Day 12 Zurich – Vienna -
Salzburg
April 15, 2005.
Today we left the Baur au Lac and Zurich and set off for Salzburg. It was an
early morning, as our wakeup call was for 5:15. We were downstairs and checked
out by 6:00 and ready for another day of adventure. The hotel uses a Rolls Royce
or a Mercedes to transport guests to and from the airport. Nancy opted for the
Rolls Royce and decided that I should work another ten years so she could have a
Rolls and a chauffeur! Talk about service; the chauffer not only got us to the
Zurich airport but also took our baggage right to the check in line.
 Flying
in Europe is sure a lot easier than in North America. There was no one ahead of
us in the check in line and security was a breeze. Don’t have to take out your
computer and you don’t have to take off your shoes so the lines move very
quickly. In fact we were early for our flight so we spent 45 minutes in the
Austrian Airlines lounge The orange juice was great and we had a chance to catch
up on the news with USA Today .
On the flight from Zurich to
Vienna we actually flew over Salzburg. We then flew back on a smaller plane.
Both flights flew over the Swiss and Austrian Alps and the view was magnificent.
The service on Austrian Airlines was excellent. Both flights left on time and we
arrived in Salzburg right on schedule at 11:15.
Salzburg (The city of Mozart)
is a baroque city on the banks of the Salzach River nestled in the Austrian
Alps. The Old Town lies on the left bank of the river where the city was founded
in AD 700. Salzburg is a city of 17th and 18th century
houses and the architecture is grand. We’re staying at the Goldoner Hirsch in
the Old Town. The hotel is built on a small scale but the rooms are elegant. It
is only a few steps from Mozart’s birthplace. No cars, other than taxis are
allowed in the Old Town so you wander up and down the winding streets admiring
the old buildings and shops. Perfect for Nancy to do her shopping tomorrow.
The weather was amazing;
sunny and 65 degrees. We decided to take the “Sound of Music” tour this
afternoon, instead of tomorrow, because the weather was so perfect. If you are a
“Sound of Music” fan you would have been in 7th heaven. We visited
the home where the Trappes lived, saw the gardens, admired the gazebo and passed
by the Nonnberg Abbey.
 Then
we were off to the hills and our route took us outside of Salzburg and into the
mountains. On the way we stopped at a recreational area where you could go on a
sled ride. The sleds have wheels and you sit on the sled and a tow bar hauls you
backwards up the mountain. When you get to the top you pick up your sled and
head over to the slide where down you go. How fast you descend depends on you;
you have a stick between your legs and if you push it forward you go faster;
pull it back and you slow down. It’s an exciting ride as you twist and turn down
the mountain. Nancy opted to stay at the bottom and take pictures.
After I survived the sled
ride we proceeded to the little village of St. Gilgen. The village is situated
on the shores of an Alpine Lake with the Austrian Alps surrounding the town. We
spent about half an hour wandering around the village and admiring the view.
After leaving St. Gilgen we
traveled another 15 miles to the village of Mondsee. This is the site of the
Mondsee Cathedral where Maria, led by Liesl, walked down the aisle to meet the
Baron in front of the stairs of the main altar. The cathedral is beautiful with
large stained glass windows and painting in every nook and corner.
From Mondsee it was back to
Salzburg and dinner in a small café in the Old Town. We were tired after a long
day and hit the sack early. Our first day in Salzburg was great and we’re
looking forward to more days here exploring the City of Mozart.
Stay tuned for Day 13 in my
“Around the World in 30 Days” saga.
Alan Salmon
eClub One
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