Salzburg, Austria, October 18, 2010

Our ship docked in the town of Passau, Germany.  We boarded a bus and had a 75-mile ride to Salzburg, Austria.  The countryside was beautiful, even in the rain.  We saw many farms, but no farm houses.  Our guide told us farmers do not live on their farms, they live in the villages.  Also, we thought it strange that they call hog houses, pig parlors!  The bus ride was fast and furious.  We finally figured out that our 2 buses were racing each other!  On the way home our bus driver was on the cell phone most of the time.  It was really frightening when he put on his glasses to dial numbers!

Arriving in Salzburg we were greeted by some young women telling us Americans to go home!  This is the only time we had this experience.

We visited a cathedral that is a replica of the one in Cologne and built in the 16th century.  We saw Hohensalzburg Castle in 1047 and expanded in the Middle Ages. We saw Mozart's birthplace and his baptismal fount in the cathedral.  We visited the cemetery and the fountain where scenes from the "Sound of Music" were filmed. 





Gardens where "Sound of Music" was filmed

 




the fountain in the movie

 



Mozart's birthplace

 



The city with Hohensalzburg Castle in the background

 



Government buildings

 



McDonald's in Austria!

 



Mozart lived here

 



Roasting chestnuts

 


We enjoyed wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables on the entire trip.





And pretzels

 


Even the horses were cold. 





The cathedral

 




Mozart was baptized here

 



Hohenslazburg Castle

 



Cemetery from "The Sound of Music"

 



The family hid behind these bars