The highlight of the tour for me, though, was the trip to Lake Wolfgang. The view there was really, really breath-taking – and I got the photos to prove it! Just for that, my 33 euro was well worth it.
Lastly, we went to the Mondsee Cathedral where the wedding scene was taken. It was also a nice place, though not as wonderful as the area near Lake Wolfgang.
All in all, it was a trip really worth taking. Though I spent quite a lot there, I don't regret a single cent.
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