Thursday 9/15-Mirabell gardens

 (And why this picture...because it was the beginning of our day and so the beginning of this post.  And because they are so darn cute).  The slight purplish color between Jane's eyes is not a defect in the photo.  A week before our trip Jane fell off a chair and hit her head on the edge of the bed.  

Mirabell Gardens

This is a well manacured garden in the middle of the "new town" of Salzburg.  And it is here that many scenes from the Sound of Music "Do-Re-Mi" were filmed. 

A few photos courtesy of Chrissie

(look closely and you see Matthew and Chrissie sitting on the lions)

Zauberflotenspielplatz

Zauberflotenspielplatz (The Magic Flute playground).  To emphasize it's name there was Mozart playing in each play structure.  It was awesome.  I loved that while they were playing and listening to Mozart.    

This was a music "thing" (for lack of a better word) and each square chimed a different note so the kids were able to make beautiful music by hopping around on it. 

Old Town of Salzburg: walk up to Nonnberg Abbey

Nonnberg Abbey.

We were not allowed into the abbey since it is still a functioning convent, however, we were allowed into the church.

Chrissie apparently remembered The Sound of Music.  The moment we entered the church, she walked (voluntarily) up to the altar, bowed, and then went and knelt in a pew.  For those who are not as familiar with Sound of Music, the nuns do this at the beginning of the movie.  

The abbey's cemetery that surrounds the church.  Each gravestone had its own garden that was so lovingly taken care of.  

Wednesday 9/14-Sound of Music Tour

 Yes, my friends, we were very american and did the Sound of Music tour.  The tour bus took us only to the sights outside of the city.  I'm pretty sure the locals hate this tour bus.  It is quite obnoxious.  However, we had a lovely little morning riding around seeing the sights and sounds of Salzburg.  

 Leopoldskron Palace: true to Hollywood there were several different locations in which they filmed.   This house or palace was used anytime the camera was facing the water.  So for the capsizing of the boat, etc. they tried to use for the interior but once the Austrians saw all the equipment and people they kicked them out.

 And for the exterior of the house.  They filmed the Frohnburg Palace.  So anytime the camera was facing the house they had to be at this house.  That included both the front and back.  

 Here is the street where the children were playing in the trees it runs in front of the Frohnburg Palace.

 The infamous Gazebo.  

 Nonnberg Abbey

 The great part about this tour was it took us out of Salzburg and into some rural landscape.  Behind Chrissie is Mondsee where the wedding scene and landscape scenes were filmed.   Unfortunately, it was a cloudy morning so visibility was limited but it was still very beautiful.  

 Mondsee Cathedral: the cathedral used in the movie for Maria and Captain Von Trapp's wedding.

  In Mondsee we had some apple streudel, naturally.  

Later that afternoon when Rick was finished with work, we took a walk through the old town of Salzburg.  Due to our hotel location, we walked this lovely road everyday to get into town. 

 On our walks, Matthew climbed every object that permitted him and Chrissie collected feathers and old bottle caps...

 or nearly dead flowers in which she found helpless on the ground.  She rescued this rose from the foots of pedestrians and cuddled it for the rest of the evening.

 Salzburg is Mozart's birthplace.  So the city is alive with Mozart in its music, statues, paraphenilias and chocolate. 

 A fountain seen in the Sound of Music when Maria sings "I have confidence" so naturally I started singing/humming.

 Rick and I had Dinner that evening with faculty members at the oldest restaurant in Europe: St. Peter's since 803 A.D.