Thanksgiving in Salzburg, Black Friday in Munich

After living on cereal for two days because I wasn't home long enough to justify a trip to the grocery store, I was definitely excited to be on my way to Salzburg last Wednesday morning. I'd packed my backpack, taken out the trash, picked up some munchies for the train ride, and had myself all chipper and ready to go when I arrived at the train station only to see that our particular train was not listed anywhere on the Departures board. And there was a big banner across two of the platforms that read "Strike."

Great.

Upon inquiry, I was informed that some of the German/Austrian railways had also been on strike, but that it was scheduled to end that day at noon. I guess you could say our timing was rather lucky, but once they announced the platform of our train, we sat for about two hours in the station before finally going anywhere. As a result of the delay we had to transfer trains in Vienna so we could continue on to Salzburg, and we had about 5 minutes to do it. It's kind of hard to run with a backpack, so we scurried as fast we could, and hopped in a car with a minute or two to spare. We'd boarded a high-speed ICE train, and the interior looked more like the lobby of a Hilton than a train. They really put our American trains to shame. We finally got into Salzburg around 9pm, found our hostel without a glitch, had a glass of the local wheat beer in the hostel's pub before crashing for the night.

The next morning though, I do believe the hills were alive with the sound of music! We started our adventure with the Original Sound of Music Tour; it sounds cheesy, but it was a lot of fun. I'd just seen the movie for the first time this past summer and our tour guide, an English lady named Sue, had all sorts of interesting stories about the making of the film. They took us out a ways into the hills where the opening shot was filmed, and the Austrian alps were just stunning. I could buy a house with a front porch and a rocker and just savor the sight of them all day long. We had a lunch break in the quaint town of Mondsee, home of the church where the wedding scene was filmed, and then finished the tour back in Salzburg at the "Do, Re, Mi Gardens." It was a very busy day for us because after the Sound of Music tour, we did the tour of the Salzburg saltmine. Which one exactly, I'm not sure, but it was a lot of fun too!

On our way to the salt mine we drove across the German border and up into the Alps where Hitler's Eagle's Nest is located. From our vantage point, we could just barely make it out as a little dot perched on the very highest peak. Again, the views of the snow-capped mountains were breath-taking. Once at the mine, we were given suits to put on over our clothes which made both of us look like navy-blue, reflective power rangers. I was glad for it though because it got a bit chilly on the train ride that took us into the mine itself. The nature of the tour was a bit odd because the tour guide would speak in German, and then once done, would start speakers that reiterated what he had said in English and Japanese. My favorite parts of the tour were the slides-- so much fun! And fast too! We got to take a boat across one of the salt lakes, and then taste the water from it, which I decided was saltier than swallowing a mouthful of the ocean. I learned a lot about the mining process too. Did you know it can take up to 30 years to mine a salt cavity?

Our driver was kind enough to drop us off by the city center, and from there we reveled in the wonders of the Christmas market. A small band was playing Christmas tunes, and it was the most charming spectacle. Garland and ornaments everywhere, twinkling lights giving everything a homey glow. It was hard to believe we were in Salzburg on Thanksgiving. We treated ourselves to a nice, 3-course Italian dinner, but lamented that it just wasn't the same as turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Even though I loved the city and everything about it, I was the most homesick I've been all semester. As we were walking along one of the bridges, chatting about what our families would be doing at home right about then, I felt compelled to give Amanda a hug. We cheered to all of Salzburg, "Happy Thanksgiving!" and then made our way back to the hostel. It was still early, so we hit up the pub again and started chatting with another couple that was on their way to Paris. I was shocked when the gal, Jen, told me she was from Columbia, Maryland. What are the odds that you bump into someone who lives 20 mintes from you while traveling in Europe? Moments like those are when my world gets an itty bitty bit smaller!

The next morning we bought our train ticket to Munich before heading up to the castle. The view over the city was postcard perfect, and we were delighted to find that around the far side of the Abbey was a perfect overlook of the snowy Alps. I did a bit more Christmas shopping for myself, and warmed up with a cup of delicious Gluhwein. Before long we were on our way to Munich!

It was an easy train ride and we got in around 7pm. After checking in, we poked around a bit and then headed downtown to see the sights. I was rather surprised at how dressed-up people were, but it seemed to fit the somewhat "uppity" vibes that I was feeling. Starving, we were thrilled to stumble upon a Turkish kebab store, and completely devoured our gyros. As I was munching away, I felt a sense of contentment like I was eating something from "home" because there are great gyros places in Budapest.

Hold up! Home? Budapest? It was a rather funny thought that I had subconsciously associated Budapest with "food from home," but then again, Budapest is my home. I guess that's just what happens when you live somewhere. Anyways, right next door is the world renowned Hofbrauhouse, which literally translates to "House of the Royal Brew."

In a night, they can go through up to 10,000 liters of beer! Crikee! We got there and it was quite busy, but we managed to find some seats. Between the traditionally dressed Om-pa-pa band, the old German men with their steins that they can keep in a locker at the beer hall, and the tables of rowdy Englishmen singing rugby and football songs, it all made for an experience that left such a unique impression that I can only say that you just had to be there. For most of the time, I chatted with a fellow from New York City that was in Munich on business for Audi. Meanwhile, Amanda was getting her ear talked off about American politics by a pair of Czech brothers. Even though she didn't think it was so funny, I was very entertained by that fact that neither one of them could speak English very well, but between the two of them they managed to fill in each other's blanks. Talk about teamwork! It had begun to rain, so we took a cab to our next destination. It is with great sadness that I cannot take any credit for the pictures in this blog because my camera fell out of my coat pocket on that very cab ride. I realized it about 5 minutes after we had warmed up inside the Munich Hard Rock Cafe, and was rather devastated for the rest of the evening. I still am, but at least it is replaceable.

The next morning we took the free walking tour that is organized by the hostel. It was cold and gray, but I learned a great deal of history about the city and got to see a lot of the big sights downtown. Our guide was very informative and engaging, and because he had family in the area, he knew a great deal about the culture of the city as well. I was most surprised by the fact that the majority of the city is less than 60 years old, even though it looks much older (most of it was oblierated in WWII.) After the tour, we warmed up in a cafe, contemplating what to do next. We were both a bit tired, and opted to go back and rest in the hostel for a bit; we would have needed another day to give any of the museums in the area due justice. I headed over to the police station to try and figure out how I could get my camera back, but was kindly informed that there was really nothing I could do unless I came back to the city's lost and found in a week or two to claim it (if it actually gets turned in). I didn't really like Munich, but I think part of that has to do with the fact that I accidentally gave it my beloved camera.

The evening was very relaxed and laid back. We met two soldiers who were stationed in Germany, had just finished a 15 month term in Iraq, were in Munich to take a vacation, and thrilled to be talking to other Americans (and girls at that!) A few of us went around the corner for some more gyros and then we settled down in the hostel's bar/pub just swapping stories. After having a few liters the night before, I opted for the much milder "clear beer" beverage, which most know as water :) My world got a little bit smaller (again!) when a guy noticed my Green Terror sweatshirt and told me his cousin had graduated from there a year before. I really enjoy the social aspect of the hostel experience; we meet the most interesting people and I always seem to walk away with so much more than when I first arrived.

Our train left at 9:30 Sunday morning, so we fueled up on a very nice breakfast buffet and walked the 5 minutes to the station. Unlike the chaos of before, this train was a direct route to Budapest. We ended up talking with a fascinating guy from New Hampshire, Alex, who was getting his master's in Biotechnology at a school in Austria. He was also a musician and composer, and because his classes don't start until February, he's been traveling around and playing gigs in Europe since he arrived about a month ago. The four hours that he traveled with us felt like 5 minutes, and I've never had so much fun talking about everything under the sun with a complete stranger! Who knew? I would never have been so open to a conversation like that before and now look where I am. The ride was about 8 hours long, but I loved watching the world go by. It's a much more intimate way to travel than by airplane.

Overall, I really enjoyed how different this trip was from Paris. I loved Salzburg-- so much so that if I had to move to Europe, that's where I would go. It's simple, but with substance. Charming, but not nauseatingly touristy. And the Alps... well... they're incredible. Munich, on the other, I didn't like as much. There is not a lot of "positive" history associated with it, but they certainly aren't kidding when they refer to it as the "beer capital of the world." I had a great weekend, it was quite an adventure, and in a few days I'll be off to Ireland. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday, and I look forward to seeing everyone soon!