Last fall we took a few days off to travel to Salzburg, Austria before the snows came
to the Alps! We stayed in a charming hotel with the typical flower boxes.
The view from our balcony was gorgeous! We couldn't get enough of the Alps!
We toured Salzburg...the "Sound of Music"city where many scenes were filmed.
Mirabell Gardens was the setting for several scenes from the movie.
In the background you can see the Hohensalzburg Fortress, which we toured a few days later.
The Cathedral in Salzburg was impressive and beautiful!!!
We took a drive around Salzburg and marveled at the beauty...
Austria must be the most beautiful place on earth!
Around every turn we saw mountains, lakes, trees , villages, and chalets!
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This is a picture of the town of Hallstatt, which is known for its salt mines.
We took a tour which began with a ride up the mountainside in a funicular.
The views from the top were amazing ....and then we were invited into the mine by our guide!
It was REALLY cold in the mine so we brought lots to wear and then we put on a suit provided by the mine because we traveled from level to level by slides (now that was fun!!!)
It was an amazing day full or gorgeous scenery and beauty! Then it was back to Salzburg
where we toured a beautiful cemetery and the Hohensalzburg Fortress.
We then traveled to Oberammergau but arrived very late at night because a protest (allowed by the government) closed the freeway for 4 hours. We finally crept off at an exit and entered again after the protest site. This town is where the Passion Play is held every 10 years and it is known for its painted buildings.
Then we went on to tour "Mad King Ludwig II's" castles. The first was a summer palace called Linderhoff...small but ornate and beautiful with gorgeous grounds:
We were not allowed to take pictures inside...but here is one of an
underground grotto where plays were performed.
Schloss Hohenschwangau was King Ludwigs's father's summer palace. Much less ornate-- and finally the most famous castle Neuschwanstein...the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle...unbelievable!!!!
Loved this trip!!!!!!!
