DAY 10*****Ok, so you can guess we have arrived in Salzburg, home to the movie The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the place where we finally saw snow!
It isn't surprizing then that Salzburg is a very musical town, being Mozart's birthplace and where he spent his early years.
It is also the home to many students studying music, and when strolling through Mirabell Gardens we were pleasantly surprised to come across a group of ?high school students singing the song from the movie just like the Von Trapp children with Maria as they skipped around the gardens.
Note this photo - look behind DS and see the group of young people standing around the edge of the fountain - so here we are in Salzburg, watching an impromptu performance of this very song!! How magical!!
A view here of Schloss Mirabell from the other end of the gardens.
Next on the agenda was a visit to the castle on the hillside surrounding the city,
Festung Hohensalzburg (Salzburg Fortress).
It was built by the Cardinals as a haven/fort against invaders of the city. The Cardinals in those years were in charge of the army, and each cardinal in turn added to and further fortified the castle. It can reached by funicular railway (gondola) - which we used on the way up. The fortress was never overrun in battle, but was surrended to Napoleon without conflict.
DS can be seen here with the symbols of some of the ruling Cardinals - note the turnip to the right of him? Apparently one of the Cardinals had a turnip thrown at him by his uncle when he was a child - as a snub to his uncle, the now powerful Cardinal chose to make it his symbol!
Marionette Theatre was also developed here in Salzburg, and the Festung Hohensalzburg has a museum dedicated to the art.
Fun for children of all ages!!!
We decided to walk back down to the town but on route, were hit by a decent dumping of snow, and the sounds of the cathedral bells tolling at 3pm for more than just a few minutes!
Earlier this morning we had spotted 2 things we had to indulge in:
1. A button shop for DW, who judging by her expression here was truly in sewers' heaven. This particular store, Jos Mayer, had been in this same location selling buttons and trims since 1793 - a true business feat considering how few sew clothes at home today!!! DW had to indulge, find out more on her blog <here> .
2. Were the charming horse & carriage rides around the city - OK, a tourist trap we know but so very appropriate to this charming city. So in the afternoon, after the snow had stopped falling we all had a tour around the city - the lap rugs were truly helpful as it was still VERY cold!!!
And of course......more Christmas markets!!
Just a few of our favourite things in Salzburg, Day 1!!
Goosebumps would have happened with "Doe-Ray-Me" being sung by the school childrend, oh wow.
ReplyDeleteI'm having such a good time with you all, thank you for sharing, you are seeing some wonderful sights.