After checking out of the hostel in Munich it was time to hop on a two
hour train to Salzburg. I was so excited to get to Austria, I have
heard nothing but good things about it. When we arrived I was a little
disappointed- the city was more industrialized than I had expected.
However, once we walked 10 minutes from the train station towards the
old town, the city changed dramatically and had the unique feel and
character that I had invisioned! Salzburg is a small town in the
middle of gorgeous rolling mountains and is where the 'Sound of Music'
was filmed.
Our hostel is right on the river and is more like a budget hotel than
a hostel and it is very quiet and peaceful. Every hour we even hear
the church bells, something that I am not used to at home.
The walk into town is gorgeous! The path is shaded with enormous lush,
green trees and is right along the Salzch River that runs through the
city. As you approach the town, there are food vendors along the path
with people just hanging out, enjoying the day. The town itself is
amazing!! My jaw dropped when i saw it. It was like what you see in
movies and something I expected to see on Italy. Tall, unique,
medieval style buildings with flowers hanging from every window;
small, narrow alleys with shops lining the street and lots of people
strolling through. I was so exited to be there! As you walk down the
street there are hidden alleys leading to other streets, each one
different from the last. There are also several cafes scattered about
with tables and umbrellas to eat at. I had the best time just walking
through the streets and taking it all in, in fact, we explored the
streets for hours without getting bored! Just when I thought it
couldn't get any better, we stumbled upon an outdoor market, ornate
churches and even more hidden streets that led to new scenary each
time... It was awesome to say the least!
Toward the end of the day it started to rain pretty hard, this time we
did not have an umbrella. Instead of waiting to see if it would pass
we headed back as there were dark storm clouds above. And boy, it was
a good thing we did, it was pouring by the time we got back!
After taking a nap, the rain had let up. We decided on a place called
Augustine Brewery for dinner, next to an old monestary where monks
would brew their own beer. It was hidden on a street that unless you
were looking for it, you would never know that it was there. When we
walked in we wondered if we were in the right place, it looked like a
church at first! A long staircase lead you to the bottom where it
resembled a food court with several choices of food and two large beer
halls. Another flight of stairs lead you even further down and outside
to a packed beer garden! It was full of locals and was neat to see.
For dessert I tried a pastry type thing with what looked to be a cream
filling. It was acutally sweetened egg whites and was very light and
tasty!
After dinner it was off to explore the city again, this time we
followed a path that lead to the top of a hill overlooking the entire
city! It had an unbelievable view and was breathtaking! I got some
great photos that I hope to post soon. I absolutely love Salzburg and
can't wait to see more!
