The Hills are Alive!

Today we have been TOTAL tourists and taken part in a city tour of Salzburg based loosely on 'The Sound of Music' musical film, of which Maya and I are great fans!!! Last night Mathias had kindly shown us where to get THE bus from, which was a bus stop at one of the film locations a short walk from his house.

This morning, after a deliciously wonderful Austrian breakfast with his lovely wife Ursula, we wrapped up warm and set off to Schloss Leopoldskron, the palace and lake where the Von Trapp family in the movie live, and where the external house shots were made with the lake in view, and the rowing boat tipping over scene happens etc. Forgive me for waffling on here, but having watched the movie this evening as our Friday Family Film night, much of this is fresh in my head!

After taking the obligatory photos by the lake, which today was frozen over, we then enjoyed the warmth of the bus and arrived at Schloss Hellbrun to see the gazebo from the "You are 16, going on 17" song and dance scene, and also where Captain Von Trapp and Maria eventually fall in love. We drove past the road where Maria marches up to the house singing "I have Confidence", and where the other outside house scenes were filmed at Schloss Frohnburg.

Still on the bus, we passed the Nonnberg Abbey where Maria supposedly lives at the start of the film, and then into Salzburg itself which is another wonderful city to explore. I'm certain that our whistle stop Sound of Music tour didn't do the place justice at all, but we enjoyed meandering through the streets and markets looking at the various statues, buildings and varying styles of architecture. 

One of our favourite places was the Mirabellplatz, the location for the "Do-Re-Mi" song where the children run around the Pegasus fountain, and then all jump up and down the steps as if the steps play the musical notes. Sadly the steps do not do that, someone is missing a trick there, but we enjoyed our jumping up and down which also helped us to keep warm!!! And Maya re-enacted another famous scene below, much to the amusement of some passing Japanese tourists!!!

As you can see, yet again we were some of only a handful of tourists about, but this made the day enjoyable as there were no queues and no "hidden extras" on photos!!! I do hate it when other people get themselves in on my shots!!! I've spent many a moment hanging on and waiting for crowds to disappear just so that I can get the photo that I want!!! Well that doesn't happen on cold days in January! 

Although we haven't "Climbed Every Mountain" or picnicked in the meadow, we have thoroughly enjoyed our day out and with souvenir bags in hand, (including yet another piece of rather nice art work!) we have now warmed up in the van, watched the film, eaten a few of our "Favourite Things", and recalled with fond memories our lovely day in Salzburg. 

Clare