SOUND OF MUSIC TOUR AND SALZBURG, AUSTRIA!

Today was the day we got to take our much anticipated “Sound of Music” tour!  Can you tell we were super duper excited?

We were greeted by authentic Austrian tour guides.  (Just kidding!  Our guide, pictured below in pink, was named Kylie and was a full blooded Aussie!)  To say Kylie was passionate about everything “Sound of Music,” would be an understatement!  She was the PERFECT tour guide!

 

Can you even believe this pretzel stand was right by where we waited for our tour bus?  I am certifiably ADDICTED to the pretzels over here!  (I dug in deep for restraint!)

Once the tour began, we passed by breathtaking Austrian buildings and landscapes.

This was the mansion that was used on “The Sound of Music” scenes that involved shots of the backyard of their home and the lake.  Apparently, the film’s powers that be determined it too opulent to be used as their home in the film.

This was the estate that was used to depict the von Trapp home—a much more modest structure!  The front of the house was used in scenes like when Maria walked up to the house for the first time and rang the bell.

We drove to the park grounds of the Hellbrunn Palace and got to see the famous gazebo where Liesl and Rolfe sang the classic song “Sixteen Going On Seventeen”!  John and I actually saw this gazebo in 1982 during our very first international trip!  (But it was located in its’ original location in the backyard of the estate that was used for the lake scenes!)  Unfortunately, our photographs of it in 1982 were so faded, I pitched them! 😳

This was the Nonnberg Abbey with its infamous tunnel that Maria walked through when she left the Abbey to head to the von Trapp’s.  One of the oldest convents in Europe it is still in operation today.  We wanted to go inside to see if we could spot Mother Superior, but that was a hard “No go!”

During the movie, the nuns hid the von Trapp family in the cemetery that was located on the Abbey grounds.  It was actually filmed at a different place, and John and I got to see it in 1982.

While walking through the cemetery at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, we found a similar one and John struck a pose much like 42 years ago!  (How do you think he did?)

We passed by gorgeous lakes on our ride,

as well as the Red Bull headquarters!  (Who knew it was located in Salzburg, Austria?))

Remember the marionette show on “The Sound of Music”?  We relived it on the bus!

We stopped in the town of Mondsee, Austria and got to see the Basilika St. Michael, where Maria and the Captain were married!

Mondsee was an adorable town!  We would have loved more time there!  It had been overcast all day, but the rain began in Mondsee, darn it!

We got back on our dry bus and got to watch an interview with Charmian Carr, who played Liesl Von Trapp.  She was an amazing woman and gave us a lot of insights on the making of the movie!  Oh, and I forgot to mention, that we sang every song from “The Sound of Music”, led by Kylie, on that bus!  It was hysterically delightful!

At the end of the tour we departed the bus and walked across the street to the Mirabell Gardens where the steps and this fountain were featured in the Do-Re-Mi sequence of the movie. This adorable little girl and her Mama entertained us with their costumes and dance!

By then we were sooooo THIRSTY we immediately stopped for a brewski and lunch.  Ahhhh!  What a fabulous tour it was—we all agreed it ranked in the top of our favorite excursions!

Later that evening we ventured out to a local beer hall, the Augultiner-Brau.  It was certainly an authentic German Beer Hall!

Not the most nutritious meal of the trip, but it was delicious!  And you couldn’t beat the atmosphere!

This was the outside beer garden.  Unfortunately, it was closed due to all the rain!  Bummer!

We stopped back at the Brau Restaurant for dessert, warm apple strudel with whipped cream and berries, vanilla sauce and ice cream!

Even though it was overcast with some sprinkles here and there, it was an AMAZING day!  We couldn’t stop talking about the tour and how PERFECT Kylie was as our guide.  All four of us can’t wait to watch “The Sound of Music” again.  But that will have to wait, as our hotel only offers German stations!  😳

We missed you, Steve and Mary!  You would have LOVED the tour!