The continuation finally!

Well I’m finally writing my update about salzburg that i promised last week, haven’t had time really, or enough enthusiasm...!!! I had to write it all in my diary, isn’t that enough? Currently the house has been reinvaded by small children, the kids from the other two sisters… They’re good at amusing themselves though, although selina doesn’t actually talk to anyone other than her mum, teacher and cousin (who’s also here)… Very strange!

Read Harry Potter on Saturday (bibi and I went halves, she gets to keep it), very good, though very different. Much more of a hanging ending than the others – nothing specific, like OWL results to wait for…. Wasn’t entirely surprised by the death, that name had crossed my mind! The end very much reminded me of Star Wars though – during the final scene by the lake with lots of people, I was completely expecting Harry’s parents and the other people who’d died to be standing behind everyone, as ghosts… Like in the celebration bit of Star Wars! Then I realised I was just thinking of Star Wars, and forgot the idea…!

I’m writing this is word, so I’m not on the internet for so long, can you tell – it’s kindly correcting all my mistakes!! Well most!

Ok, Salzburg… We met up on Tuesday morning, my second day of summer holidays (although we’ve brought the weather with us, lots of rain! And thunder and lightening – proper long loud rumbles of thunder too!) I got up at 5am to be in Salzburg by 8ish. Met Imo, who’d been there since 4am, and off we set (actually had to do the ring Imo then realise she’s just ahead of me thing, but anyway, we found each other!). It was drizzling a bit, or more mizzle really, and we walked through the city, to Altstadt, then wandered through there, bought a few postcards and started to do the tourist thing! We saw the house where Mozart was born (were going to go on to where he lived, but were a bit Mozarted out by then…), which was very interesting, I never knew he was such a freaky looking child really – MASSIVE eyes, oddly out of proportion, although it could have just been the artists style, but it was in more than one painting!

We also went to the catacombs, where various important people are buried, which were kinda cool, and we had to help a couple of Americans find their way to somewhere… Don’t know why we looked like the English speaking experts, but go asked a few times for that kinda help…! Also went into a massive cathedral, which was very nice, but so many tourists… (learnt the city normally has a population of 150 000, in tourist season, there are an additional 100 000 people…..) saw a group of people playing classical music on funny triangular guitar cross violin things (there was a tiny one and a cello sized one too…) which was very good, and we had to run off, from fear of being stuck there listening all day!

The most time was spent at the Festung Hohensalzburg (Fort Salzburg) which is this MASSIVELY GIANORMOUS castle, with city inside the walls too, ontop of a big cliff. Waas amazing! Has never been taken by force, but was handed over the Napoleon…. We went on a guided tour, with little walkie talkies telling us what we were seeing… Inside only. And outside we just wandered around and looked at everything! I reckon being a guard there can’t have been too bad a job, except for the walk up (there’s a funicular, but we walked), but it is one of the speckiest views of a city I’ve seen….!! Saw a copy of the Sound of Music video for sale, for €40, or about $65…. Went by train home, in the train station was a great group of brazilian flautists playing (and a few drums and clarinets etc…) Not sure why, but we had an hour to listen, and they were so enthusiastic!

Wednesday we just spent in Linz, Imo seeing just normal Austrian life – didn’t do any touristy stuff (except see the Danube, my school and Mariendom), just showed her the good shops, ate pizza etc etc! Outside Mariendom (or Neuer Dom) we were accosted, well stopped, by two guys from Cameroon who told us they were just interested in getting to know people and stuff on their travels.. We weren’t that keen on going with complete strangers to eat icecream (hmm, funny that) so we kinda twisted the truth and got away… I don’t like lying, but I think it was the only way with them – were very persistent, I was worried they’d offer to escort us to the train station for out ‘2:30’ train…. But they didn’t, good answer to prayers there!

Thursday was back to Salzburg, onto the Sound of Music tour. First we bought fresh apricots and bread and stuff from a market that was near where we had to meet. It had a fruit section, a vegie section, meat, bread, cheese… Etc! Was great! The tour was pretty good, maybe not as good as expected, but I think that may have been the fact we were in a tour group – can’t actually see the attraction there, nice to have someone to say what’s what, but the pressure of it is a little irritating! Was good though, we learnt lots about behind the scenes of the movie (for te record, I’ve only seen it once, so wasn’t always entirely sure of the relevant scene, but anyway!)…

We departed slightly sadly at the train, and headed off our separate ways… Will meet up again, hopefully in Switzerland next time! And that was the (condensed) meeting of Imo and Imo! It was great to talk to someone (a) in English (as a native language) and (b) who knew me, and understood all references to past events in tas and stuff! THANKS IMO!!!!!

Well I think I’ve written enough, will now connect to the internet, post this and read my emails, including a couple of exciting ones that I know are waiting for me! Will share when I have permission! On Wednesday I’m off the Munich (Germany) for the day, looking foraward a lot to that!