Small Observations in Passau

I am not sure what this sign tells me




This I do understand




The sign warns of roof avalanches and icy street, but who pays attention to the fine print?




Two cars passing each other on a very narrow street




What's behind the closed door?




Container gardening? Yes, there are weeds growing in each little square.




Old city wall




Dandelion square?




More dandelions




Not moving out of the way.

In case you are wondering why I took these pictures, to me they are strong reminders of the city's flavor. I see in them a relaxed atmosphere, but also the struggle to keep up with the demands of tourism. Take river cruising for instance. I walked to the three river corner twice, the first time it was wide open, the second time cruise ship patrons and supply trucks filled the area.




First day



Second day. Whatever adds to the pleasure of cruising, like the food supply truck, makes it difficult to walk



And then there is the increase of sound and motion, the chatter of passengers, the tour guides' attempts at control over their groups.


But hey, tomorrow I will be one of those people, leaving the Amadeus to stroll down a narrow path along the Danube. And I will depend on that food truck for my dinner.

Photos from my first full day in Passau

Salzburg was elegant, sophisticated, busy. Passau is relaxed and more quiet, yet still busy. The walk to the Dreiflüsseeck (three river, Donau, Inn, Ilz, confluence) was very joyful and meditative.




The Dreiflüsseeck is actually to the right of the sign (makes sense) at land's end, but my map won't let me move the sign :)








This is the spot where the Danube and Inn come together, the Ilz runs into the Inn just a bit to the right.




This is the interior of Kloster Niedernburg where the Blessed Gisela (first Hungarian Queen) is buried.




The very ornate St. Stephans Dom




Very famous St. Stephans Dom organ They say it is the largest pipe organ in the world.




Well, had to have lunch and Spargelsaison (season for asparagus) is short. I just had to have it.




My very own ship? Of course!




From the "it struck me as odd" file, so I had to ask. The young man is taking samples for analysis before sanitation procedures begin. Sanitation is the word they use for upkeep of crumbling walls etc.




Ach, I almost forgot, the view from the Adalbert Stifter Room (where breakfast is served at the Wilder Mann). In the background St. Stephan's Dom.




Interior of breakfast room




And flowers everywhere
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Passau and Hotel Wilder Mann (Wild Man)

Europeans know how to travel. I participated in a woman's birthday party today, on the train. There were five older women traveling together on the train to Vienna, one of them had brought muffins and napkins and a birthday candle which she lit with a lighter and sat on the table between them.They all ordered coffee (I can't stand the instant kind on trains and had a mineral water with fizz.) Can you imagine this happening on a US train? Cause for a terror alert.



I arrived in Passau at two and immediately got turned around using the iPad map. FYI. I had taken a screen shot of the map, but neglected to add the written directions. Besides, I've never been able to find a place on the first try. I kept on walking and found my way, first through the pedestrian zone, later along the Danube. Instead of walking for seventeen minutes, I walked for thirty (that includes occasional stops to work on my scoop of blueberry ice cream).






My hotel is, as I said on Facebook, "cool". It was opened in its present form, along with its widly known Glass Museum, by Neil Armstrong. Since then many famous people have visited, including presidents, authors, cardinals, Gorbachow, Kissinger, and many others who are named on a long list in the lobby. The place was first mentioned in 1303, was once the town jail (that's why the name "Wilder Man") and became a renowned hotel in 1844. In 1862 Elisabeth, Empress of Austria, Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, spent eight days there and returned in 1878. I knew here better as "Sissi" from a very romantic film in the 1950s with Romy Schneider. And I had picked the hotel because I like wild men.










The interesting thing is the price for the rooms - my single room is only 50 Euros.








Tomorrow I will visit the largest organ in the world and the grave of the Blessed Gisela, the first queen of Hungary.



I found this sign rather interesting; restroom, Mayor's office, and my name all in one.

As a side note, I think I am the only iPad toting person in Europe. I know I am the only 73 year-old carrying a teddy bear around.



Sent from my iPad by Gisela Foster


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Fortress Hohensalzburg

Fortress Hohensalzburg is one of the largest existing eleventh century fortresses in Europe. Here are just a few random shots.







View from the Fortress terrace




Ah, those young women in black



Fortress Courtyard




Obligatory canon




-Mozart family outing at the Marionette Museum


Perfect view of Salzburg, even in the rain




Perfect (though too large) meal at the Fortress Cafè



Children at a bus stop on the way back to the hotel

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I wish I do - I wish I don't

Every trip has little compartments that house "I wish I had done that" or "I wish I had done that differently" articles. But mainly I have "I'm glad I did that" memories and occasionally a "wow, did I really do that?" shout. Usually I wait until I am home again to sort this all out and categorize it, but I had a few thoughts on the subject early this morning and wanted to write them down before I forget them again.
The "I wish I had done that" excursion for Salzburg will be a day-long trip to the Berchtesgarden Saltmines and the Lake District. I grew up in a small salt-mining town in the Black Forest and remember the above-ground operation fondly. To be able to slide down into a mine, ride a boat on a subterranean salt lake, and hear actual miners talk about the production of table salt would have been great. But it is raining on my last day in Salzburg and my energy level matches the grey sky.
www.salzzeitreisen.de
An "I wish I had done that differently" event relates to my timing. I knew when I divided my trip into segments, that I would not be able to see a marionette theatre performance at the Salzburger Marionetten Theater, because they take a break at the end of April. Some of the performers will be in New York in May, I was told by the lady at the Kassa (cash register) where I bought a DVD of Mozart's Magic Flute. I know that Salzburg has the best puppeteers in the world; they perform in countries all over the world, and it would have been the highlight of my stay here to attend a performance. I didn't really know how much I regret my miscalculation until I had a long talk with this lady. Unfortunately it is too expensive for them to get the rights to make a DVD of their The Sound of Music production, but I bought their book about all the pieces they perform and I saw a photograph of a puppet manipulating a puppet (Maria with the little goat herd)
www.marionetten.at
My "I am glad I did that" drawer already has two items. Both are spontaneous purchases that add to my ease of mind. The first is a pair of black straight leg trousers. It seems everybody is wearing black stove pipe pants here, the tighter the better; very young women just wear black tights, young women black jeans, older women black polyester. I spent an hour yesterday watching pants walk by while I had coffee and a little strawberry tart. (I have to lay off the tarts if I want tight pants, for now this old furnace must do with a somewhat wider pipe.)




(This lady is about my age, but much more slender than I)
And I, generally not paying attention to fashion - at home I wear jeans most of the time - I bought a pair of black cotton pants at a the department store C&A, after looking through at least five racks of black pants, and I am glad I did that. The second item item I purchased is a happy umbrella with black violins and musical notes on a white background. I am ready for the rain now.




Yesterday I also bought something I address as "did I really do that?" without the "wow." I bought ten stamps for ten postcards to the US. I paid €17.00 (that is $22.44) at the post office. So, if you are one of the lucky ones who receives a lame greeting (what does one say on a post card?) it is quite possible that this will be the only card you will get from me.
One more category comes to mind: "I'll never do that again!"
But so far there are no incidents bearing my stamp of disapproval.
Now I need to sample the local Apfelstrudel. No Schlag (whip cream). Remembering the black tights.




Yes, I do approve of the Imlauer Restaurant ambience and their desserts.

Tyana J LittleString in Salzburg

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