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On the Road with Fast Eddie
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On the Road with Fast Eddie |
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| Greetings to all of you: On a recent trip, I spent a week in Austria... Salzburg, Vienna and Innsbruck, and will now add Austria to my list of recommended places to visit, both for its cities and for its outdoor beauty. I started out in Salzburg, a city that qualifies as exceptionally beautiful by any standards I know of. Compact and easy to explore by foot, you are treated to an array of churches (including the vast Dom), statues, fountains (my favorite at Kapitalplatz has a horse snorting water out its nose), courtyards, plazas and plenty of winding passageways that make strolling there a joy... and getting "lost" a goal worth striving for! When many people think of Salzburg, they justifiably think of music... especially "The Sound of Music“ and W.A. Mozart. I was not at all interested in the former, but I have always been entranced by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Both his tragic life and his remarkable genius are well represented in both live performances as well as at the two museums you’ll find there. First, I visited Mozart’s Geburtshaus (birthplace), where he lived his first 17 years (about half his life), and where you can see, among other things, a miniature violin designed for the prodigy’s tiny fingers. More impressive by far is Mozart-Wohnhaus, where he resided for the next seven years before moving to Vienna. If you are a music lover, this place is a must... the slide show at the end is epic! I was so pumped up afterwards that I immediately ran next door and forked over about $23 for a concert that night. Accompanied by Angelo, a 25-year-old Venezuelan of Italian heritage who had been packpacking around the world for the last 10 months, I walked over to Schloss Mirabell, a palace built in 1606 by an archbishop for his mistress (she produced at least 10 children for him). Now the mayor’s office, it has a majestic marble staircase adorned with Baroque scuptures, and the listening room is absolutely plastered with intricate gold-leaf designs. We settled into our chairs and were treated to chamber music by Bach, Bruckner, Vivaldi, J.M. Hayden and, of course, "Wolfie" himself, who, in fact, performed there himself. I can’t fathom a better way to spend an evening in this city! What is ironic is how Mozart is so enthusiastically claimed by a city that so disrespected him during his lifetime, and which he so openly despised while living there. He is now completely deified in every way imaginable, and the cash registers resound joyessly as tourists cannot get enough of him; from books, CDs and concerts to chocolates, perfumes and menu entres named after him. "Sir, would you care for some Mozartkrenfleisch this evening? And for desert, some Mozartkugeln?" Looming over Salzburg, Festung Hohensalzburg offers a commanding view of the city, surrounding areas and mountains beyond. Take the funicular up, unless you are keen on some aerobics, and then walk down. I joined a group walking through the palace; with each of us toting an audiophone, one of those hand-held devices that looks like a cell phone on steroids. In the language of your choosing, it nicely describes the background on this impressive fortress, created by the archbishops who held both religious and political sway over this region for many centuries. From ornate rooms to the torture chamber, you get an insight into yet another twisted element of the Catholic church’s role in European history. Walking the parapet, one can see how the walls and other defences were necessarily strengthened again and again over time, as man’s ingenuity for killing man continually "improved". At the end, you can peruse the museum, which displays dishware they ate on, beds and chairs they slept and sat on, and weapons they used to slaughter those who threatened their beliefs and power base. While in Salzburg, I stayed at Jugengästhaus on Josef Preis Allee ($12 with breakfast). It is perfectly located at the edge of old town, clean and well organized. But... like so many of the HI (Hostel International) accomodations around Central Europe, they can be huge (hundreds of beds), the atmosphere can be a bit sterile, there might be lockouts during the day, and it just might be full of rowdy kids (like as low as pre-teen sometimes) who often have no concept of being quiet at 6AM if they are roused by adults and ready to go on a rampage someplace. My first morning there, there was a mini-foodfight in the breakfast hall, which was where I ended up way too early after being prematurely awakened by all the little hellions. Hey... they are just kids being kids and having fun, right? There are lots of other things to do in Salzburg... but let’s move on to Vienna, ok? Whereas Salzburg has a cozy elegance to it, Vienna has a stately grandeur. Both are great for walking, but Vienna reminded me somewhat of Madrid with its scale (more than 10 times the size of Salzburg), wide boulevards, and resplendant imperial palaces and museums... some absolutely massive. Thanks to its imperial wealth, and the constant influx of some of history's greatest musicians, Vienna in its heyday in the 19th century had unrivaled cultural significance. Remants of that time are evident throughout this impressive city. Rising high above the city is the 137m latticework spire of the 14th century Stephensdom. Only the most jaded, church-haters could possibly fail to be impressed by this Gothic masterpiece. In this area, south of the Danube, is the Innere Stadt where you will find more than enough to boggle your mind as you stroll the streets and take in the history and magnificent architecture of Vienna. A special treat in this city are the coffee houses, which are a virtual institution. Linger and soak up the ambiance... the likes of expats Kafka and Lenin pondered novels and revolution there, while sipping kava amidst the intelligentsia of Europe. Enjoy the people-watching bonanza... and for goodness sakes DO NOT leave Vienna without sampling Sacher Torte, an orgasmically delectible chocolate cake that is as famous as it is delicious! Drink a double cappuchino with it and you'll be flying at 30,000 feet in no time! Just outside the city proper, and well worth visiting, is Schloss Schönbrunn, the sumptious Baroque palace that is testimony to the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria and its empire from the early 14th century until its demise at the end of WW1. The building was completed in 1700 and is quite remarkable. Do the self-guided tour (with steroid-phone) and enjoy the frescoed ceilings, tapestries, crystal chandeliers and gilded ornaments... all lavish enough to either impress you or repulse you, depending on how you look at it. If you are a student of European history, viewing the palace will be invaluable, as understanding the Hapsburg's role in history is vital to understanding the large part of Europe they dominated for many centuries . On the palace grounds, we made the walk up the hill to a cafe for a brilliant view, and coffee and cake. When it was time to pay, I made what I thought might be a forgivable error while calculating the tip. In my own defense, I must point out, that from the time I've started traveling two years ago, I have now used 21 different currencies... that's 21, folks (and the Euro makes it 22)! Well anyway, I got Deutschmarks and Schillings mixed up in my head and grossly under-tipped the waiter. Rather than taking it all in stride and chalking it up as a traveler's faux pas, this guy couldn't resist tearing into me. Shaking his head with utter disdain, he exclaimed (loud enough to be heard in all the surrounding postal codes), "Do you know what two Schillings are worth in U.S. currency?" At this point I thought to myself, "Apparently not, but I think I am going to get a quick education in this matter!" Not waiting for an answer, he then blurted out, "About 15 cents", while spinning on his heels and storming away. And since I am once again on the subject of surly waiters... there was also the guy I encountered on the same trip who served me a cappuccino that was completely ice-cold. "Excuse me, but this is cold." His curt, matter-of-fact response, " The machine is kaput!" I admit that my first inclination was to respond back, "Who in the world would ever want a cold cappuccino... are you brain dead, or do you just not give a shit?" But instead, through clenched teeth, I politely inquired if he might, possibly have something to offer that was actually hot... please? This resulted in a Turkish coffee... but not without a menacing glare. But despite knucklehead waiters... kind, courteous, helpful and even friendly people were more plentiful than at a Boy Scout Jamboree! English is even more widely spoken in Austria than in Germany, especially among older people, and people also seemed more laid-back and quicker to converse there. Back to palaces... if you want more oppulence, there is also the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) in the city center, which apparantly is quite nice, but Angelo and I were all "palaced out" after Schönbrunn, so instead we decided to take the underground to Zentralfriedhof (Central cemetary), where copious numbers of famous people are buried. As hard-core music lovers, we were on a mission to see what turned out to be an astonishing memorial to musical genious. It also became a very emotional experience for us both. Clustered together in an small arc, are the tombs of Beethoven, Brahams, Schubert and Johann Strauss (the younger and more famous), plus a wonderful memorial to Mozart, who, as you might know, was buried in a pauper's grave... no-one really knows where his remains actually are! Each grave had an appropriately impressive headstone, and were draped with fresh flowers. We stood in awe, trying to fully grasp the prodigious output of these masters, and just how much they had impacted the world. Strains of various masterpieces reverberated in my mind, and I thought about their personal struggles... poverty, depression, deafness (Beethoven) and, with Mozart and Schubert, death in their mid-thirties. I was to then learn that Angelo had been heavily educated in classical music while growing up, and virtually worshipped Beethoven. After kneeling down and kissing his gravestone, he then stood misty-eyed and suddenly exclaimed, "All my life I have been waiting for this moment... shit!!!" We then, of course, just HAD to attend a concert, so that night we walked to the Altes Rathaus for a performance of Mozart and Strauss in origional period costumes by the Vienna Walzer Orchestra, including ballet dancing and a soloist. It was a bit heavier on waltz than I normally prefer, as I always found waltzes to be a bit too dainty and frivilous for my tastes, but it was great none-the-less. And, as in Salzburg, I felt a little underdressed in my safari pants, tee shirt and hiking boots, surrounded as we were by who are, in my opinion, the best-dressed people in Europe, next to the Italians. But as I started to feel a little self-conscious about my attire, I thought, "I paid just as much as these people... screw it!" In Vienna there are tons of museums and other cultural venues, and the street performers (buskers) are the best I have seen anywhere, as you might expect with all the music students and musicians living there. Train rides through Austria are a treat, especially in the western and southeastern parts. Breathtaking scenery abounds, and once or twice I half-expected to see Julie Andrews prancing across the lush meadows, hand-in-hand with her von Trapp family cherubs! Innsbruck is what you might expect from an 800-year-old, world-class resort town that's surrounded by soaring mountains, and filled with chic cafes, glitzy shops and a full quota of camera-toting Japanese and American tourists. Within its tiny old town, spendid buildings are encircled by delightful narrow streets and connected by pretty squares. It is a Tyrolean Disneyland! Known as an alpine sports center (host to both the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics), there is hiking and skiing in abundance. Maxed out at this point of my trip on palaces and museums, I was quite content to merely wander around and gawk at the architecture, largely Baroque, especially along Herzog Friedrich Strasse, where most buildings were built in the 15th century. There's a nice view from the top of the 14th century Stadtturm (city tower), and the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) from 1420 is remarkable (its facade is covered with 2738 copper tiles which really glimmer in the sun), as is the interior of Dom Zu St. Jakob, which dates from 1724. In Innsbruck, I stayed at Jugendherberge St Nikolaus which is well located and reasonably priced at about $12 (breakfast included), although it also has that annoying policy of locking out from 10AM to 5PM. Well, that's it for Austria... at least for now. In my next On the Road, I will finally update (at least for now) my travels in Germany... Germany 2, I guess we'll call it. Hamburg, Cologne, the beaches of the Ostsee... more on Berlin... more on the Bodensee area... some thoughts on the German language and the people, and whatever else comes up! And in February, I am off to Kenya and Tanzania for a month... have gotten my plane ticket, my immunizations, and when I think about it a lot I get so excited I almost wet my pants! |
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