VIENNA AUSTRIA

Day 156

Vienna Austria

After weaving our way through the red light district (no kidding..there were so many prostitues and sex shops on our way) to find our prebooked accomodation we finally got settled in our little apartment here in Vienna! We arrived at almost midnight after enjoying our day in Salzburg.

And its gorgeous here...! We have a kitchen which were sharing with 2 other rooms...and a big room with our own table...and weve settled in for a week.

This is the home of Strauss and where Mozart spent a lot of his time composing and performing. Its a cultural marketplace!!! We love it!!!

And somehow its so relaxed. People are elegant somehow. And move in an unhurried way. Even as we sit here in the Internet cafe were listening to Mozart...how much better can we get!?

The pubs are colourful and furnished in baroque. There are heaps of museums and art gallerys here.

And..there is Sigmund Freuds house to visit. He lived most of his life here in Vienna, from a child. And his house is open to the public and shows some of his research and background. When we were studying we learned all about this nuerologist and psychiatrist..and ´father of pychoanalysis´ and his theories on respression, sexual desire, the unconscious mind dreams and transference so itll be interesting to see his house.

And what better place to spend my birthday...on the river Danube...against the backdrop of the Austrian Alps...listening to one of Mozarts concerts....eating Viennese food...Oohhhh....

So thats it. Weve made this our new home! And have already stocked the pantry (on top of our big table in our room) with our fresh veges and fruit from the supermarket! And have put our clothes in the wardrobe!

And crikey, its almost 9pm and here we are....on our computers...and starving! So were off to cook our veges...

Nighty nights...xxxx

SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - Sound of Music!

Day 155

Salzburg, Austria (home of Red Bull!)

This is the place where the Sound of Music was made..and the home of Mozart!

We left Munich pretty early, on the train, and headed back to Austria. This time to Salzburg for the day..on the way to Vienna.

We met some interesting people on the train on the way to Salzburg too. A German teacher from the US and an English couple who were both from England (and teachers too!). We learned a lot, because as we all know, teachers love to talk!!!!!

And i didnt get a word in edegways. Obviously been out of teaching too long. But as they say. We have 2 ears for listening and one mouth for talking. So thats what Greg and I did. Listened...to their stories. About being robbed in Brussels (now we know why they kept telling us on the loud speaker to watch for pick pockets on the train in Brussels!) And also about what to do in Salzburg.

We took the German teachers ideas about tours and where to go to see Mozarts house and headed for the tourist centre and booked a Sound of Music tour.

And ohhh...the hills came alive with the Sound of Music!!!!! We saw all the spots where the Von Trapp family lived...(true story - Von Trapp family were very well known here in Austria) and where Maria lived in the Abbey and where they got married in the chapel..and where Leisel had her first kiss in the gazebo..

Heard lots of stories..and why the Austrians havent heard of The Sound of Music (because there were issues with it being in English and the lack of copyright of their German Edition meant that the English could use the story themselves)...

Anyway, the positive outweight the negative...and we enjoyed the nostalgia of it all!

And while we toured the Austrian Alps we listened to the music. IT was a a wonderful 4 hours! We also had apple struedel, an Austrian delight......Yummo!

And..we went up the alps..and slid down on a snow toboggan..that was a surprise...it was so steep..and exhilarating!! But..we had so much fun! I reckon i could skydive no worries!!!! hahahaha

After we got back we headed to Mozarts house, where he was born and lived for 26 years and we listened to the Magic Flute music...



Mozarts Home for 26 years!











So gorgeous. Lovely day.

Thought a lot of Mum...she would have absolutely love it.