We enjoyed Salzburg so much. Historic Old Town was fun to walk but finding our way around was a bit challenging – even with GPS. We used Rick Steve’s Vienna Tour Book and found it so informative and worth every penny we paid. On the outskirts of Old Town was this new store called Sound of Music World. Most Austrians have never heard of The Sound of Music movie and those that have do not hold it in high regard. I wonder who owns this store? Probably not an Austrian. 🙂   Old Town has some fancy shops – expensive name brand shops.   You might like to see the…

Our little trusty car saw some places the week we were in Austria!   Google maps – oh it is the most handy app but it can lead you astray sometimes. We put in Salzburg Cathedral and faithfully followed the voice instructions telling us where to go. It was rather baffling in Salzburg because next to a historic site or even almost attached to it, there would be a private residence, so there are no signs indicating you shouldn’t be there with your car… or at least that we could see. 😉 So around tight corners, that would only be a one-way if it were American cars but is a…

We left the city of Vienna behind and headed down the highway towards the Wachau Valley. I had read that in Rick Steves Vienna guide book that the Wachau Valley is a very picturesque area and as it was on our way to Salzburg, it worked out perfectly. We were just driving down the highway and there was this huge structure. We thought it was a castle – doesn’t it look like one(?) –  but after researching it, found out it is an abbey. Located in the town of Furth, this abbey is called Gottweig Abbey. The original structure was built in 1072 but burnt down and rebuilt in 1718.…

There have been so many stressful driving adventures since I got here and the day we visited the Schonnenburg Palace (the summer residence of the Hofburg Imperial family) it was no different. Russell has decided that you must drive here like you do in New York. We were partially in front of the Palace at a traffic light and a large delivery truck had been tailgating us. I guess we were just going too slow and being tailgated is something Russell really dislikes! I was busy consulting my guide book not looking up. The next thing I know we’re doing some kind of sharp turning (avoiding the barricades I imagine!),…

After leaving the Hofburg Palace we hopped on the Big Bus and finished our tour of the town and some of the surrounding area. It was nice and relaxing and they also have ear buds for you to hear the audio tour of the historic places you are seeing.           The entire time we were there the weather was beautiful and warm. Austria gets a lot of rain, so maybe that is why they all seemed to love being outdoors while we were there? They wanted to take advantage of the good weather?   Playing soccer in the city.   Down by the Blue Danube (which…