Rock Me, Amadeus

The house we're renting in is three stories.  We're on the top level, and below us is a 90 year old couple.  Like all 90 year old couples we've ever known, they like their TV really loud.  Last night, they were watching a show with pounding techno music after 10 pm - not like 90 year olds in America.  We were tired and wanted to go to bed and their rave was just getting started.  I was ready to turn on our TV to see if I could find what they were watching when at 10:30, the music ended and it was dead quiet.

The sound of music so late at night inspired a trip to Salzburg, Austria today...home of some of the very cheesy Sound of Music locations.  It's also where Mozart was born and lived when he wasn't traveling.

Sixteen going on seventeen...very cheesy

Mozart lived here...his name wasn't on the wall back then

On the way to Austria, we learned that just across the border everyone goes completely crazy on the road. Things started with an insurance salesman in a BMW, which is a dangerous combination in any country.  One lane was closed for construction, and Mr. Allianz was stuck behind another car in the closing lane and holding down his horn as if that would magically part the roadway for him.  It didn't work.  Then, when he abruptly cut us off, Jess responded in kind by holding down our horn and yelling "How do you like that, Mr. Allianz!"  He didn't like it very much, but driving fast and beeping is very successful in Europe.

Also got stuck on another one way road, but thankfully not going the wrong way.  This time it was packed with cars parked all along the sidewalk and the road was blocked with construction.  The only thing to do was to back out of it with a full inch of room on either side and an angry Austrian waiting for us to get out of the way.  Rick Steves says that Mozart didn't drive in Salzburg and neither should you...right on that one.

Tiny one-way, closed roads are all the rage in Salzburg

Mountains, lakes, and trick fountains at Hellbrunn Palace rounded out our visit to country #5.

Chiemsee - I learned to be careful taking pictures of boats in Europe, you might see more than you want to

Alps - no naked people up there (that we could see)

I was smart enough not to take my camera to Hellbrunn.  Take a look at Die Wasserspiele pictures and you'll see why.