A Stroll Around Mönchsberg

Here's a quick post about our little trek to Mönchsberg last week.  Salzburg is blessed with mountain trails that can easily keep wanderers busy for a couple hours.  After Ben came home from work, we jumped on the chance to enjoy a 50-something degree day before the sun went down.

But first, the walk there - 

This bridge is called Mozartsteg, and no, I've never sang "Do Re Mi" on it before.    

I've been wanting a photo here since we arrived, and as Ben was taking this much-anticipated photo, a car drove by and splashed mucky water all over the back of his legs.  Good times.   

Finally, we made it to Mönchsberg.  This is probably as good a time as any to describe one of my pet peeves about living here.  So, I'm a warm-blooded New Yorker, and when the temperature gets to be around 55 and the sun is shining, I consider the weather to be pretty darn good.  As we hoofed it up the dozens of stairs with the sun on my back, my scarf found a new home wrapped around my purse.  We got to the top of the mountain, and as a warm-blooded woman, I needed to cool off.  We rested and I took off my blazer.  I was wearing a sleeveless top, and I was able to enjoy the crisp air for about 30 seconds until a woman walked by completely decked out in a full-length puffy jacket, gloves, hat, scarf, and Nordic walking sticks (so many people use them on the streets - why?).  I felt her eyes lock onto my exposed shoulders and my tainted virtue, and I covered up again.  I mean, seriously, in October on a 60 degree day, people were geared up for the Iditarod.  Then, there was the day last fall when I deemed it sandal weather, and I went out in my beloved Birks with no socks (because I don't do that), and nobody else had exposed toes.  Fashion nightmare. 

When the warm weather comes, I may just have to be the harbinger of spring who wears a dress and sandals one day and then all of Salzburg will follow suit.         

Don't look so pained; it's only a photo!

Kapuzinerberg across the river. 

I don't know why, but I was so into this little stream in town on our way home.

 via

How cool is this?

Around town

The past couple of weeks have been about collecting memories in Salzburg.  We take the bus into town and wander around, discovering plazas and streets, shops and cafes, and more items to add to our must-see list.  

Walking down Getreidegasse - How can I explain it?  The street is famous for its elaborate signs that hang into the street like flags.  Hundreds of years ago, these signs were necessary for customers because most people were illiterate.  Now, taking a walk down Getreidegasse means hearing multiple languages spoken, seeing creative window displays, scoffing at prices, and avoiding tour groups like the plague.  It is fun, don't get me wrong, but after 11:00 on a nice day, one should steer clear.

This is a photo of me in Kapitelplatz, one of the largest, if not the largest, squares in the Alt Stadt (old town).  Yes, that is a giant gold-colored sphere with a statue of a man standing on top.  Along with the art, this square has delicious pretzel stands.  Grab a pizza pretzel and you're on your way!  Today, they were holding an organic food festival here.    

Here is another view of Kapitelplatz looking East, and also in the square, a fountain with Neptune.  Salzburg's origins are Roman, so he's Neptune, not Poseidon. 

This is from Domplatz, a square connected to Kapitelplatz by a series of arches.  The statue is of the Virgin Mary, and the grandeur of both the statue and the church shows how important religion was in creating the Salzburg of today.

And, on the other side, this is just a little frond from the park running next to Mirabell Gardens. Expect a heap of photos of Mirabell in the near future!

These are some of the love locks on Makartsteg Brücke.  Some areas are more dense with the locks than others, and some are more handmade while others are more commercial.  The variety is what's beautiful.  We'll add ours before we leave.   

On the left is a view of the Hohensalzburg Fortress, originally constructed in 1077 and expanded in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.  Back then, I can only imagine what travelers/intruders to Salzburg felt when they saw this massive fortress perched on top of the hill.  It is imposing and it helps to orient us when we're in a new area of town.  Taking the tour of the fortress is on our list.

On the right is a view from Residenzplatz.  The arches lead into Domplatz.  During the day, horse and carriages are lined up to offer tourists a ride around the city.  The Residence Gallery is located in the building on the right.  A post on our trip there is in the works!  

 

These figures stand on top of a building on Schwartzstrasse, across the river.  I think it may have been a post office.  The architectural details here make each building seem special.