***New Pictures***
Something I’ve noticed in Europe is that it appears that one in every ten people is using some for of crutch or cane. At first this took me as odd…just because I didn’t think that there were that many more fragile walkers on this side of the Atlantic. Then the reason struck me. I’ve only seen at total of about five people in wheelchairs. Europeans are just more sturdy and hardcore than Americans and can walk everywhere instead of being wheeled around by a sulking relative. Yet another way that Europeans appear to be in a healthier state than Americans!
But now back to thee prime time event that is the actual traveling experiences. I believe I last left off in Bern, so that brings us to Interlaken. The picturesque cliché mountain town in the middle of the Alps. You wake up each morning with either a breathtaking view of a lake or a mountain. You really don’t have a choice because you are surrounded. Suffice it to say how to surprised I was then, to walk down the street and see the unmistakably familiar sign of the local Hooters! Not to say that there is any lack of attractive women…but c’mon people! There are plenty of breathtaking views if you look up a little higher! It may also have been due to the observation of a middle-aged women doing lines off of a newspaper in front of the train station…but my impression of small town Switzerland was slightly marred.
Upon my emancipation from the high hills, I arrived in Zurich. That’s about all I have to say about the town. It has the largest clock face in Europe…and…is supposedly nicer in the Spring (along with most of the other places I’ve been so far!). The real enjoyment that I had in Zurich was in getting to spend time with my host. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay with a friend of my Aunt that she met while traveling through Europe herself as a youngster! Manuela was an amazing host and chef! I am happy to let you know that I have now tried Veal and some kind of smoked Swiss meat because of her! It was also great to swap travel stories (Manuela had been on an around the world trip when she was about my age) and she even made me a birthday torte with candles and everything! In my final day in Zurich, I took an amazing train ride through the Alps to the town of St. Moritz. St. Moritz is a posh mountain ski town that also hosts the snow polo world cup on the frozen lake in town. Unfortunately, when I actually got to the town, it was snowing so hard that my camera wouldn’t even focus on the blurry forest around me so I enjoyed a cappuccino and some apple strudel along with a good book.
From there my journey sent me into Austria! I stayed in Innsbruck for a few uneventful days. Innsbruck was nice (although I realized that I’d actually been there on a previous trip!) but it was very similar to some of the other small mountain towns I’ve described so I’ll save you the gory details. I did so an amazing jazz performance on a whim! It was the only thing playing in town so I decided to check it out. I think I must be drawn to a cappella or something because this concert involved a trumpet and a beat boxer. The trumpet was sub par in my opinion but the beat boxer was one of the best that I’ve ever been blessed to hear. Both the trumpet and beat boxer looped their tracks to layer the sounds and make sweet sweet music!
Now I find myself in Salzburg. The hills are not as alive in the winter time, but still beautiful and full of music if you know where to go. I met my host at the train station and he took me directly to one of his favorite lakes. We trudged through half a mile of snow covered path to get to it…but it was worth the view! Salzburg has nice cobbled streets and a very welcoming atmosphere. There are two things that this town is famous for: Mozart and…you know that one musical…they sing a lot of favorite things and do re mi’s…So of course I made it my goal to see as many of the famous sights having to do with both. Mozart was done by midday on my first day. The Sound of Music provided a little bit more of a challenge…as in most movies, there wasn’t one place that it was set. They use the back of this castle and front of another and then they use the gate from one nunnery, while they use the lake from a completely opposite side of town than the backyard that is supposedly facing it. In the end, here was the count: The front of the house, the back of the house with the balcony, the cemetery where they hide from the Nazis, the gate where there children beg to see Maria and the theater where the Salzburg festival is held. I almost made the trip to the gazebo, famous for 16 going on 17, but I’d had enough of trespassing on private castle properties for the week…so I decided to skip it!
Last night we went to an amazing alternative bar. Well, okay, the bar wasn’t really the amazing part. The amazing part was that Monday nights are jam sessions! Half of the bar got up on stage and one point of another…and I had even had enough beer to free style on some bluesier tunes! Tonight was are heading to a jazz club where hopefully we will actually hear people who are made to jam…I head to Linz tomorrow and then Vienna in a few days! After that…who knows!
Peace in your hoods.
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1 comment:
sounds amazing!! adam stayed in innsbruck for awhile when he was on his trip. hope you're doing well, though it sounds like you are enjoying yourself immensely!
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