Despite my reference to the atrociously inaccurate film about the composing genius, his hometown of Salzburg was noticeably different from our earlier German stops.
What I remember most are the crosswalks --- constantly bleeping when the “Don't Walk” figure shown, then doubling their speed when it glowed green. They should have just exclaimed, “Move your ass before this turns red.” It was hard not to run with that tribal soundtrack beating all around us.
Once we crossed the river into the altstadt, Salzburg turned pleasant yet touristy, with its boutiques and attractions geared to snaring newcomers out on the cobblestones. Cycling commuters grew frequent on the main streets.
If Passau is Pittsburgh, then Salzburg is the Denver of Austria, with its blunted foothills topped by castles just before the terrain soars into snow-dusted Alps.
Winding through Salzburg's old city were the narrowest streets yet, with some just wide enough to let a horse cart pass. And there were carriages aplenty; dozens lined up in the public square next to the cathedral (don't ask the name or style; I was weary of cathedrals and saving my last bit of architectural awe for Munich).
We walked beneath Mozart's birthplace into passage that produced sidewalk cafes and souvenir shops. Chris stopped for coffee, the girls window-shopped, and I stepped back into the brightness, only a square bustling with a public market. It was sensory overload again, this time with all the fresh produce, meats and flowers. I had to circle a few times to absorb all those wonderfully mingled smells.
Behind the market, I hit the University of Salzburg, where almost everyone was in class or on holiday; the outdoor vistas unavoidable for college students were empty save a deeply stained statue of Friedrich Schiller.
As 11 chimed from church to church, we moved toward the newer city, passing the other Mozart homestead and public park replete with spiny trees and classical statues that I believe appeared in the Sound of Music. Confirming that would require watching the movie for the first time, a plunge I'm not prepared to take.
Our rapid tour covered the basics of Salzburg, but it could have easily encompassed a fully day instead of 90 minutes.
On the way back to the car, we moved quickly; our parking receipt only gave us ninety minutes, and 4 p.m. loomed over all our actions that day. We'd have to pay for another day of car rental if pulled into Schweig (a town just east of the airport) any later.
(Up next: The last mad dash for lodging)
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