Tuesday, May 27, 2014

the hills are alive ...

May 24th
We have been looking forward to Salzburg, not just because it is Blanka's favorite European city, but because we get to stay in the Van Trapp family home, not the Sound of Music home, but the real one. Even though the area has built up around the home, it is still easy to visualize how life might have been for the captain and his seven children. There is so much we could talk about but we will keep it short.
Here is a glimpse into their world:
As you drive in the gateway you get a great view of the front.

The back as seen from the garden. Our room was the balcony room on the 2nd floor up (3rd floor if you count floors like an American.) The best bedroom in the house!
We had breakfast here each morning in the family dining room.  
View from our bedroom balcony. The trees have grown up so much in 60 years that the view of the mountains is obscured. 
This lovely little church and cloister are just a short walk from the van Trapp home. We heard the bells ringing long before we saw it over the meadow.
The bells were ringing because there had just been a wedding. Most were dressed in traditional Austrian attire. 
The church all decked out for the wedding.
Totally unexcited, we saw this London double-decker bus behind the church ready to take the wedding party to their reception. Good idea.
Interesting little wall sculptures on the church walls.  I suppose it was originally put there to ward away evil spirits but it looks creepy to me.
Behind the church was this very inviting path leading into the woods. 
Naturally we went for a hike.
The higher mountains are never far away.
Blanka is pretty enthusiastic about her wiener schnitzel.


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