Going into the trip, the girls in our group had decided that we wanted to spend our free day somewhere in Austria. Most of them really wanted to visit the locations where The Sound of Music was filmed. Honestly, I did not have a strong preference about where we went. I just hoped we would all be able to go together as one big group. Over the last two weeks, we had all become so close, and I wanted one more full day with everyone. A few days earlier, we came up with a solid plan and were ready to buy train tickets. We had a lot of help from the German TAs when it came to making sure we purchased the correct tickets.
Our first train to Munich left pretty early at 8:05. It took about 30 to 45 minutes to get there. Our next train to Salzburg departed about 20 to 30 minutes after we arrived. This was the longest train ride, taking around three hours to get from Munich to Salzburg. Once we arrived, we walked about 20 minutes into the city and found a cute little coffee shop and bakery. One of the coolest things was how they served their drinks in plastic containers that they sealed themselves. I had only ever seen something like that online, never in person.
After getting a bite to eat, we decided to split up. Part of the group wanted to take another train about 40 minutes farther into Austria and hike into the mountains where scenes from The Sound of Music were filmed. The other group wanted to stay in Salzburg and spend the day sightseeing and shopping. I was part of the second group. We had a few main attractions we wanted to see, but other than that, we just wanted to explore the city.
The main place we wanted to visit was the fortress overlooking the city. It sat on top of a large hill and offered incredible views. Instead of taking the long hike up, we opted to use the incline. It reminded me a lot of the Duquesne Incline back in Pittsburgh. The view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. It has to be one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen in my life.
While exploring the fortress, we stopped for dessert. Apparently, Austria is known for its chocolate cake, so of course, we had to try some. I have to say, it definitely lived up to the hype. After walking around the fortress and taking in the scenery for a while, we made our way back down to the heart of the city. We spent the afternoon strolling along the river and browsing in different shops. There was something really special about experiencing a new country alongside so many good friends.
After spending the entire day in Salzburg, we headed back to the train station, where we met up with the rest of the group. It was a long trip back to Augsburg, but it was absolutely worth it. Once we returned to the hotel, we met up with some of the German students one last time. The entire day was such an amazing experience and is something I know I will remember for the rest of my life.
