Monday, Jun 2: Salzburg: Wandering Mozart-style on 0 wheels

June 2, 2014

AS much as I do like the Sound of Music and all, I chose not to do the 'official' tour this time. Kevin had persuaded Tom to do the tour so off they went in the early morning. I soon left the hotel to do my own touring using foot power.

I immediately headed across to the winding streets of the old town. There was Mozart's birthplace amongst the throngs of tourists. There were solo wanderers, small groups as well as numerous children in what must have been school-organized trips. Some of the teen touring kids had very obvious eye-rolling boredom looks. Some day they will appreciate where they have been.

I was curious about Hohensalzburg so I made my way to what seemed to be paths upward. Not far from this I came upon a large wooden water wheel. Many years ago someone had harnessed the power of a stream from up on the mountain to grind grain into flour. A few years back, wanting to replicate this, an engineer-baker built a new wheel to generate 10kW of power. It turns a generator, which in turn, provides power for an electric mill. Then he bakes this flour into bread available to the public. Smells heavenly.

I came upon the concert hall featured in the Sound of Music where the family does their final concert before fleeing Germany. Unfortunately, it is all hidden behind walls. Thus, up I climbed on the stone steps and pathways as I ascended towards the fortress with ever-improving views of the city. Everyone in Europe was at the top of the climb enjoying these same views. Well worth the climb.

Over the other side, I descended to the far side of the city, stopping in a pastry shop for a sandwich and goodies. I figured that Kevin and Tom would be back to the hotel, but when I arrived back at 2:30, they had come and left again. Out I returned to find an Austrian beer - which I did, but they seem only to produce light beer, and no dunkel, so had to be happy with one.

A short while later I met up with the guys and we headed back to the Augustiner brauhof where we enjoyed a beer and supper in the tree-covered courtyard. On our way over huge purple clouds came rolling in, a few drops fell... and that was all. Moral of the story - unlike at home where clouds and more clouds mean rain, oftentimes in the mountains, once the clouds move away from the peaks, possibly due to the changing dewpoint the rain does not fall.

We were pretty tired so were not too keen on any city wanderings. I had to pack up my things as I will be taking the train to Munich in the morning.