Salzburg - Day 5

The train ride from Munich to Salzburg is breathtaking. It goes through the Alps and much as I love the Rocky Mountains, they just can't compare to the majesty of the Alps. They are massive and powerful, pocked with crystal blue lakes surrounded by little villages.

Salzburg has officially been added to one of my favorite places to visit. What a beautiful place. The city is small so you can walk everywhere and there is so much to see. There are palaces, gardens, a hillside castle, scenes from "The Sound of Music," and Mozart's influence is evidenced everywhere. My friend who served a mission in Austria told me I had to eat Wienerschnitzel (essentially pork milanesa) and Mozart Kugel (yummy chocolate). I managed to eat both.

One thing I learned was that the Bayles/Batchelor family will never move fast enough for Austrians. It seemed like we were always being told to hurry. We took a classical tour in the morning. The sights and information were great, but there wasn't time to see anything and our guide got frustrated with us at one point because we were five minutes late (okay, I HAD to go to the bathroom...). It was also a little offsetting to be answered with "of course" and "obviously" to most of our questions. We figured it was just a language/culture issue and tried not to let it bother us.

After that, we decided to cancel our afternoon tour and just explore the city for ourselves. That was the best decision! We were able to wander and meander through the cobblestone streets, walk across the River Saltz (Salt) and ride the funicula to the top of the mountain to see the fortress there. It was a very relaxing and full day. I could have easily spent more time in Salzburg. I think I'll have to take David back so he can feel the spirit of Mozart that permeates the city.

Baylie update - despite being drug to and fro by train, bus and plane, Baylie had a great time. She was always the center of attention (she's adorable and was the only person with cornrows for miles around). She has now realized that she is the center of attention and consequently has started to flirt and perform. Unfortunately, she got attacked by mosquitos in Pavia and her face, neck, hands and legs are filled with bites. It's really sad.

One interesting note is that we have seen a lot of Muslims in Salzburg. Far more than anywhere else we've traveled (except for maybe London). A lot of them wear burqas. I always smile at the women and am pleased they smile back. I think before I knew Sania I would have avoided making eye contact because I wouldn't have realized that basically they are just women like me. One man did make me uncomfortable though because he asked a couple of times what Baylie's name was and where my husband was. My mom and dad were right there, but he seemed very interested in the fact that my husband wasn't with me. I made sure he knew that I was married, but that my husband was in Italy. I'm not sure if he thought I was a single mother or if it was a race issue or if he was just being friendly and it came across oddly. It was an interesting interaction.