Salzburg and the money adventure

I went to Salzburg today. I wouldn't have gone today if I didn't have to find a Deutsche Bank to access my money in America without a 3% transaction fee. It costs 25 € round trip, and that is with a 50% discount, so I thought I would make a day of it seeing some of the sights as well. I was a little bit nervous about going. It was the first time I have been "sightseeing" on my own. I was also afraid I would be a little conspicuous where I was alone, with my camera, and the large amount of money I was going to be carrying. I did take my money belt and wore it under my clothes so no one knew I had a ton of cash on me, so don't worry there. :) I thought I was going to be a target for pick pockets. In that aspect everything turned out fine, in another not so much.

Palace garden

I found a guide book of Salzburg in my apartment and looked though it for ideas of things to do while I was there. The book is really cool, with three different walking tours of the city to see all of the major sights. I looked at all of them and decided, where they all started in the same place I would decide after I found out how much time I had. I was having problems with my internet, so doing this the old fashioned way was best, and fun.

Yesterday, I had taken a walk down to the Bahnhof to find out how long it would take me to get there and to see what time the train left, how much it was going to be, and so on. It takes me 15 mins to get there and the train left at 810. That meant it was going to be an early morning, as most of the days I have gone sightseeing, but I wouldn't have wanted to go any later because it takes over 2 hours/ almost 3 to get there. I hadn't woken up particular early that morning, so I tried my best to get to sleep early. Unfortunately my bedroom is rather light for it being nighttime and my brain wouldn't shut up. I finally remembered my sleep mask and was able to fall asleep around 11/1130.

The alarm was set for 6, and I woke up to it right away. I decided I would just get up, so I turned it off. Somehow, I fell back asleep, but luckily woke up 30 minutes later. This time I did get out of bed and ready for the day. I hopped online real quick- I didn't actually think it would connect because I was having problems with it yesterday, but it did! :) I wanted to double check the train times and apologize for standing up my Papa on our Sype date. I made an omelet for breakfast, mmmm yummy, and headed out the door.

The train ride was beautiful. Every time I look out the window here I am astounded by how beautiful it is.

TANGENT: When I first got to Austria one of my friends asked me if the hills were really alive with the sound of music. And if you are talking literally, then no. They are actually surprisingly quiet - not a lot of song birds. But if you are talking figuratively then yes. When you are up in the hills/ mountains, whatever you want to call them (mountains), you will look up from the trail and literally loose your breath from the Majesty and beauty of it all. It speaks to your soul the way music does.

To get back on track... Once I got to Salzburg I started heading in the direction I thought I should go. The maps in the book didn't really focus on the Bahnhof. There isn't much to see there. I kept walking down the street and right about when I thought I must be going the wrong way, I saw a little park. I though I might as well find a bench in the shade to sit on while I reorientate myself. As I was looking for an unoccupied bench I found the palace gardens I was looking for!

They were absolutely gorgeous, the building wasn't that impressive- it looked like an old hotel and is a conference center now. The gardens, they are something else. I wandered through the gardens for a little bit and when I came to the end I saw and advertisement for the "Zauberflöte" today at 1400. Now that just happens to be one of my favorite operas and where I really didn't have plans for the day I thought I might as well go check the price. It was at a marionette theater and only 18€. I thought that wasn't bad, but I wasn't sure if that was how I wanted to spend the afternoon. I told the nice lady at the ticket office I would think about it and come back. It was a good thing too!

Sign at the Deutsche Bank

I walked further down the street looking for an entrance back into the gardens, there were unexplored places still, and ended up walking right past the Deutsche Bank. And guess what? They don't have an ATM. Which only happens to be the only way I can get my money. It really wasn't a bank, but a finance center. They did have a nice plaque that told me where the nearest ATM was. Only across the border back into Germany!

I had no idea what I was going to do. I started calculating if I had enough money to just pay the forigen transaction fee, or if I had to go to Bad Reichenhall, where the ATM is. I had to go. I thought well I guess it is back to the Bahnhof to find out how to get there, and I was really hoping it wasn't going to be too expensive.

About this time I found an enterance to the gardens and the idea popped into my head that I should see if I can get wifi. I wasn't expecting there to be, because in the whole time I have been here there hasn't been a completely free hot spot anywhere. Sure if you are staying at a hotel or eating at a restaurant, but never completely free. I am really glad it never hurts to check. There is an absolutely free wifi network in the garden, go figure. I was able to find out I can take and SBahn, only a 35 minute ride there and it was only about 5 €. Not bad. The next train left a little after 1 and it was just a bit after 11. Plenty of time.

I finished looking around the garden. The place I had missed before was the Zwergegarten- just a little circular path with dwarf statues, really cute and fun.

I headed back to the bahnhof and discovered it was cheaper to buy my ticket from DB (Germany trains) verses ÖBB (Austrian trains).

Once I got to Bad Reichenhall I couldn't remember which way I needed to go first. All the rest of the directions I could remember. I went the wrong way, naturally. Right as I was thinking I had gone the wrong way there was a city map! Talk about being blessed today! I got on the right track and after walking past one and through another beautiful park I found the shopping center (not a mall). After wandering in the general direction, I found the street on the address, but not the right building number. I found 1 and 3 but not 2. I thought it must have moved and how on Earth was I going to find it now. Logically an ATM would be near the shopping area, but where. I wandered around again, this time fairly aimlessly. By pure chance I went into a little alcove full of shops. If I had been a little more observant I would have found it right away, but I had to go the wrong way first. When I turned around I saw the Deutsche Bank sign and finally the enterance. Not even on the right street, but a side street, walked right past it earlier.

I bought this little guy in Heidelburg,
 and I am pretty much in love with him. 

Where it was so far away I thought I would try and take out everything that I had, but that was over my limit. I tried 50 € less, and I still couldn't get any money. I started fearing that my card wouldn't work because I haven't extending my travel notes yet. I am having a problem getting the international number to connect! Finally the third time was the charm and I got my money. I am hoping it will last because it will cost almost 1/3 of what I have left to get the rest.

I decided I would walk through the garden I pasted by to get back to the Bahnhof. It was on the way after all. It was amazing, in the middle they had this wood and grass building that was wet, like a giant fountain almost. It cooled the air around it making it very refreshing.

Once I got back to the Bahnhof I tried to buy a ticket, but there was no one at the ticket counter and no machine. I asked a couple of old men where I could buy a ticket. They told me I could buy it on the train. I thanked them and went to my platform to wait for the train. When I went to get on the train I started freaking out a bit because the doors said to only board the train with a ticket. I thought I tried and maybe that will count for something. If not it will be 40 € and it is what it is. I was able to by my ticket on the train! whew!

By the time I get back to Salzburg I was tired and debated about just going right home. I checked the train times and I had two choices, both of which were more than an hour away. I had planed to for sure see the Mirabelle gardens and the Dom, so I headed out to see the Dom in my spare time. I am really glad I did! I watched the clock carefully and of course got turned around and a bit lost in the old part of the city. In the process of trying to find the Dom, I found a couple of other very beautiful churches. I found the Dom very last after I had missed the first train and had almost given up hope on finding it before I had to head back for the second one.

I found this little lady today, and thought
 she would be a good friend for my little guy.

I am kinda glad it came at the end. It was amazing and has 5 organs!!! I thought the 3 in St. Mikael's in Hamburg was overkill, but after hearing just the one in Dresden, I really wanted to hear all five playing at once. Could you imagine the complexity?

I made it back to the Bahnhof with enough time to buy some more liquid -I really needed that- and a snack for dinner. It is now almost 11 and I am super glad to be home and really can't wait to crawl into bed. Despite all the difficulties and twists in today's plan, it was a good day :)



Sorry there aren't a lot of pictures, I took a bit of film though. If I didn't have to edit the format and things before I could stick it up here it would be here already, but you all will just have to wait. It will come soon I promise.