A Weekend in Salzburg

Back in Vienna! We had a fabulous time away but the plus side is coming back home and having access to all of my clothes and shoes, sleeping in our awesome bed and of course, most of all, seeing the Kid. The Husband picked him up from the In Laws yesterday and I was so excited to see him. He, of course, fell asleep on his way home so I got to hug him while he snored. He made his way into our bed in the middle of the night and all was good in the world. He even woke up this morning with a smile on his face and kept hugging me. Absence truly makes the heart grow fonder.

On Friday afternoon, the Husband and I caught the train. I adore taking the train. It involves little effort, it doesn't involve the Husband yelling at me because I can't read a map and we both get to drink and watch stuff on our mini DVD player. This trip we watched Burn Notice which is just about the most perfect show for me: no gore, some espionage and great one-liners. And it takes place in Miami which I am obsessed with thanks to CSI Miami, The Birdcage, the Real Housewives of Miami, etc. I need help. But, if the stars align and I am super lucky, I might actually be heading to Miami next winter and if this happens, I will be the happiest snow bird in the WORLD!

We arrived in Salzburg around 6:00 and immediately I did my happy dance. I saw mountains. I ADORE mountains. We walked to the hotel because the Husband doesn't believe in taxis. For reference, please see: Our first wedding. We arrived at the hotel after a 20 minute walk and me bitching about our suitcase because it is the loudest rolling suitcase in the world and I might have said something like "This suitcase is what poor sounds like." We checked in and walked up to our room and I was pleased to see we had a view of the city and...wait for it...mountains! Squeal. 

We did our traditional open all drawers and cabinets and turn on the TV and check out the bathroom spiel that we always do and then decided to hit the hotel terrace known as the Steinterrasse. We ordered Weizen beer and toasted to our mini break. Being a Friday night, I assumed the town would be a-hopping. We headed into the old town and found that in fact, the town was not a-hopping. It was actually quite deserted. We found a cute wine place and I ordered a cheese plate and the Husband ordered pork and we talked and we drank and then it was 9 p.m. and time for us to head back to the Hotel and watch a crap film.

The next morning I woke up at 7 which is a lie in for me and the Husband woke up (I may or may not have "accidentally" kicked him) around 9 where he announced that the Kid had "slept really well last night". So obviously he was still not completely awake. We got dressed and headed out to the old town where I made a quick detour to Starbucks because caffeine is everything. We hadn't made a firm plan of what we wanted to see but the Husband, like always, had printed off various city maps and had an idea of what we needed to see. My contribution to the tour was whining "I wanna see the castle." We walked towards the large hill and hit upon a beautiful cemetery and saw a sign for "catacombs" so of course we paid the 2 euros and ended up walking up into the hill. Apparently Salzburg catacombs are upstairs! Crazy Salzburgians! We walked into a beautiful stone room and walked around it and then noticed a large group of children had followed us in and then a large group of adults followed those children and then a priest came in and we were smack dab in the middle of some kind of communion and we couldn't get out because people kept entering the room from the only door that looked like it was made for Hobbits and I started to get a little twitchy because I did not want to be crashing a communion, no way no how and finally, freedom! And then I had to wait for the Husband because another dozen adults filtered in and how on Earth did they not notice the two twitchy people at the door trying to exit. Were they planning a type of flash mob communion for me? Nice try, Catholics! Still got my Jew card!

We left the catacombs and headed out into the sun and made our way to the train that would take us up the hill to the castle because I am not going to give myself an asthma attack walking up a steep hill while wearing adorable coral sneakers. I love them! I need to take a picture of them! Anyway. We exited the train at the top and immediately I saw more mountains and that made me happy. There was also a beer garden at the base of the castle and the Husband said "No" when I started motioning at it with my head and he was right because it wasn't even 11 yet. That venti coffee was making me hyper and making me want to binge drink. We walked into the castle and walked around and both realized we are spoiled little brats when I said "You seen one castle, you seen them all." and he agreed. Ugh. I hate myself. Then I was allowed to have my beer! We sat at the castle, overlooking mountains and it was AWESOME!

Then it was time to get some lunch and we found a cute little Gasthaus in the city and I got ridiculously excited about the Baerlauch Knoedel (wild garlic dumpling) and decided to order fries as well because working arteries are overrated. We ate, had some more beer and then I told the Husband I had to lie down. We walked around, he bought me an awesome ring (to distract me from the antique chandelier I had seen in a window) and then we headed back to the hotel for some relaxation. And by relaxation I mean, we slept. Like... we fell asleep. We took a nap. We woke up around 5 and Relic Hunter was on and that is probably one of the worst shows of all shows ever shown but the Husband and I used to watch it in Toronto in our tiny bachelor apartment on hangover Sundays and there was something nostalgic about it all. We watched a couple of episodes and then headed out for the evening.

We stopped at the Irish bar that we had spied earlier because we have a tradition that in every town we visit, we must stop at an Irish bar. It's kind of a sad tradition, actually. I had a cosmopolitan because the thought of beer was too much. We then decided to go to a Pizzeria because the thought of anymore Austrian food was making me gassy. Just down the street was a little place called Di Pippo and it was adorable. It was a baroque style room with blue walls and great chandelier-like wall sconces and yes now I want to re-decorate our living room and does anyone have a staple gun I can borrow? Thanks! We ate and talked and then realized it was almost 10. We walked back through the rainy town and crossed the bridge back to our hotel. We had one last nightcap on the roof and then headed to our room to watch some more crap TV.

Sunday morning came and we got dressed and mostly packed and headed into town for some breakfast. I suggested MacDonalds because why the hell not. A bacon and egg mcmuffin and hashbrown hit the spot and we sadly knew we had to check out and head to the train station.

The train ride brought more episodes of Burn Notice. I LOVE YOU, MICHAEL WESTON! And we drank some wine and toasted to a great weekend away. I missed the Kid a lot but it was so important for the Husband and I to re-connect and spend some quality time together. We have been through hell and back and we are still together and that is something to be grateful for and to celebrate. There are times that we bicker and fight and get frustrated but if we can get through all that we have been through, I would like to think we are pretty unbreakable. Well, unless Michael Weston comes to town. I LOVE YOU, MICHAEL WESTON... Sorry.. I LOVE YOU, G!