Today was our first chance to fully plan and explore on our own. About 16 of us decided we wanted to spend the free day in Salzburg, Austria. I had previously heard that crossing borders within the EU felt seamless, and that could not have been more true. We woke up early and caught a quick train to Munich, then switched trains to get to Salzburg. They did not check our passports on the way there, which surprised me. Even at the train station in Austria, there were no checkpoints to verify identification.
I did not know much about Salzburg before this adventure, so I prepared by watching The Sound of Music the night before. It had changed a bit since the movie, but at its core, Salzburg immediately felt like a historic city. The buildings were beautifully designed, with no high-rises in sight. Ever since visiting Neuschwanstein, I had wanted to see the Alps again. While we walked through the city, they were hard to miss.
Our first stop (after food) was Mirabell Palace. I need to learn to differentiate a palace from a castle because I was expecting a massive structure with elaborate decorations and a pointy roof. The palace was not simple by any means, though. The garden surrounding it looked green and lush, while the inside of the palace seemed extravagant. We stopped for a couple of pictures, then continued on a walk toward the Old Town.
While in the city, we did not have a set plan. This led us to spontaneous shopping and even more spontaneous adventures. Ellie and I explored a small alley, and we found lucky wooden mushrooms for our family members. We also spotted an incline up to Hohensalzburg Fortress. It reminded me of the Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh. I’m glad the incline was an option because it would have been a long hike to the top. From the top, I could see the Alps, the Old Town, and the neighborhoods around Salzburg. We also sat down at a restaurant and tried Sachertorte, a famous chocolate cake from Austria.
After chasing views and shopping our hearts out, we met at our predetermined meeting spot to head to the train station. The ride home gave me a chance to reflect on what I learned from today. I learned that traveling as a group can be difficult, so it is important to handle each person and situation with patience and flexibility. I also learned that it is important to carry cash in a small town because most pop-up booths and local artists do not accept credit cards. Lastly, I learned to soak in every moment because time really does fly. This group of people is so special, and I am glad I got to create more memories with them. I hope that one day I can make it back to Europe and explore places I haven’t seen before.
