Thursday, July 12, 2007--Munich to Salzburg to Vienna--Day 4

Observation 1……many of the German people we’ve encountered are very brusque, impatient, and downright rude. You’d think they would at least attempt to be polite and pleasant, given all the money we’re pouring into their economy, but they seem to disdain Americans and do not try to hide it. I remember the same thing from our trip in 1971. The Austrians, on the other hand, seem to be much more tolerant so far. In Germany, even in Bavaria, the people refused to engage in even the slightest of encounters. We would smile or try to pet their dogs or attempt to converse, and they would act as though we were either invisible or a nuisance. We’re quite happy to be “outta there”.

Observation 2…..Austrian homes seem to be much plainer and boxier than the homes dotting the German countryside, and there aren’t nearly as many window flower boxes or proud, lush gardens.

Observation 3…..In both Germany and Austria, there are quite a few modern windmills to generate electricity. They are very charming, graceful, and unobtrusive. Maybe someone should tell Ted Kennedy. Better yet, he should come here and see for himself. They certainly would enhance, not obscure, the panorama at Hyannis Port.

Anyway, we had another wonderful, jam-packed day. Breakfast started the day at the hotel in Munich, then we had a two-hour drive to Salzburg. We took a walking tour with a local guide, Monika, who took us through mainly the old part of the city. We walked through the lovely Mirabell Gardens and St. Peter’s Churchyard. This churchyard was featured in “The Sound of Music”, where the von Trapps hid while being pursued by the Nazis. The real thing is slightly different than the Hollywood version, but it was still recognizable. Afterward, we had some free time to wander and explore. We stopped for cake and coffee—instead of lunch—at a café (indoors because it was rainy and in the 50s), then we boarded the bus for the 3+-hour ride to Vienna. We dozed on and off during the ride on the autobahn through the Bavarian, then the Austrian, countryside. Halfway there we stopped for a potty/snack break at a truckstop-like refreshment area. I bought two magnets for my fridge—a beer stein and a cuckoo clock. Then it was on to Vienna.


Now, for reasons I won’t go into due to space constraints and my personal embarrassment, I did not fall in love with Vienna in 1971. This trip, though, I like it better already. How can a music major not love a city consumed with music? One could conceivably attend a different concert every weekend. There is almost a conservatory on every corner.

We arrived at our European-style hotel, freshened up, and went on a dinner excursion. We wove our way through Vienna to a mountain road at the edge of the city. Halfway up was our dinner destination, but we kept going. Erich and Massimo surprised us with a stop at a scenic overlook of the entire city perched at the edge of a vineyard. We then went back down to the country inn where we had a delicious dinner accompanied by plenty of the inn’s first fruits of its vineyard, while a very talented violinist and a keyboardist played familiar German and American tunes, including Elvis. We sang until we were hoarse, and some brave souls even danced. Physically and emotionally satisfied, we drove back to our hotel and gratefully crashed in our rooms. Tomorrow is another very full day. Vacation? More like a marathon, but tons of fun.
Note: In Austria, it’s common to hear the song “Edelweiss” everywhere, as if it’s a beloved folk tune or even the national anthem of Austria. NOT!! It’s a Rogers and Hammerstein bit of genius that has cunningly made its way from Hollywood to Salzburg and regions beyond. Every music box one picks up in a gift/souvenir shop unapologetically plays “Edelweiss”. The Austrians seem to have lovingly adopted the song and made it their own. It just seems to fit here. And the edelweiss flower is nowhere to be seen growing in Austria. We did see some cultivated edelweiss in Switzerland, and on the train from Zermatt to Gornergrat I caught a quick glimpse of two sprigs growing wild on the hillside, but I wasn’t quick enough to snap a picture.