Wachau Valley

We packed our things in Wallersee after one last look out our window at the lake and started our trip back to Vienna.  Before Vienna we have to pass through the Wachau Valley  on the Danube which is one of the most beautiful areas in Austria.  Our destination is the Hotel Garni on the Danube in an Apricot Orchard.

Hotel Garni

Hotel Garni on the Danube in the Wachau Valley

The Garni recommended the restaurant across the street for lunch.  It was a nice find since they had outdoor dining on a patio overlooking the Danube.  We each had fish which we enjoyed while watching the riverboats cruise by on the river.

Danube restaurant for lunch

  

Libbie's fish covered with sliced almonds

After lunch we walked through the little village which was quaint and picturesque.
 

Narrow Village streets

Vineyards & Wineries

  The Wachau Valley is a wine producing region in Austria.  There are many beautiful fields of grapevines growing on the hillsides overlooking the Danube River.  Associated with these cultivated grapes is a plethora of small wineries and tasting rooms.  We had a glass of wine one afternoon under a trellis of grape vines in an outdoor wine bar and later that day we  a dinner of meat and cheese in a small winery tasting room across the road from the Danube.  The Valley also has many orchards of Apricots and is a producer of Apricot liqueur.  We sampled some Apricot liqueur grown in the valley in the little wine bar associated with out hotel.  It was pretty potent stuff to a novice not used to such higher proof alcohol. 

 

Kirchenwart outdoor wine bar

Kirchenwart hotel associated with with the wine bar

Winery Dinner

 

Pathway to tasting room/cafe

 

The Wine tasting Menu, in German of course

Libbie had a cheese plate and I chose a plate of sausage and cheese.  Both made a nice light dinner along with a few samples of various wines.  This was a very short walk fro the Hotel Garni, our base of operations in the Wachau Valley.

Sausage and cheese plate, perfect lite dinner

We took a walk along the Danube for a short ways then found another small village and decided to walk up the hill into the village and return the back way through the vineyards.  Along the way we found many beautiful rows of cultivated grapes as well as an Apricot Orchard.

 

Fields of cultivated Grapes

Apricots!

Another small winery 

Lavender

Goodbye Wachau Valley, we'll be back

 

Grapevines on the Danube

This is where we ended our exploration of Switzerland and Austria.  We certainly will be back, perhaps to bike the Danube?  The Wachau Valley certainly exceeded our expectations and instilled a desire to spend more time there on the next trip to the region.

Salzburg

Mozart in Mozartplasz square

It poured rain while we were in Salzburg.  We parked in a parking garage carved out of a mountain which was convenient because when we walked out of the garage we were in Old Town.  We bought an umbrella at a small business just outside the parking tunnel and made our way to Mozart Square where we stopped into a coffee shop and had coffee and Austrian pastries to warm us up and get our bearings.  The cafe had the little almond cookies with the hole in the middle revealing a raspberry filling.  This brought memories of childhood bakery cookies.

Salzburg consists of an ensemble of Baroque buildings many of which were bombed during WW II but most of the buildings remained intact.  The dome of the cathedral collapsed and the bridges over the Salzach River,  which divides Salzburg, were destroyed.  The city itself is the fourth largest in Austria.  

After WW II Salzburg was the headquarters for the American troops in the occupied region.  Reconstruction of the damaged buildings began immediately

Parking Garage entrance in the mountain

Rain 

Narrow Streets of Salzburg

My favorite cookies!

A touch of home, "American Heritage", in Salzburg Austria

On the other side of the river from Mozartplasz is the Mirabell Palace, made famous as the site of a lot of filming for the Sound of Music. Crossing the bridge over the Salzach River the first thing you notice is the padlocks of love, a phenomenon occurring on other bridges across Europe.  Couples need to buy  these padlocks elsewhere because intentionally they are not sold anywhere near the bridge to discourage them.  The strategy is not working, there were hundreds of padlocks on the bridge.  In France officials were so concerned with the extra weight of all the padlocks on one bridge over the Seine they had them all removed.

Salzach River from a bridge near Old Town Salzburg

Mirabell Palace

Mirabell Palace and Grounds

Mirabell Palace side gardens

Wedding couples pose  in front of one of the fountains made famous by the Sound of Music

Mirabell was popular with brides.  We found bridal couples posing in front of many of the fountains.  A wedding was taking place in the palace with the guests dressed in Lederhosen.  I especially liked the women outfitted in Heidi dresses.  An old time horse and carriage awaited to whisk the couple away at the ceremony conclusion.

Wedding Guests in Lederhosen

Wedding Guests"Heidi" dress

Waiting horse and carriage

 

Do Re Mi

Rain brings out a sea of umbrellas

  After Mirabell Palace we walked some more of the picturesque narrow streets in the rain, visited an art gallery full of sculpture and stopped into a little restaurant for a pizza lunch and a delicious beer.  The Austrians certainly have mastered beer craft.  We basically order a glass of beer not knowing anything about brand names or type (Ale, IPA, Bock, etc) and a wonderfully tasting golden brew with foam head arrives.  This has happened all over Austria.

Picturesque street

Our lunch spot

 

Lunch with Libbie

Mozart's Birthplace

Open air Market on the way back

A fitting picture collection as we left Salzburg

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Hotel Wallersee, NeuMarkt en Wallersee

On a lake about 25 miles from Salzburg is the Hotel Wallersee.  Peter and Christa recommended staying here instead of the tourist area of Salzburg.  After our stay I agree with them.  The restaurant and facilities were first rate.

Hotel Wallersee Entrance

Wallersee Logo Sign

Christa's table at the Wallersee

A Special Fish

Austrian Flan