Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Austria Day Four { Sound of Music Tour }

On Day four in Austria, we actually left Vienna and took a three hour train ride through the countryside to Salzburg, where the Sound of Music was filmed.

If you've never seen Sound of Music, then you probably won't appreciate the following blog post, and if that's the case, then you shouldn't even READ the following blog post.
You should stop what you're doing.
You should NOT pass go,
you should NOT collect $200,
you should go DIRECTLY to the movie store and rent it and not proceed onward with your life until you've watched it.
It's a classic.
And your life will be richer once you've heard Julie Andrews sing
"Dough, a de-ah a Fee-may-el De-ah..."
and it's likely to cause you to skip around all day and wish that you could make play clothes out of curtains.
And speak with a English Accent.


This was my first experience on a train.
It was basically like a bunch of tour buses hooked together on a track.

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Here we are in the Mirabell Gardens where parts of the Sound of Music were filmed.


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It's difficult to tell where the statues end and Lula Begins.

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One of the main streets in Salzburg...
There's an ordinance that states all signs on this street must be made of iron...
Look for the McDonald's :)

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Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white clean and bright
You look happy to meet me
Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss,  Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever.


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This is the market where Maria juggled oranges... 

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Vendors selling pastries....

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St. Peter's Cemetery, according to our tour guide, is the "Most Romantic cemetery in the world"

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'Til Death Do Us Part, My Love!

in the most romantic cemetery in the world

This is the fountain Maria danced around and sang, "I Have Confidence..."

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The beautiful cityscape...

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Bikes.  EVERYbody rode bikes.

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50 cent Euro (about $0.65) to use public restrooms...
living in Austria could get very expensive for someone like me...

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The back of the Von Trappe Family Mansion where they fell out of the canoe...

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Mrs. Lula just needs a few more grandkids and she could BE Maria!

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I was sixteen, going on seventeen, when I fell for this guy...

sittin in a field alps in the BG

The cathedral, Basilika Mondsee, where Maria and Captain Von Trapp were married...
and us reenacting it :)

b and jess as cap't von trapp and maria

candles in basilika mondsee

On the way home, we drove through the lake district in Austria and had a chance to see the glacial lakes and the Austrian Alps.


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alps

Even looking at them now, I can't believe that I got to see these places in real life.  

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kissy kiss kiss on the dock

If only I had brought my Tiger Rag!

esso tigerwasche

Our tour guides had prepared for us to stop at a tiny little restaurant for a "traditional Austrian meat and cheese tray" for dinner.
It was dis.gust.ting.
So gross.
Totally not a fan.
I guess a traditional Austrian meat and cheese tray is an acquired taste which we did not stay long enough for me to acquire!

traditional dinner

Mr. Tom decided to make the best of the situation and pile it ALL between two bread slices (which just happened to be very rye-like) and down it.  It's questionable as to whether he felt better or worse after this dinner.

yuckiest sandwich ever

They had some "authentic" entertainment for us at dinner, as well...



And this was the sunset from a rest area on our way home from Salzburg.
What a beautiful day!!!

sunset from a rest stop

7 comments:

  1. i love getting to relive your vacation through your photos!! What an amazing experience! My favorite pictures in this set have to be Miss Lula as a statue and the one of you and Benjamin on the dock with the sailboat and mountains behind you. absolutey breathtaking!! :)

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  2. MC.. I'm actually thankful I didn't write about these adventures right after they happened, because I've had fun reliving them myself!! :) Thanks for joining with me :)
    Hope you guys are doing well!!!

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  3. Jess, what a wonderful blog, pictures are always so great. Would you tell me what kind of camera you use? It is a hard to use, remember I am an old lady.
    thank you for sharing your wonderful trip..

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  4. I love The Sound of Music! You are so privileged to travel to Austria. I would love to see these places someday. What gorgeous sights!!!
    Rachel C

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  5. So, did you find out how to solve a problem like Maria?
    Also, how do you catch a cloud and pin it down?

    Oh, and how do you keep a wave upon the sand?

    And lastly, how do you hold a moonbeam in your hand??

    Just checkin'. If you could let me know all of that asap that would be great. Thanks.

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  6. Mrs. Keesey... I use a nikon d90. I love it :)

    Rachel- we ARE so privileged, I agree. I do hope you'll have the chance to visit one day. It's way more beautiful than pictures can show...

    and Kell...
    I was sad to find out that Most Austrians have never even HEARD of the sound of Music! Only the ones who work in the tourism industry are familiar with it. The songs they sing are all hollywood fabrications (including Edlewiess :( ) And so...
    no. I have no answers. only dashed reality.
    it was still pretty though :)

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  7. Sooo... out of all of the posts the one I'd been waiting on was the Sound of Music post and somehow I missed it till just now! I am now saving my money for Austria!! Love the pictures and now I want to watch the movie. I was sad to see though that no one there knows about Sound of Music. Sad!! Loved all of Kelli's questions. Haha.

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