That is the common greeting here in Salzburg, which literally translates to "Greet God" or, in terms of meaning, "God greet you." There is a sweet elderly Austrian couple whom we've passed several times on the leafy walk to and from the hotel and it's been fun to exchange the greeting with them.
(the leafy walk)
While it has simply become a standard greeting, it's a reminder of how deeply rooted the culture is in religious tradition, evident also in the numerous religious paintings, carvings, etc. that can be found on nearly every building in Old Town. And, of course, the many churches and their bells, which once ordered the rhythms of daily life and now graciously endure scads of tourists and their cameras.
We started our day exploring the giant fortress/castle, which is the huge structure looming over the city from a cliff in some of my earlier photos. Apparently, those who are especially hardy (or foolhardy) can climb up to it on their own. The rest of us take the funicular, which was a very quick but fun experience.
The earliest sections of the fortress were built in the 700s and gradually expanded through the centuries, with most of the existing structures being added in the 1600s (if I'm remembering correctly).
Obviously, its primary purpose was military defense and protection for the locals whenever they were under attack, but they also house the State Rooms, which housed whoever the ruling archbishop of the time was. The archbishops weren't religious leaders in the way we'd typically think hearing that term--they were the political/state rulers, so essentially like a king or prince. As such, they fittingly had highly decorated rooms where they would reside and sometimes host important events.
And a loo, because even an archbishop has to take care of business:
And the "mechanical organ" in the tower that the archbishop would order sounded at a certain hour every morning and evening to signal to the city when they were supposed to get up and start working, and when they were supposed to go to bed. A somewhat fancier version of the factory whistle, I suppose.
Though rain had been predicted and some ominous clouds hovered in the background when we started our visit, things cleared up a bit by the time we were ready to have a break, which we enjoyed at one of their cafes set along the border so you could enjoy some of the amazing views.
As I was sipping my Mozart Coffee, which was as good as it looked, I spotted something we biked past yesterday. The lone house all by itself in the middle of a meadow is the executioner's house. I guess they didn't want him getting too neighborly with anyone in case he had to hang them at some point.
After a great deal more walking (and climbing--tons of stairs and hills in that fortress), we took the funicular back down to Old Town and had lunch at a café established in 1703. Not a bad run for a business. Maybe that's because it offers great views of the square and the horse carriages going by on a regular basis.
I feel like we are constantly eating, but since we are also constantly walking, my pants still fit (barely). After lunch, we went back to the cathedral and got neck aches feasting our eyes on its Baroque gorgeousness. Flash photography wasn't allowed, so it doesn't give a good enough idea of the amazing colors, but here's a taste.
It's hard to believe we're already leaving tomorrow. I could have easily stayed here a couple more days. But I guess that just means I'll have to come back. We found a cozy pub-style restaurant in Old Town for our final dinner in Salzburg, where you share a table with others due to the limited space.
At one point during dinner, what I'd thought to be a baby stroller/carriage was, in fact, housing a dog (a section of its hair tied up with a pink ribbon). Which brings me to something else I've observed about Salzburgans (Salzburgers?): they LOVE their dogs. I must say that this seemed a bit excessive even for this city.
Apparently the husband of the older couple sharing our table thought the same thing because when he saw me taking this picture, he said, "Crazy!" and then turned his fingers into pistols and added the sound effects of him shooting the dog. After an ice-breaker like that, we chatted for a bit and discovered they were Germans from Frankfurt on vacation just like us. When the dog poked its head up again later, he fake-fired away again, then nodded at us knowingly and said "Texas!" Something tells me this German would feel right at home in that state.
Well, it's time to pack again. Some final shots of Salzburg in the evening light.
