A Scenic Afternoon in Salzburg

Monday morning we decided to take a drive into Salzburg, which is about an hour or so southwest of Linz. It was an absolute gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky. About 30 minutes into the drive, a faint outline of the mountains came into view. As we continued driving the mountains gradually appeared and we found ourselves surrounded by scenes from “The Sound of Music.”

Once we arrived in Salzburg, we walked along the river until finding a good spot for lunch. The Austrians have a much better creation of a “BLT” sandwich than we do in America.  My oversized, open-faced baked sandwich was layered with arugula, tomato, fresh prosciutto and gooey mozzarella that left me satisfied the rest of the day (well…I saved room for gelato).

Afterwards we walked around, and caught a glimpse of all the all sites, but didn’t partake in any tours (we’ll save that for family visits). The small but busy streets were filled with shops, people, tours, cafes and what you might consider “entertainment..”

Salzburg is like Linz on steroids. It’s bigger and definitely attracts more tourism than Linz, but typical in its narrow cobblestone roads, outdoor cafes, and overall culture. I find that Salzburg’s greatest and most distinctive feature is its natural beauty. The landscapes are so still; it feels like gazing into a painting. I think my images capture the essence of Salzburg better than my words, so take a look…

First Impressions

If I thought I got on the plane in just the nick of time, I had no idea how timely my arrival was into Linz...

That first weekend in September, the city of Linz hosts an annual "Wine Festival." For 2 Euro you can buy a glass, and then at each tent you buy either a 1/8 or 1/4l. pour of their featured wines. The festival was packed with tents, people and plenty of exotic foods and wine. Among the many wines we tried, we exceptionally liked a South African cabernet from Capetown Winery. 

But that's not all...

My second weekend in Linz, and another festival. This one boasts more beer than wine; and had authentic foods like schnitzel and potatoes (which was delicious, by the way). One of the things I love most about these festivals is the authentic clothing. Men and women of all ages wear typical lederhosen and dirndls as casually as Americans wear jeans and a t-shirt. I sometimes feel like I travelled through time rather than across the Atlantic. 

Third weekend...you guessed it- a festival. This one I stumbled upon while running Saturday afternoon. It's located on the other side of the Danube river (what we like to call, "the dark side"), somewhat hidden from the city center and general tourist spots. We went down before dinner to check it out. A local band was rocking out and so were plenty of "Linz-ers" who clearly had their fill for the day.

And So It Begins..

My biggest concern arriving at Logan airport was saying good-bye to my family...that was until I saw the infinite line at Lufthansa's check in. With 3 bags far exceeding the weight limit, no visa, and 50 minutes until take-off I was convinced I would end up back in my own bed that night. But somehow I ended up at the gate with about 5 minutes to spare. (And by somehow, I mean- changing my return flight home from April to November so it's legally under a 3 month stay and being escorted through security). So as you'd imagine, I was no longer preoccupied with "good-byes," but rather finding my seat and enjoying a complimentary glass of wine...or two (a perk to European airlines). All chaos aside, I was comforted by the fact that I was on the plane and would be in Linz, with Reid (my boyfriend), in a short 10 hours. 

My arrival to Linz was a lot smoother than my departure. I did, however, encounter my first "American moment" when I continually tried to pull out a luggage cart without depositing 1 Euro into the lock. I figured it out...eventually. I collected my things, rolled through Austrian "customs" (two people in uniform chatting in front of a white sliding door), and found Reid waiting with a dozen roses on the other side. I was finally here.