Saturday 21 December

We took the Nordkettenbahen combination funicular tram and cable car to a mountain top, Hafelekarspitz, 1750m above the city. We saw people walking up the mountain beneath us but even Marc agreed, the cable car was a much more sensible way to gain over 5000′ in altitude quickly. At the top, we were blessed with clear blue skies and the views were spectacular over the surrounding mountings and into the valley. We were well above the snow line and able to view skiers below us.

Unlike Australia, other than a sign suggesting that you be careful due to slippery conditions, there were no guide rails to stop visitors from getting too close to the edges. In fact, there were park benches within a metre of precipitous drops despite the ground clove red in icy conditions. There was a zig-zag path further up to the summit but at one turn, even Marc baulked at going any closer to the edge given the icy slippery conditions and chose to cut the corner and climb straight up since it was at least further from the edge. One problem though, it was around this point that Lyndell looked outwards and then downwards and that was then end of further ascending for her. A touch of panic set in. (He says a touch of panic…..try full blown . I froze in my steps and my breathing was very erratic ,fearfully decided that I could not do this…could not go further or even backwards.) She was quite prepared to sit on her bum probably destroying her new Italian coat and ease her way back down the slope. ( I was white prepared to do this and did not even think of gym new coat..lines that scared) . Even Marc’s encompassing arms did not help. Finally he prevailed in getting her to lean on his shoulders as he walked backwards down the slope to the safety of the cable car station and its secure metal handrail.(his arms now bruised with the grip of my hands firmly imprinted on his arms.)
(I am sure we looked rather funny one going backwards the other forward but locked in his arms. I could not move without Marc there, it was too scary. All I kept thinking was if I slide I am going to go straight over the edge if the cliff…not a good thought or feeling)

With strict instructions from. Lyndell not to go too high and not go near the edge, Marc did climb the slope but still avoided the treacherous corners since even with hiking boots on, his feet still slipped at times. He did not climb to the very top (odd for Marc) but accepted climbing to where Lyndell could still see him before descending back down to share a hot coffee and some strudel in the restaurant at the cable-car station before descending.

At the next level down there was a ‘sea-side’ atmosphere with an outdoor bar and deck chairs aligned along the outdoor balcony over looking the valley. Very incongruous given that it was all set in the snow. The other ‘give away’ was the large igloo all made of snow and ice behind the bar that was the indoor part of the bar.

While in Innsbruck Marc also wanted to do a bobsled ride. Apparently you can have ‘guest’ rides from the women’s start point or rides steered by pro’s starting from the men’s start point on the bobsled run but, surprisingly, these were only open very infrequently during the winter. Odd since you would think they would want to have as many tourists as possible paying for the experience to help maintain what would otherwise be a very expensive to maintain facility. Marc was a little disappointed and even Lyndell said she would of had a go if there had been professionals driving.

Next stop was Marc’s wedding anniversary present to Lyndell … A stay overnight in a castle – Schloss Matzen.

Wow…wow..wow..wow….what else can I say. We turned into this long driveway….complete with white mist …fog….but turning unto the drive,,,to my eyes appeared this castle, out of the mist, it’s still tower stretching above us, the turrets forming peaks around it…..complete with gates and crest. A medieval castle…
We entered into reception area and the host appeared a little abrupt…but we are working out that it is the Austrian mannerism…they are friendly but efficient as he was. A young girl showed us where the breakfast room was…..and the sitting room, but it was down these stairs and out through a courtyard and thought various doors, into other set of stairs…..up and down again….and there it was. It was a beautiful breakfast room, complete with its own chapel. It really took me into the Phillipa Gregory novels of the royal families going to chapel before they broke their fasts…and thus was connected to the breakfast area….compete with cross and crucifix of Jesus hanging in the front wall…I mean a huge one!! Yes, I was back in medieval times, all I needed was the long dresses and ermine minks..servants…etc.This was how our castle was.
However, we then had to follow her to our room … Down steps, across a courtyard and up more spiral staircases and …
The door opens ..then the next door opens and what can I say. I am surrounded by aristocracy plus. A beautiful beautiful room, king size bed, huge wooden carved wardrobe, dining chairs, huge curtained windows complete with lamps sitting in the windows. Then there was the bathroom, a double size bath, a double size shower, a separate square toilet and bidet, all heated flooring.
I was certainly in the rich room of wealth and aristocracy and medieval lords and lady’s. It was hard to describe to you my reader.
Open mouthed, we surveyed the surroundings as our hostess, in German, spoke to us and then took her leave, leaving us to absorb this beautiful decor. Yes I was remained stunned.
The photographs taken we then made our way outside of our room to survey ‘our castle’ for the night and its grounds.
Snow underfoot, we trod cautiously through the grounds, in and out of courtyards, sneaking peaks into unlocked rooms…more bedrooms..but I sincerely thought that our room was definitely the best. So warm and so beautiful….exactly what was perfect for an anniversary escape.
We enjoyed the time exploring the grounds, compete with photographs taken from a little alcove above the castle, looking into the valley and to the castle….a fairytale land..snow and all.
Walking down the road, we found a small park ..frozen of course and a road which Marc believed took us into the next village. However, with the sun disappearing (4pm) ..we headed back inside the castle to decide where to go for dinner.

Driving for the first time in the dark since our trip, we headed to the next village for dinner. To our surprise we saw the beginning if a parade….but this time it was a very different from Australian parades…no clapping or cheering, this was obviously a Christian parade as it had all the characters of the nativity scenes complete with various angels ( school children ) in different costumes..and different groups of ages,,,,heading around this roundabout. They were accompanied by a small brass band but it was all very quiet bad fee very solemn. The crown did not disperse at
The end of the ceremony so we assumed there was more to come and we were right, this time, Mary an Joseph came back now with a beautiful little child on their lap. They were followed by three wise men, the star..and a camel. Not a pretend camel…a real camel….yes a real camel.
We were very surprised and Marc’s comment was…where did they get a camel from in this country??????
Obviously they were heading to some stage area as there were too many children involved and it appeared to be from a local school….considering the amount of flash camera going off…but Marc resisted my looks of ‘can we watch’ and we went and found a restaurant for our anniversary dinner.

This restaurant was beautiful and we were given a Whole table in one corner…the table held about 6 people but we had it all to ourselves….and the waitress was lovely. The menu was all in germa and Marc had very little idea what was written and our lovely hostess explained all the meals in broken English to us. She was certainly wonderful in looking after us..we were the only English speaking ones there.
Eventually two meals were decided upon – deer and beef…with various vegetables…including Brussel sprouts. Somehow Marc and I got our meals mixed up and I ended up eating deer…but it was quite sweet. Of course we shared the dinner and swapping various cuts of meat and vegetables plus the two deserts of various citrus and vanilla concoctions, a bottle of Austrian wine, we headed back to our hotel.
I know that our fifth wedding anniversary will definitely be remembered this special way.

Today…Sunday we had a leisurely start, still playing the gentry by sleeping in…( the room was extremely hot through the night and I kept throwing the covers off…one thing about Europe…the rooms are overheated…and we have to open the window in order to sleep. Last night we did but it was still too warm for me to sleep soundly)
So a leisurely start with the master of the castle and his lady reading and writing after a sumptuous breakfast, then heading out through the snow covered grounds forward in our journey.

We took the scenic way from the castle to Salzburg, nearly doubled the travelling time but took us off the autobahn and over mountain passes and through valley’s with snow frosted trees. Interesting to see the contrast between northern faced valley walls deep in snow while the southern faced mountain sides still had green pastures. The longer diversion was well worth the time because the scenery was beautiful, especially the snow frosted trees so reminiscent of ‘Christmas’ scenes on picture postcards. I must add here that the scenery was spectacular and it so reminded me if the sings winter wonderland …we definitely had that today. So so beautiful. White frosted trees….I can now understand why we sell fake white Christmas trees in Australia …this is what we had today in real!!
Eventual arrival in Salzburg but finding the hotel in the old part of Salzburg was challenging but achieved through a couple of chance turnings. The hotel receptionist was very helpful and suggested we go to the Hellbrunn markets…at the Hellbrunn Palace.
We caught the bus out,,,like the locals and made our way around the markets. This was very family orientated with each stall appearing to be owned by a family ….and yes they were called the Christmas markets as that is what was selling…predominantly Christmas decorations,,,but so beautiful.
As our feet and hands and heads were freezing,,,,I actually could not feel my toes, we made our way back into Salzburg by local bus again – wrong bus but got us close to the old city and the walk over the river gave us a lovely reflective views, see, everything happens for a reason – and ventured a quick walk around the Salzburg markets. Leaving them for tomorrow night….however we partook of a concoction called…Apple ..something,,..but it was a pancake mixture…with chocolate and icing sugar topping….very filling, very warm..combined with having eaten frankfurters with hot mustard from Hellbrunn markets, we were right for dinner.
Defrosting our cold little bodies now as we lie in bed….ready for sleep.

Monday 23 December

Having both experienced Austrian toilets, but that is a story to be told separate and only to close friends, we venture out to explore what Salzburg has to offer to the tourist on foot. Quite a bit actually but our wanderings were influenced by Lyndell wishing to see sites from “The Sound of Music”. We saw the gardens of Mirabell Palace (the palace is now administration offices) but the fountain is free for the public to view as are the gardens to wander through. St. Pete’s is where the marriages cent takes place and the graveyard behind is the scene of the flight and fight scenes. The cemetery was particularly pretty with the graves kept beautifully with ornate but not ostentatious iron work as the ‘headstones’. Unfortunately for the casual tourist, the scene for the choir competition (the Salzburg festival in the movie ….where the children sang and they made their escape )is now included in the Festspielhaus and only accessible on a guided tour – that we missed today. Lyndell wants to go on the tour tomorrow but really is only interested in seeing the cliff face with the arches in it!

We also did some general touristy things including the Mozart Wohnhaus and the funicular tram to the Hobersalzburg – the castle overlooking the city. At the castle we found put why Salzburg got its name and its money, it was from the salt able to be. Inked from the surrounding regions. Since salt was so important to preserving food, it was a very precious commodity in the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. We also revisited the markets during the day – much less crowded and a nice feeling – there were a few drunks last night.

Then it was Lyndell turn this time to say, “let’s climb the stairs!”

Yes I have it take the blame for this venture. I really wanted to see the stage ..and where we went up the stairs was around the rear of the hall…so I thought let’s go and have a look. Flights and flights and more flights of steps later we made it to a beautiful outlook viewing the central aspect of Salzburg. The view alone was worth the climb but I had to admit my knees ached and ached and ached by the time we got to the top, not to mentions that since 930 this morning when we left our hotel to go wandering,…we have not had anything to eat or drink except one sneeballen…sweet gingerbread ball this time coated in coconut and not as much chocolate as our last one – still disgustingly overfilling since they are HUGE even when shared between two. The steps were the final straw and we BOTH were a ‘little, tired. But this time Marc blamed me (in fun since he is the one usually to blame for putting the odd extra kilometre and/or flight of endless stairs into our daily journeys) and it could not change that fact..it was my suggestion. !!!
I shall pay for it later as my muscles and shoulders are very sore !!! At least we have a bath in this hotel to soak in. Come to think of it, we only have a bath in this hotel since any attempt to use the shower results in a flooded floor – again another story since it means that Marc has to help Lyndell wash her hair under these conditions.

We have now stopped at a little cafe tucked into an archway found only by chance but really cute since the chairs and tables are surrounded by Christmas trees and decorations. We have had our dinner …pumpkin soup fro me and goulash soup for Marc and of course two glasses of glue wine in. Where we are eating is in a beautiful section complete with Christmas decorations everywhere…not to mention the two shops either side which sell nothing but decorations for Christmas. One shop is all white decorations and the other shop is all red!!!!
Everything is so Christmassy.. Christmas decorations are so huge here in Salzburg, the markets are full of them and then the proper shops with nothing else but Christmas decorations fill the entire shop ..and I mean entire. Christmas trees fill the whole city, it is such a wonderful sight to see. We do nothing like this in Australia. This is so special.
The other aspect of Austria and Italy which I must mentioned here before I forget is the fact that dogs can go into shops, hotel rooms, AND restaurants. They are very well behaved but they do not worry about hygiene aspects re: not allowing the dogs in, where you go, they can go

The time for our dinner now is 4pm..but the sun has set and we are now in twilight time.
Tonight will be a quiet night. I am going to get something sweet like a strudel from the Christmas markets stall and then head back to the hotel for an early night. Tomorrow we have planned the whole day including a late night starting with a four course dinner at the Sheraton hotel for Christmas Eve followed by midnight mass with orchestra and choir at the Dom with all the rest if Salzburg. We are informed it will be a huge event.

Just before returning to our hotel we stopped and first listened to a glockenspiel chime the hour and then Iistened to an Austrian all male accapella quintet sing various Austrian songs plus a Little Drummer Boy on the steps of the cathedral. The harmonies were lovely and beautiful to listen to although !arc had to ask the people behind to be quiet bitte. However, the cold night air, the beautiful surrounds and the beautiful harmonies made the whole effect wonderful. Thoroughly enjoyed this classical time.

Now for the hot bath and massage Lyndell says and Marc May chill just watching some trashy BBC on TV – just nice to chill out listening to English rather than try and guess the story line!