Entries about salzburger

The morning started early.. and the rain was gently falling.

Tried to sleep in a little more and both of us got up and off to breakfast around 8:30. After going over the plans for the day - in agreement that the rain make it nice and was not going to stop us. (Really it made it more of an adventure). First need to note that the breakfast was amazing and it felt really good to have a 'real' hot breakfast - eggs, bacon the whole works. The hotel's breakfast room had a warm, Georgian feel to it and everyone was calm, quiet. It was nice to hear all the different languages around us.

Though as we headed out and it was raining lightly outside, the light in the Aldstadt (Old Town) itself wasn't gloomy. Our goal for the morning was to get to the Fortress above the city. One the way we stopped in at the Salzburg Cathedral. It was a nice break from the rain, and it was on my list to see the ceilings - which did not disappoint. The works of art in every ceiling space, and walls, where amazing in both the number and quality of the actual artwork. So impressive. The cloudy skies outside made it too dark to take any pictures that captured the impact of what it was like to see them in person. I kept thinking of how stories in the bible were painted in these massive places to those who could not read. This church was founded in 711 and rebuilt in 1181 after a fire. Looking at the details in those ceilings it impressed me again how workers who did not have electrical tools, and worked with plaster and oil paints, did all of this. They earned my respect! There was one weird thing too in the church - it looked like there were FIVE pipe organs. Four small ones - at each corner around the transit - and a HUGE on up in the gallery in the back. So wish there was a service or concert to confirm what it 'looked' like.. (think I need to do some research)

I found some better pics online than mine. One even captured the weird four small pipe organs.

Entering back out into the rain, we entered one of the many 'squares'. This one was at the base of the hill with the Hohensalzburg Fortress looking down on us. Pat decided we should buy an umbrella (*grin* I forgot to pack one), and off we went to find the funicular to get up to that Fortress!

I should of taken a pic of the funicular cause it was quite impressively STEEP. I'm not a fan of heights but it was still pretty cool watching the city take form under us the higher we got. We stepped out into the courtyard of a world that was initiated in 1077. I still get goosebumps walking in places where others did eons ago. We just do not have that kind of history in the States.

WOW - did I get my steps and stair exercise in !!! Traversing up to the high tower, in through the battlement walkways, through the torture chamber, kitchen, in through the museum which had exhibits on the military of the regiment attached to the fortress over the years. There were WWII, WWI and earlier armenment and uniforms and trinkets. One of the coolest items was a guitar from WWI that was signed by all the soldiers in the trench with the owner.

Then we got into the even older section with the medieval armor, and musical instruments, gold coins, and toys.

From the view I saw the Mirabelle gardens afar and made the decision that I therefore 'saw' it and was ok not to expend the energy to see it in person. I really is just a garden. So back down into the Old Town, and a more than a bit damp, it was off to the hotel to dry off and figure out what was next. Pat grabbed a couple of huge pretzels as we went through the little market stalls. I grabbed the photo of this statue which was kinda hiding in an alcove attached to the cathedral. Very interesting.. very nice patina on the bronze which made it even more mysterious and enagaging.

Pat was taken by some lederhosen in the window of store. They were brilliantly embroidered - just beautiful. He bought a pair for himself 45 years ago, so wanted to try them on and 'see'. They didn't have his more 'adult' size and offered to make him a pair 'custom' … for $700 Euro. Um. yeah.. beautiful but not really practical for Boise.

After a change of clothes we decided for the afternoon to go our own ways. I needed to rest my feet, and wanted to see Mozart's birthplace etc. Pat wanted to window shop. He wended his around, walked along the river and across the 'pad lock' pedestrian bridge. My feet were not cooperating so it was nice to hear what he saw, while Mozart's birthplace was LITERALLY right around the corner from our hotel. So a perfect destination for ME! Not that impressive, but it supported one of Pat's first night lightbulb moments -- how small this town was it made sense how it would have influenced Mozart and his whole family. I kept walking and ended up in an outdoor market, which had Mozart's father's family house. I grabbed a spicy sausage from a street vendor at the market. I've heard they were better than what we had in the states - it was 'ok'.. I've had better as home. But it was on the list to 'try'.. so I did.

To top off the day we had dinner in the upscale St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, attached to the St. Peter's Monestary and right up against the mount on which sat the Fortress. They say there has been a restaurant since the year 803 AD! It was beautiful, with 10 very different dinning rooms. We were in the brick alcove one.
St. Peter's Website

My pics of dinner

We had amazing service, and I loved the food as I got to accomplish my two food goals for Vienna -- Wiener Schnitzel and Salzburger Nockerl (a dessert unique to Salzburg). The Wiener Schnitzel came with lemon and Lingonberry sauce and buttered/parsley potatoes. YUM!! But what I died and gone to heaven with was the S'Nockerl. It is a meringue 'souffle' which takes 25 minutes to make and comes out looking like the mountains of Salzburg. Under the meringue was lingonberry sauce and it came with a bowl of cream with more lingonberries in it (which did help to cut the sweetness). I made it through two and half of the 'mountains'!! It not overly sweet, but light and the outside was like the outside of a toasted marshmallow. I LOVED IT!!!

On the walk back to the hotel it hit me how Salzburg is really a very beautiful city and I am so happy we decided to stay in the heart of Old Town. It felt so unique with beautiful views in every direction, seeped in history. Our little pedestrian street was beautiful in it self.. and the hotel was only a 'few' steps from the historic City Hall which rang a bell every 15 minutes.

OH! The Musical Salzburg notation in the title is related to the bells that went off to the tell the hour. And every day at 3 pm the all ring together.. starting with one, then layering the others on top, till they are all playing at once. It is loud and quite magical. I was resting in the room, before heading out to wander and opened the window of our hotel room to really enjoy it. I took a video, as I wanted to share the experience, but YouTube said it was too large to upload.. so going to need to figure that out.

LOL Patrick just showed me the postcards he bought for people back home and joked 'we didn't have enough stairs' LOL OH YES WE DID!

I better wrap this up. All in all it was a very lovey day! And I fell in love with Salzburg!