Sunday, September 13, 2015

There are no Kangaroos Austria






Another country to check off the list, we went to Austria, not Australia, Austria.  When I was planning the trip, I would tell people we were making a side trip to Austria and the reaction was "that is a long way - but there are Kangaroos and boomerangs."  Austria is a 90 minute drive from Munich. The first gift shop I went in to in Salzburg had T-Shirts that says "No Kangaroos in Austria" - I bought one.

The old quarter is a wondrous maze of narrow streets filled with shops, bars, restaurants, Mozart and churches. Lots and lots of churches.  Directly behind the old quarter is a tall hill, 2-300 feet up a cliff with a fortress and more churches on top.  Admission was about 11-euros and included a ride up and back down on a funicular.  I wouldn't have made it to the top and back without it.

The fortress is fun to explore and the cliff top offers amazing views of the landscape.  I liked Salzburg.  We stayed at the Crown Plaza - The Pitter on frequent traveler points.  It is an old hotel - nicely updated.  As an IHG frequent traveler they upgraded us to a small suite, about twice the size of a typical hotel room. The room was over the top in style and very comfortable.  The parking for the hotel is a block away, you have to pull into the hotel waiting (drop off) zone, go inside and ask for directions on how to find it.  The hotel was about a mile from the old quarter.  We took a city bus going to the quarter and walked back.  The following morning we checked out of the hotel and found a parking lot in the edge of the old quarter (follow the blue "P" signs.)

5 comments:

  1. it's astounding how ignorant people are. tell me, did you do the "sound of music" twirl in the mountains? salzburg looks lovely.

    my maternal grandmother's parents were from austria; they immigrated to chicago and my grandmother was born in that city.

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    1. J broke into song a couple of times

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  2. Tee-hee! I did not. Loved Salzburg; so glad we went. Worth a trip back. We didn't get to see the 17th-century palace the archbishop built for his mistress.

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  3. What no gondoliers or flying fishes?
    Every time II think of Salzburg I hear this silly song in my head....
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwmIxn7tkjk

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  4. I am disappointed about the kangaroos.

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