Summer 2007 - Day 12

Day 12

Today we went on a "Sound of Music" tour. Got onto a bus with a picture of Julia Andrews looking like she is having an allergic reaction to something (probably the tour). Got whipped around the sights and tried not to blink so we didn't miss anything. Found that everyone may have heard of Salzburg and "The Sound of Music" but the Austrians can't stand the movie.

The movie is a bit inaccurate but it is from Hollywood. The real Maria moaned about the details so Hollywood chucked money at her and she got over it.

Caught a glimpse of Leopoldskron Castle from across the lake. This was built in 1736 and the facade was filmed as the Trapp Villa. This was were Maria danced with the Baron on the balcony.

This is the pavilion where Liesl and Rolfe pranced about singing "16 going on 17". The pavilion has been locked, supposedly because an 80 year old lady tried to skip over the seats as they did in the movie, and she fell and broke her hip. Hmmmm.

Scrambled onto the bus and motored off to the town of Mondsee. This was where the wedding scene of Maria and the Baron took place. The real wedding took place in Nonnberg Abbey in 1927 (before the start of WWII).

We just make it back to the bus in time to be whisked back to Salzburg. Thus endeth the tour.

We took ourselves to Mirrabell Palace to see where, after travelling 45 km in 5 minutes, Maria pranced around the Pegasus fountain and skipped up and down the stairs in the palace gardens chirping "Do Re Me".

When we returned home the kids watched the Sound of Music movie. They weren't interested before we left to go on holidays but, after having seen the sights that featured in the movie, they really enjoyed it. We also love the movie despite its inaccuracies (there are plenty) - would have been shocked if there weren't any.

Went past Mozart's birthplace and went inside the cathedral.

Took the funicular to Hohensalzburg Fortress which began construction in 1077. The fortress was besieged but not captured. The story of the "Salzburger Stierwascher" (Salzburg Steer Wash) tells how during a long siege the last steer was painted and then lead to the outer defence wall to graze and then brought back to be washed off and repainted. The attackers became convinced that there were plenty of provisions and they gave up the siege.

View of Salzburg from the fortress.