I have confidence in sunshine…
Back on the bus again, off to start singing about those hills that are alive with the Sound of Music! Saltzburg was wonderful, really like a fairytale come true. It didn’t take long to get there either, we arrived just after midday and hopped on ‘The Sound of Music’ tour at half 2. Not to mention we had the best weather ever!
The bus was full of older Americans and non-English understanding Asians. Apart from a group of girls in our hostel, we were the only young ones on there. Our guide was excellent, she’s older, British, and knew exactly what to say. She gave us history, the true story, trivia, and of course locations.
We began at the scene of the back of the Vonn Trapp house, the balcony and garden overlooking the lake and wehn Sue would tell us things, she’d give us those scenarios too – where the children fall out of the boat, where Uncle Max had his third helping of apple strudel. The gazebo was moved to a public place, because this house was never filmed in. On the was to the gazebo we passed the front of the house used in the film, including the lane where Maria finished singing the Confidence song.
The gazebo was locked several years ago after an 82 year old woman broke her hip trying to act ’16 going on 17′. We drove to this small town called Mondsee, 45 minutes away, and passed by a lot of scenery used in the opening sequences. Mondsee is where the children were filmed in the trees, and the interior of the church where Maria and the Captain were married.
We sat and had coffees and apple strudel for afternoon tea. Afterwards we realised that Doug, Steph, Jana and Andrew were at the cafe next door, on a different Sound of Music tour!
We finished in Mirrabelgardens, which is most known for the ‘Do-Re’Mi’ scene around the fountain, the tunnel and the stairs. Supposedly Kurt nearly falls of the stairs at the end! I already knew about Liesel’s broken ankle from the non non-slip shoes where she flew off the gazebo benches, and Gretel’s near drowning which has left the actress with a fear of water even now!
But the real story was just as interesting. The real Maria plays an extra at the beginning of the Confidence song, and she had 10 kids in real life, three of her own with the Captain. Austrians only saw Hollywood’s adaptation several years ago, because Maria’s diaries were published then turned into films in German, so they had no need to see our version, and many don’t even know the hype even though 42 years later the tourism from the movie is a major part of Saltzburg’s economy.
Doug and I had dinner afterwards up at the fortress on the hill, which had some magnificent views of town, and we even got fireworks! I don’t know how that worked but it was perfect!
We watched the second half of the movie with the others then went out to an Irish pub for the night.
Tags: Travel
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