As we were preparing for our trip, we debated about whether or not to do the official Sound of Music tour. We'd heard it was great, but we also knew it would be one more expense and that we would have to follow a schedule. Some of us aren't overly fond of schedules. And large groups of people. We opted to go it alone. This ended up being a great choice. We were able to leisurely stroll about the gardens and fountains and, whenever we wanted more details or information, we naturally went to Wikipedia as our source. Naturally.
Our morning began in the Mirabell Gardens where many of the Do-Re-Mi shots in the film took place. We skipped across the fountains, just like Maria and the Von Trapp children, and . . . we even saw a nun out for a morning walk. (Quick! Pretend like I'm taking your picture!!! It's a NUN!!!) It was thrilling. We didn't wear jumpers fashioned from drapes, but if we'd had the option, I'm sure we would have. (I did wear a skirt -- on purpose -- because it just seemed like The Right Thing to Do.)
We had watched the movie before heading to Salzburg, so the best way we could describe the trip to Kinsley was by calling the whole experience "The Sound of Music." She was very excited to go to "The Sound of Music," where her one hope was to pick a purple flower. We were quite sure that flower picking wasn't allowed in the gardens, but that's just not something you can tell a three-year-old who has traveled for hours and hours to visit the really-truly "Sound of Music." We quietly surrounded her while she (shhhh!) picked a flower. (Good thing the nun wasn't nearby.) That was all she needed, and her Sound of Music dreams had come true.
Our own Sound of Music dreams came true throughout the day as well. We hopped up and down the steps (whilst accompanied by a man playing the accordion) and realized how tricky it must have been for the children to hop backwards in that scene. As we hopped and skipped, a bride and groom emerged from the nearby chapel. How romantic is that?
We also found the statues that the children skip in front of during the same Do-Re-Mi scene. Our hands, patting where little Gretl's hand once patted. Our feet, hopping where Julie Andrews' feet once hopped. Amazing.
The rest of the Sound of Music sites required "roaming about Salzburg," so after touring the city on foot (visited in The Trip, Part Three), we hopped back in the car and took inventory. We had yet to find The Yellow Wall, the Lake Where Maria and the Children Tip Over in the Canoe and The Outside of the Von Trapp Home with the Iron Gate. We fairly quickly found the lake, with the villa in the distance. Krista jumped out to snap a few pictures, and I leaned from the car to snap pictures of her snapping pictures. It was at this point that Kinsley piped up, "Can Somebody please move so I can see?"
I quickly deduced that I was The Offending Somebody and leaned back so the princess could have an unobstructed view of the lake.
(A note: Because Kinsley hasn't spent much time with her aunties, and because Krista and I look somewhat alike, Kinsley had a hard time telling us apart at first. It took a few days for her to stop calling us "Hey!" and "Somebody!" and Brooke very gently guided her in calling us Auntie Krissie and Auntie Juni rather than Hey and Somebody. Alas, I remained Somebody for the remainder of the trip. As I was often reminded.)
The daylight was slipping away as Krista hopped back in the car. We peered at Nonnberg Abbey in the distance (unfortunately we didn't have time to go there) and wound our way until we found The Yellow Wall and The Outside of the Von Trapp Home. (Of course many of the movie locations are actually Hollywood sets.)
We jumped in and out of the car, cramming in as many pictures as we could while the light lingered. It's also possible that we drove the car down a pedestrian path to approach a certain location. We had confidence in sunshine, we had confidence in rain, and we had confidence that spring would come again.
We also had confidence that we had had an amazing day, and that Hey and Somebody had just seen a dozen dreams come true.
* * * * *
After a very full and exciting day, we headed back toward Filzmoos to grab dinner and head to bed. As we were nearing the restaurant, little Kinsley was still working on her aunties' names, and Brooke was still helping her use them. By this time it was dark and Kinsley requested, "Can Somebody please turn on the light?"
Brooke gently reminded her to use specific names, and Kinsley rose to the occasion. "Excuse me . . . Miss? Can Somebody please turn on the light?" Somebody did.
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