The Hills Are Alive (and so are we)

Well, I’ve definitely never had a Christmas like this one before. We got up bright and early to enjoy the hotel’s pricey but yummy breakfast buffet. I could eat that Muesli every day of my life… God I love cereal. Anyway if I sound a bit loopy it’s because we spent the following four hours on the official Sound of Music Tour, a bus ride that plays the songs from the movie (that is, when the CD player is working), and takes you through all the places where they shot… and didn’t shoot… and thought about shooting… the Julie Andrews movie. And yes, if you were wondering, the family from Indianapolis via Ireland from our Mozart dinner, they were indeed on the bus with us. Now, generally I’m not a fan of tours, mainly because my own neuroses cause me to spend most of the time wondering when the next bathroom break will be and stressing because I can’t stop whenever I want to. But, that was way too far into my head than any of y’all need to be. Anyway, as tours go, though, it wasn’t too bad, our guide, sort of a poor man’s Ricky Gervais, had something of a sense of humor, and was pretty good. It was nice to get out of the city itself, at least, the section within walking distance from our hotel which we’ve pretty much covered all angles of, and getting to see the landscape and the countryside was definitely a plus. I didn’t remember most of the details of the movie that the guide was referencing cause I’m not a huge fan (sorry, Em… you would have LOVED this tour, we thought of you many times), but we did get to see that gazebo...


where the girl and the boy sing that inanely misogynistic Sixteen Going on Seventeen song which is the main reason I hate that movie, and some of the mountains and the Church that Julie Andrews marries the Baron in, which is in a quaint small town known for its apple strudel (you know, one of her “Favorite Things” – a song I DON’T hate, and actually kind of like). We stopped in the town just long enough to take a walk through the church, sit down and enjoy some strudel, and browse the two souvenir shops in town open on Christmas Day, where I bought some natural salt from the Salzburg salt mines to cook with when I get home.

After that it was back on the bus and back to Salzburg. And well, at least I can say I’ve never done anything like that before, certainly not on Christmas! And I’ll have left Austria having eaten authentic strudel J After we got back, Marianne, who we call the Energizer Bunny, took Steve and Milton to look at the Churches in town while Cindy and I went back to the hotel and down to the Sauna and solarium, where I closed my eyes and pretended we were spending Christmas in Palm Springs. Needless to say this was quite pleasing. Even though the “solarium” is a couple chaise lounges in the basement. No windows, no contact with the sun, I’m not sure they really know what that word means… but fortunately Sauna translates in every language. Happy times.

Then we headed out for Christmas dinner at the Chinese Restaurant right near our hotel, a tradition held sacred by many Jews and devotees of “A Christmas Story.” A yummy dinner was enjoyed by all with ice cream concoctions for dessert. Everyone left full and happy.

Tomorrow, we bundle up and I pile every item into my suitcase onto my body for the sleigh ride, which is a little less scary now that I know most of it is a bus ride, and there’s just about an hour of sleigh ride. Still, piles of handwarmers, toe warmers, and layers will be applied…and if I don’t survive, do ship my body off to Palm Springs, will y’all? Thanks!