CONCERT IN THE PALACE

Monday, September 22nd, 1997 Salzburg, Austria

Sorry...I put the wrong photos in on Sept. 20th...if you go back two days you'll see the photos of the huge old Ferris wheel in Vienna! Thanks for the heads up from my secret editor!

Breakfast at 8:30 AM. Then Dave & Shari were off to the Sound of Music tour and Jim & I were off in search of a Laundromat…in German known as “Wascheiere”. We'd been on the Sound of Music tour last year. After several false starts we were given directions to one across the river. Sure enough we found it over by the Mirabell Gardens and got our two loads started.

We had a few problems…opened the machine before it was done and got water all over the floor; didn’t know about the spin machine which you were suppose to use between the washer and dryer phases; so our dryer took three times longer to dry. But managed to get some clean clothes for the rest of the trip. Met some interested people from Seattle while we were there. Helped them understand how the equipment worked since we’d been through the process by the time they arrived. Finished up and picked up drinks on our way back to the hotel. Also took time to stop in and see the chapel at the Loreto Convent which has twenty four hour a day adoration all the time. At the hotel we enjoyed our sandwiches from breakfast and I took time to update this story. Westmorelands are due to return about 2 PM and then we’ll be off on a walking tour and hopefully at concert tonight in the fortess on the hill.

Met the Westmorelands at 2:15 PM. They had a great tour except that one family with children was fifteen minutes late in returning to the bus at the last stop. They were dropped off at the Mirabell Garden and had to walk back to the hotel. Shari thought it was due to people being late; but in 1996 we’d had the same experience.

Walked through the plaza square that was full of merchants...hard not to stop and shop... on the way to the to Medival Fortress Hohensalzburg . We walked all the way up the hill….a long, long way….but enjoyed the views from the top and plan to return tonight for a concert. We’ll ride up tonight.

Coming back we visited the cemetery behind St. Peter’s church. One of the prettiest we’ve ever seen. Graves on top of ground with flowers planted on top, beautiful iron markers. Then back through the plazas to watch the different craftsmen do their things. We returned about 5 PM and have an hour to rest. Jim & I took time to go back to the market and haggle for a wood duck/goose that I had found with Shari coming back this afternoon, for our memento of the trip.

Jim had fun talking with the dealer. He told us how he’d talked with both Richard Nixon and Chelsea Clinton when they were in Salzburg. I guess everybody goes to the market! Worked on the computer without plugging it in and found that I got twenty minutes out of a single charge from the battery. Will leave it plugged in all night and then try to use it in the car tomorrow.

We all went down to the hotel restaurant for dinner and all had the house specialty of boiled breast of beef with omelet potatoes and vegetables. Very good! On the way to the concert we walked through the open market again and Dave bought a cinnamon flavored pretzel covered with chocolate and we all shared it for dessert. Peeked into the Oktoberfest tent which was really starting to jump!

Rode the Funicular located on Festungasse just behind the cemetery at St. Peter’s Church up the mountain for a very fast trip to the top of the Fortress. We then proceeded to go to the Princes’ Chambers up on the top floor of the main castle building. We knew that there would be a full house and by going early got seats in about middle of the room. The music was provided by seven musicians.

They played three pieces written by Mozart. During the intermission, they set off a five minute session of fireworks in honor of St. Rupert. The room was at the top of the castle and had five Salzburg Red Marble pillars and five windows that looked out over the valley. One pillar still showed damage from a mortar shot into the room during a war in medieval times. It was all very formal and exciting. The room was full and we were lucky to have obtained tickets at the last minute.

We talked during the intermission about planning an evening at home for friends on the lake called a MidSummer’s Night Dream….put the quartet on a platform over the spa…dock several boats for additional seating and have a concert similar to what we attended tonight. Start about 8:30 PM with wine and cheese. Something to think about when we get home! Jim said he’d find the musicians.

During the ride down in the funicular, we found a gentlemen from San Francisco and then another from Trubuco Canyon who grew up in Yorba Linda on Boeing St. and went to Troy High School. Ironically, Dave and I had made a trip to find the WC before the concert. On the way they had spoken with both the Yorba Linda gentlemen and his wife; while asking directions he’d told us that we’d need a coin in the rest room. Dave loaned me a 5 shilling piece and I ended up sharing the fee with the wife (by holding the door open on my way out) in the one and only stall in the lady’s room! Such a small world we live in!

Jim purchased another chocolate covered pretzel and we were off to a late ending for another wonderful day!