“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
~Friedrich Nietzsche
Easter has hatched Xmas this year, measured in Celsius (-1 degree). No complaints, we add a couple of layers of down and sweaters and prepare to accept cozy Salzburg on terms it offers.
The promise of spring has swerved wildly back to winter; yet there is beauty for our eyes, music for our ears, and the authentic feel of Austria showcased for the holiday.
We take the train north from Bolzano over the snowy Dolomites and across Austrian Alps, and alight in the new Salzburg station. We navigate to the familiar neighborhood along Moosstrasse: a tranquil mélange of homes, Gasthofs, family farms, restaurants, and light tech industry all perfectly assimilated on greenbelt and nestled against dramatic mountains that border Germany.
“Grüss Gott” (literally: “God Bless”, now used as: “good day”) is our reception at Bloburger Hof, a warm and welcoming small family-run hotel. Our room faces a fog-shrouded mountain that serves as our daily barometer – cold, colder, or possibly snow! Food (wiener schnitzel, Easter lamb stew) is delicious, our hosts kind and generous, and the 2 children, Marcus and Lucas parked at reception watching streaming animation, so sweet.
Morning walks in every direction exercise our sense of community as well as our legs: magnificent horses sleepily boarded at Walkner Riding Academy across the road; a restored hunting lodge surrounded by verdant grounds now home to professional service firms; open land for biking, fishing, and Autumn hunting.
Each afternoon we migrate from city Zentrum across the Salzach River to luxuriate at comfy, classic Café Bazar. Hot milch and caffe, sublime warm topfenstrudel, International NY Times, and a great sampling of local culture.
On Easter we attend an extraordinary concert Mass at baroque Salzburger Dom surrounded by hundreds of citizens wearing traditional Austrian attire – loden caps, tyrolean hats, dirndls. Mozart’s Mass in C minor is performed with angelic voices and immense accompaniment of orchestra and organ. This is the setting he envisioned for his evocation of heaven, complete with smoky incense, chimes, and the cacophony of hundreds of bells ringing throughout the city as the service ends.
A few hours East along the Danube is Durnstein in iconic Wachau Valley (refer to the Viking Cruises ad before Downton Abbey). This fertile area produces wonderful Gruner Veltliner white wine, and apricots used in liqueurs and preserves.
Here we are the solo guests at the Saenger Blondel Hotel, operated continuously by Familie Schendl, since 1792. Herr Schendl greets us warmly and personally prepares the house specialty: apricot topfenstrudel warmed with custard sauce and preserves for our afternoon pleasure.
We brave the still-cold weather with daily hikes along the terraced vineyards overlooking the villages of the Wachau. The spirit of springtime is surely awakening in these once feudal hills.
_______________________________________________________
All images captured on iPhone 6+
Click on any pic to ride photo carousel.
