Austria

Salzburg

We weren't going to go to Salzburg, but we wanted to check email and there aren't many internet cafes in the Alps. Salzburg is a wonderful little city, with a well-preserved old town closed off to cars. We couldn't resist a walk around.

Salzburg is the town of Mozart. There are museums, concerts, and his birthplace all highlighted. I think that Mozart must be a major source of income for the city even today.

The core of the old town is below the fortress, Festung Hohensalzburg. We hiked through the narrow alleys and discovered the old buildings, and the cathedral. We watched people playing chess in the plaza with chess pieces several feet tall.

We hiked up the hill to the castle. The sign said it was closed, but the gateway was open, so we hiked on up and in, through one gate after another. We strolled along and enjoyed the view. Eventually we found a few people at the top. Apparently there had been a concert, and the last few musicians were leaving. They hopped down the tram, but we needed to go back down the footpath. Just as we exited the last gate, the gatekeeper arrived to lock up the door. Whoops! We almost spent the night in a castle!