Monday, May 16, 2022

And Then There’s Vienna!

After a day and a night in Hallstadt, an idyllic little lake town in the Austrian Alps (oh how I loved writing that phrase!), we headed to Vienna.

Ahoy from Hallstadt!

Um, love this place!

And then there's Vienna! This world famous, ornate, eclectic, vibrant city is living up to its hype. We’ve circled Old Town on a tram, explored the grounds of the elaborately ornate Habsburg palace, gazed at the famed Opera House, spent time in a museum dedicated to education about WW II (an important yet horrible history indeed), viewed world-famous paintings in a stunningly beautiful art museum (Kunsthistorisches), visited Gothic St. Stephens Cathedral (dating from the 1300s, in the heart of the city and very near our hotel) . . . and still a half-day remaining to see and do way more than is realistically possible.
 



And we hope to find more time to linger in classic Viennese cafes. And hear some music. And sip espresso. Oh, and eat desserts! 




Thursday, May 12, 2022

Splendid Salzburg

It’s so exciting to be in Austria! My most repeated phrase lately is: “I can’t believe we're here!” 

The bus ride from Munich to Salzburg provided two-hours of splendid scenery: Rolling meadows and fields of green dotted by picturesque red-tiled roofed houses clustered in villages outlined by the snow-covered jagged peaks of the Austrian Alps in the distance. Wow!


And suddenly there's Salzburg! With not nearly enough time here, we've hit it hard: A night walk along the river, a guided walk through lovely Mirabell Gardens, a step inside to view the splendor of the Salzburg Cathedral, an exploration of Mozart's birthplace, a stroll  under the wrought-iron signs that line Getreidegasse, a ride up the funicular to walk around gigantic Hohensalzburg Fortress with a stunning panorama of the old city below. 


And as an encore we sought out a concert of Mozart's Sonatas for Clavichord & Violin in the Alte (Old) Residenz a venue where young Mozart himself played violin concerts - a perfect way to cap off a grand day!









Saturday, May 7, 2022

Munich Oh, My!

We've enjoyed Munich’s Old Town, luckily arriving as the historic glockenspiel chimed its tunes, Olympic Park's still amazing clear tent-like structures held up by steel cables, the BMW headquarters and museum, a mini Spring Octoberfest that we learned about on-the-go, and the totally stunning Neuschwanstein, a castle of fairytale fantasies! We are thrilled to be experiencing the geography of Bavaria’s green fields, pristine lakes, mountains & forests, participating in a convivial atmosphere, and visiting historic sites. We are also discovering acknowledgement of a sobering and sad history with hope for a better future. 

Lake Alpsee in Hohenschwangau

Marienplatz in Munich's Old Town 


Olympic Tower 

On the Bier Karrelsell


Neuschwanstein on a misty day