Final day in Salzburg

Salzburg was very crowded. There are a few parking structures, but everything was full. We parked on a street somewhere outside of the Old City and then consulted the map....











The fortress above Salzburg is huge. It was actually a small city. The cannons are pointed out the windows toward the river.


















I thought the architecture was amazing!














Looking out over Salzburg.

















View of the Old City of Salzburg from the fortress. (Who keeps putting their thumb in the photos?)

More of Salzburg

We decided to re-enact some of the scenes from the movie....

Do-Re-Mi


A race through the arbor.



This is the house used for Von Trapp home. Now it is a school for Music.
Remember how the 'local urchins' are playing in the trees as Captain Von Trapp returns from Vienna with the Baroness and Max. The trees are a little bigger now, it's been over 40 years since the Sound of Music was filmed.

Tuesday night we went to the Mozart Dinner Concert held at the St. Peter Stiftskeller, the oldest restaurant in Europe. It has been in operation since 803AD! Highlights of some of Mozart's works were performed and during the concert breaks a three course meal was served. We are cultured! At least for one evening.

Tuesday was a day we had all been looking forward to... th Sound of Music tour!!! Here we are at the lake where Maria and the children capsize the boat when they see the captain after her returns with the baroness. The house in the background was the house used for the back side of the house in the movie.
Wheeee!!!!
Maria and the Captain's wedding seems to be in the Abby, but actually filmed in this beautiful church in a little town about 20 miles from Salzburg.
The water in all the fountains is safe to drink and comes from the Alps. Just fill your water bottles anywhere.

Monday we decided to visit places near Salzburg. First stop was the Salt Mines. Each person is given a suit (fireman, astronaut, haz-mat, whatever...). At first we thought it was because they didn't want us to be cold. The mine is about 12C throughout. After riding a "train" deep into the mountain, we were instructed to sit one behind the other on two wooden rails and 'hang on' as we slid down. It wasgreat fun !
Our next stop was the Eagle's Nest. Here is the entrance, a long tunnel that leads to an elevator to the top of a steep mountain. Hitler had this retreat built but it was hardly ever used. The German people did not even know of it's existence.
Wonderful view from the Eagle's Nest.

Back down at the entrance looking up. Of note, we took a bus ride 4 miles up a very steep grade just to get to the entrance.

Catching up

It's been several days since we have have internet service (that we didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for) so we haven't posted. Sorry. This is a picture of a beautiful garden at Nymphenburg in Munich. We revisited the grounds after church on Sunday before driving to Salzburg.

We went to the German speaking ward. Dad could understand everything. The rest of us enjoyed being in church and attempting to sing the hymns.

More Munich - More Olympiapark

Different art pieces in Olympiapark. Jill and Matt decided to ride the lion. All three know how to pose for a picture.

From the tower, we could see a large group filling one side of the Olympic Stadium. So we went to see what was worth such a gathering. It was free (no admission)... Everyone was dressed in Sunday clothing on a Friday afternoon... Families with little kids were there... No, not a regional conference of the true church... JWs!

Matt hooked up in a harness that was attached to bungee cords that were fastened to two poles. Underneath was a trampoline. You get the idea.

We ride the street cars and subways to move about the city. The hotel issues day passes, so for the cost of our room, we can leave the car parked and see the city. Jill and Matt are on the escalator coming up from the subway.

The mass transit system is really good. Covers the whole city, and trains and busses come frequently. During the rush hours we are packed in tightly with everyone else, it seems. But then we get a real "feel" for the locals.

When in a catholic church do as the catholics do. Matt and Jill lit a candel for all of us. The candels were paid for - 50 cents each. We came back later to this Frauen Kirche to hear a short organ concert. It is a very tall, very old, very beautiful church with great resonating accoustics for organ music and gregorian choirs.

In Munich with Jill

Jill is with us now - how fun! And we decided to go back to Munich to see more which we missed last week. On the way we stopped to play in this fountain again.



BMW's world headquarters is in Munich. It is in the Olympiapark (where the 1972 Olympics were held). So we went to check it out.

The office complex part of BMW Welt looks like four cylinders. Symbolic of parts in car engine, you are thinking? Turns out BMW is into symbolism big time. BMW buildings, presentations and displays have lots of symbolism expressing corporate philosophies and design concepts.



We spent some time in the BMW museum - lots of symbolism. It show the history of BMW cars, motorcycles and airplane engines.

Not suppose to actually get into the cars.... When Matt and Jill walked into the room with this little van, some tourist was sitting in the driver's seat. So they just climbed in when he got out. It was after the picture and after they got out that they noticed the sign to "not touch" written in both German and English.

The musem was a lot of fun. And Matt has his graduation gift already picked out - a sweet '86 sports car.




Matt went swimming in the Olympic pool.

The view from the tower was spectacular. Munich was all around us. Looking south we could see the Alps. And yeah, it rained off and on all day.