Salzburg

Monday Salzburg

Ash got up at six when Katie messaged and hopped onto the internet for a chat. Left at 7:15 for the station, bought some breakfast at the bakery and validated our EU rail passes.  Lovely train left promptly at 8:22, though people without seat reservations had trouble.  Arrived in Salzburg and took the trolley bus to Mezzenzentrum where our hotel is.  This turns out to be the exhibition and sports centre, with our hotel next door. Checked in then went back to town and spent ages working out what we wanted for lunch.  Had a really hard time finding a place that wasn't filled with cigarette smoke.  Walked around for a while, and tried without luck to take a bus out to the trick fountains.  Austrians are a serious people, not unfriendly, but no smiling or banter.

Tuesday Salzburg

Ashley got up early to chat to Katie on the internet, then off to a banquet breakfast, but I think I overdid it a bit.  Was feeling seedy all day.  We caught the bus back to the old town and wandered around the buildings and cathedrals.  Saw Mozart's birth house and where he spent the first seven years of his life before leaving town.  Saw the Dom (cathedral), the crypts in St Peter's, climbed the steps to the Nonberg priory, took a tour to the castle on the hill, up the funicular railway which was short but steep.  Took in the postcard views, although the wind picked up on the top which made us cold for the first time - I still had my light jumper on.  After looking at the marionettes and the state rooms we went back down the railway, and battled the rain back to the station.  Spent an hour on Skype to the girls, and the clarity was really good.

Wednesday Salzburg

After breakfast we caught the bus into town and bought the combined train/bus/entrance ticket to the salt mine.  Got off the train a bit early but rectified that.  Buses didn't connect with tour times so we hung around for the midday tour.  Just us two and four Hungarians, so the tour was in English.  Went on the underground train and raft, two slides and did a bit of walking.  The old tour that Mandy did closed after a fatality in 1974.  It used to descend six levels and come out in the town of Halein.  Now the tour starts and finishes at the mine entrance.  No longer actively mining, just taking tourists.  Had a look at the Celtic village recreation, then waited some time for the next bus down.  Got back to Salzburg around 3:30 for a late lunch, then back to the hotel for rest and dinner.  Ashley said he enjoyed Salzburg for the two days, but would be bored if he had to live here, which properly sums it up well.