Salzburg

9.00 pm

We’re just back from an amazing evening walk in Salzburg. What an great looking place! The journey itself was through a scenic route and we saw vineyards, hills and terraced gardens. Oh, and a real abbey in a small village called Melk. But when we were driving past Hungary and the moment we entered Austria, the change in scenery was dramatic. We passed the Wachau Valley which straddles the Danube. Lots of tiny villages with bright flowers spilling out over window sills, old stone churches and vineyards on the hills. At the Benedictine Melk abbey overlooking the Danube, we were wonderstruck by the beauty and serenity. The very air seemed peace laden which is not surprising since monks have inhabited this abbey since 1089. Though there were so many tourists, I was taken by the aura of stillness that pervaded the place. Mango-coloured walls against a backdrop of deep blue sky, flanked on one side by a whitewashed abbey buildings, and red oleanders on the other, paved cobbled courtyards with marble statuary and fountains with mythical figures - oh the abbey was a delight to the senses. We wanted to explore the gardens but were pressed for time. The chapel inside was a feast for the eyes with its spectacular gold filigree work and painted ceilings. We went down the hill to the tiny village of Melk for lunch in small café. We had fish, and for dessert, Mimi had a apple pie with custard. Narrow streets, cobbled, with gas lamps and window boxes bursting with cheerful reds and yellows. Sitting at the café, if you looked upwards, you saw the bulk of the Neo-Gothic Abbey. It was nothing short of magical. I thought I would never see anything to top this, on the tour. But wait, the journey towards Salzburg was just beginning! We stopped at a lake, Mondsee or Moonlake, where some parts of the famous ‘Sound of Music’ was shot. It was simply stunning and we took lots of pictures before continuing onward to Salzburg. We put up at the Ramada Hotel situated right in the middle of the shopping district.

6.30pm

Salzburg means salt castle, did you know? We walked to the centre of the town, through streets studded with churches and buildings in Baroque style. A mellow church with twin towers rang its bell at the hour while we walked towards the river Salzach. The town is also the birthplace of Mozart, so its claim to fame is assured in history. The old castle brooded on the hill, a bridge stood over the river and there was a promise of wooded areas beyond. While returning, we made a stop at the Mirabelle Schloss, or Mirabelle’s House. The gardens are famous and we could see why. Formal walkways, paths between old yews, statues of nymphs and lions and the arrangement of flowers was eye catching in symmetry. The palace itself is large and a fine example of Baroque architecture with some Neo-classical influences. Today this splendid complex houses the mayor’s office and the municipal council of Salzburg.