Salzburg
Friday 15th August - Monday 18th August 2008
We travelled from Innsbruck to Salzburg by train. Elizabeth and her son Stefan picked us up from the station and it was quite a squeeze with all the luggage in her tiny car. I spent the rest of the day talking to Aunt Minna about anything and everything. Kitty went to bed around 2.00 and slept till 7.00 pm. In the afternoon I went upstairs to Irene and Hans and had a wine with them. They invited us back later that evening and we had a good time. I slept on the sofa as usual while Kitty had the spare room. The next day I had breakfast with Minna and chatted about the problem with Dad's will and the court case. Kitty got up around 11.30. I suggested we go into Salzburg together in the afternoon. First stop was Mirabell Schloss where Irene works and the beautiful gardens. The palace was built by the Archbishop for his mistress. It is a classical building - very ornate and has a very large formal garden decorated with many statues including the dwarfs which are very famous. I am usually here in winter so it was nice to see the gardens in their summer glory.
From there we walked across the river to the Getreidegasse, the famous shopping street and on through the Residenzplatz towards the Festung. On the way we passed an old cemetery.
The Festung is the original fortress used to repel invaders. It is now a series of museums and included a Marionette museum. I love the Salzburg marionettes and bought a DVD of the Zauberflötte. There is also a very good armaments museum and a funicular railway which helps with the steep climb.
Salzburg was an important centre of the Catholic faith and religious imagery is everywhere. There are some modern touches however like this spiral fountain.
Back at Minna's I settled down for a chat in the kitchen. This was the same kitchen where I stayed with my grandparents back in 1969 but the furniture has been replaced and the kitchen done up.
The loungeroom has many items of memorabilia about the family and leads into a winter garden where Minna is able to relax surrounded by plants during the cooler months.
The next morning was Sunday so I headed into town by myself for the 9.00 am mass at the Dom. There were a lot of priests in attendance (including a young one with green hair). I managed to get a good seat and immersed myself in the music provided by a full choir. The accoustics in the Dom are fabulous. It's one of my favourite places. As for much of Austria the altars and decoration are very baroque.
I decided to walk to the station and get our tickets for Tuesday. Outside the Dom were these lovely carriages and horses. You have to watch your feet as there is horse dung in places. The railway is pretty old - they haven't done much to it for years. I had to get over the tracks so walked around the goods yard, spotting this collection of bikes along the way.
Back at Minna's I had potato pirogen for lunch. That was a dish from my childhood. Minna also made a couple of large Apple Strudel as most of the family would be coming over for afternoon tea. Minna's granddaughter Daniela, her husband Marc and their two children, Jan and Helena turned up as well as her other granddaughter Andrea and her boyfriend Stefan. Andrea and Stefan had just returned from a holiday in Cuba. They all spoke English which was good for Kitty although she doesn't have much conversation.
Monday morning I took off by myself for a walk around Mayrwies to allow Kitty to have some private time with Minna. There are elements of globalisation creeping into even traditional villages. A Chinese restaurant, a Mexican pub - why would you want it when the local culture is so good? I took a picture of these steps which is a shortcut down to the street. It's not very safe and there are stinging nettles and blackberries on one side. Grandmother broke her leg on these steps many years ago. Mayrwies has become an outer industrial zone for Salzburg. There are quite a number of factories and businesses located here. The view across to the mountains is lovely - pity about the industrial installations.
After lunch Minna, Elisabeth and I went to visit Margit. Kitty decided not to go at the last minute. It was great seeing Margit again. She looks very well. Andrea was there as well as her brother Pepi, who I didn't recognise - he's grown up. Daniela and the children also came. We had a wonderful afternoon.
