Thursday 14 August 2003. Today is a highlight as we are off on the coach to visit the city of Salzburg.
We take the funicular train up to the castle and sit in a cafe with a drink, trying to avoid a few wasps that are hovering about and enjoying the view. Well, they are as entitled to it as we are I suppose... This is the city of Mozart's birth. He used to play one of the five organs in the cathdral which dominates the the right hand side of this photo. There are just the odd one or two other churches nearby. When the bells start to chime it's a mesmerising sound.
Our viewpoint for both this and the previous photograph is the famous Hohensalzburg castle. Easily recognisable, especially for any fans of The Sound of Music. The river is the Salzach, 227 kilometres long (141 miles), it rises somewhere near the Krimml Falls and flows into the River Inn, seen in Innsbruck earlier in the week. The Inn then flows into the Danube which flows eastwards before turning south through Hungary and east again through Serbia then forming the border between Bulgaria and Romania before entering the Black Sea.
Entry to the castle is by admission price and the easiest way to get there (and pay for inclusive tickets for both ascent, entry and descent) is via the funicular railway. The website states: Dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas of the fortress when kept on a leash. Dogs are not allowed indoors. The wearing of a muzzle is obligatory in the funicular. I'm hoping that the wearing of a muzzle just applies to the dogs...
Many visitors are surprised that, despite all the memorials, statues etc. to Mozart, you will find very little in the way of reminders of the von Trapps or the film in Salzburg. The Austrians have a somewhat different interpretation of events than the film portrays.
Inside the cathedral. Four of the organs are placed against the pillars of the crossing. The fifth - the largest - is at the back of the nave.
The inside of the dome. To get the perspective right for viewers who will be craning their necks backwards the figures have to painted probably twice their usual height but incredibly thin. Sort of how I draw figures all the time without meaning to...
The shopping streets of Salzburg have ornate ironwork hanging signs. We are heading towards Miss Franny's favourite Salzburg shopping experience...
The egg shop! Filled from floor to ceiling with blown and painted eggs with every conceivable design from portraits of Mozart through views of Salzburg to Christmas designs. We did a winter trip in 2002 and the coach drivers christened her the Egg Lady and for the rest of that week a broad Sottish accent hailed her every time she got on the coach: "Hey aigg lady! Don't be bringing any more aiggs on ma cooach unless ye've got bacon as waell!"
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