Austria 2016, Day 9, Wednesday, Sept. 21

We are only half way on our 17,352 steps, 7.68 mile walk for the day. That castle fortress called Castle Hohensalzburg on top of the high hill was our goal today.  To and from the train station was just over 5 miles and it was well worth it. 

We left about 9 a.m. by train from Golling our home village to Salzburg and arrived by 9:50 a.m..  Little did we remember that it was the beginning of one of the biggest religious festivals, St Rupert’s Week.  Bells were tolling in all of the 25 catholic churches in Salzburg at 12 noon to kick off the celebrations.  100’s of booths selling every kind of food, souvenir and drink was being set up as were trudging our 5 miles today.  People were pouring in from all of over the country-side.

 

We toured the Dom Cathedral that was built in 1614.

We battled through the St. Rupurt’s crowds and headed up the Cog Rail cars 60 degrees up to the top of the fortress wall.

We toured the castle and then had to have a leisurely cup of coffee and a dessert before our long 2 1/2 mile walk to back to the train station. 

 

Home by train.  Deep refreshing nap and Chinese food in Austria.  It was an experience.  

 

Day 8, Tuesday, September 20, Austria 2016

Our yearling cows were waiting for us as we walked out of our front door. 

Errands, local lunch, museum and a restful afternoon nap in the sixth day of on an off rain.  So you think Ireland is green you should see Austria.  The rivers and creeks are running at full tilt and cows are overwhelmed trying to keep up with the growing grass.  A beautiful sight. 

We woke up with a start this morning about 5:30 a.m. thinking “Did the Dodgers beat the Giants?”  We hooked into the wi-fi and watched the Dodger come back in the 9th inning that moved their magic number to 7 games.  Ain’t the Dodgers and wi-fi great?

We ate a healthy breakfast and decided our trip to Salzburg was not in the books for today.  We decided instead to do errands in Golling, have lunch in our favorite restaurant and then take a nap.  It was raining lightly as we headed out at 10:30 a.m. for time.  The bank, the drug store, the butcher and craft store and bakery were visited with success.  Then to the Golling Castle Museum. 

The lady who signed us in and gave us our senior discount was more nervous talking her very limited English as we our very limited German.  We got along just fine however.

The photo above is of the Salz River from the third palisade of the Castle.  And the photo below was a painting in the museum of the area looked 300 hundred years ago. It truly doesn’t look much different at all as the church and castle and houses haven’t changed at all.

We ate at our favorite restaurant, the Hauslwirt where Libby and I both had a huge bowl of very rich goulash filled with peppers, potatoes, onions and sliced sausage and speck.  Farmers fare. 

We headed for home took a very restful nap and I cooked pokt chops with canned peaches and fresh bread.  Heading off to Salzburg by train tomorrow.