I left Salzburg last night at 8:10p.m. At midnight I was at my transfer point. I could never have imagined what was next. Some thoughts on last night...
WOW—Didn’t see this one coming. I just got on my night train to Milan and it is 12:37 a.m. The conductor shows me to my car. I’m bed #61. The door is locked. I knock on the door. Nothing. I knock again. Nothing. I knock a third time and the door slides open. A large black woman, with a fro, wearing silk pajamas answers. I thought, Oh F*CK, no way! Sure enough, this is my coachette. This is what I paid 120 euros for, good god!
As a peer in, there is nowhere to move because there is a huge stroller and suitcase on the floor between the 4 beds. In the upper two beds are two young girls. In my bed is a baby. In the other bed is Big ‘Ol Mama. I ask, “Is this my bed.” She responds, “Oh yes, yes” as she proceeds to move the baby. I throw my stuff at the end of the bed and ask if there are any sheets. “Oh yes,” says Big Mama. Mind you, there is NOWHERE to move so I’m in the hallway trying to do this. Like there isn’t a square inch of space to move. I toss my small bag and shoes at the end of the bed. After assembling my bed from outside the coach, I crawl over my bad and a stroller and get into my bed and wonder how the hell I am going to make it through the night.
12:10-Board
12:30-organize/lay down wondering what I'm in for tonight. Girl in the top bunk just looks at me and smiles.
1:00-baby cries
1:10-Sounds similar to a baby nursing coming from Big Mama's bed. I choose not to look or listen.
1:25-Voice of a little boy emerges form Big Mama's bed. I didn't know he was there. That means 4 adults, 1 baby, 1 5-year old, about 10 bags and a suitcase and stroller in a 6x6x10 coachette on a train that is either 400 degrees or freezing. People, are you following me?
1:35-I must go to a happy place or I might not survive the night. There is one and only one thing I can possibly do to get some rest and drown out ALL that is going on around me-Enter Celine Dion on my iPod. The angelic sounds are all that will do the trick.
2:00-I fall asleep
2:45-I awake to Big Mama grabbing my hand, "Sorry," as she tries to steady herself on a space with two kids and Big Mama, a space that barely fits me, an average sized man.
3:00-Our train stops on the tracks. At first this was ok because the A/C was still working, but it shuts on and off every 45 minutes. Minute 10/15-ok, Minute 40-NOT OK! We sat at this point for THREE hours. That's right people, we sat on the tracks until 5:30a.m.
4:15; 5:00-I wake to Big Mama snoring, enter Celine Dion again.
5:30-Train is still not moving and I begin to freak out, like getting claustrophobic. The A/C had not been on for 45 minutes, Big Mama is snoring and I'm trying as hard as I can to go to my happy place. Celine please take me to my happy place. The A/C is back on-thank God-I am able to fall asleep.
6:00-I hear the sounds of a nursing baby again. Big Mama caught my glance, it was awkward.
6:05-I hear men’s voices and I freak. When I got on the train a man in a blue shirt, smoking, took my ticket. I was tired and didn’t think anything of it. Now I start to create scenarios in my head. Maybe he didn’t have ticket and pretended to be a worker so he could take my ticket. Now we are at the boarder crossing and they are going to kick me off the train, or even worse arrest me, for not having my ticket. I just kept quiet and still. Not even Celine can help me with this situation.
6:15-the train begins moving. I see the man in the blue shirt approach our door to tell Big Mama and the kids that they have the next stop. This is why he took our tickets. Ah! Big Mama opens the shades. Now that I know I'm not trying to hideout at a stowaway, I'm better.
6:30-One of the top bunk girls asks where I'm from. She was from South Africa and very glad to miss the World Cup. Big Mama, also from South Africa, has adorned her head with a scarf and put on a top over the silk pjs. The kids are dressed and they depart the train. Now I am left with girl from India who speaks little English. I gathered that she is studying in Italy.
All said and done, Big Mama was very nice and very apologetic when the baby cried. However, that initial moment when she slid the door open, with her easy smile and fro, was like I was getting on a bud with live chickens. I wasn't sure how I would handle it. In fact, two of my dear friends, in that moment crossed my mind. First, my friend Lesley. If you know her well you know that look that would have come over her face when she saw Big Mama, a baby, 2 girls, all the luggage, and no where to move. Then Jeremy came across my mind because he wouldn't be caught DEAD in this situation. I on the other hand dove in and took it for was it was-an experience.
I'm now in Lake Como on George Clooney watch. I'll let you know if we become BFFs. Tonight I did however become BFFs with my waiter and his boss. I was alone, obviously, at dinner. The waiter helped me order some wine and I ordered ravioli in butter sauce-Unreal! Then I ordered linguine with clams. He looked at me and said, "That's two pastas." I said, "I'm American, we like carbs." He laughed. Then proceeded, with his boss, to bring me limoncello as an after dinner drink, on the house. They were very nice.
As I was sitting at dinner I was writing in my journal, the same one I took to Peru two years ago. I started to read that today, June 29th, was the day I went to Machu Picchu and met the kids at the festival. I guess June 29th is some sort of special day in my life, one with unknowing and remarkable life experiences.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
A Boy Can Only Eat So Much Sausage
A few thoughts on Salzburg:
-What a beautiful, small town that I bet is even more stunning in the winter.
-2 days would be enough
-It doesn't get dark until 10 p.m.
-I forgot that Euros smoke so much.
-Austrians hate Germany
-Sometimes you have a choose a restaurant based on the hotness of the waiter-dinner win!
-Hotel Chimesee was charming!
-There is only so much sausage a boy can eat. Beer-good; pretzals-good; food-not so good.
-Cafe Tomeselli for p.m. coffee and dessert-excellent!
-For such a small town there are a crap load of churches(funded by the white "gold" salt).
-Salzburg is not as mountainous as I thought it would be.
-There must be a kid singing convention or something. There are groups of elementary aged and teens who just stop in the middle of the street and begin singing. People stop and applaud which only encourages this behavior. These kids, typically not with an adult(the teens), came off as, "we're teens and think we're really cool and so we're just going to stop everything right now and sing." It was annoying.
-Men and women really do wear lederhosen and drindhals, and to think I left my von Trapp lederhosen at home-packing fail!
-Sometimes getting on a train is a leap of faith. You never quite know if it is the correct train or not.
-"Auf Wiederseian" (Good-bye) is fun to say.
-What a beautiful, small town that I bet is even more stunning in the winter.
-2 days would be enough
-It doesn't get dark until 10 p.m.
-I forgot that Euros smoke so much.
-Austrians hate Germany
-Sometimes you have a choose a restaurant based on the hotness of the waiter-dinner win!
-Hotel Chimesee was charming!
-There is only so much sausage a boy can eat. Beer-good; pretzals-good; food-not so good.
-Cafe Tomeselli for p.m. coffee and dessert-excellent!
-For such a small town there are a crap load of churches(funded by the white "gold" salt).
-Salzburg is not as mountainous as I thought it would be.
-There must be a kid singing convention or something. There are groups of elementary aged and teens who just stop in the middle of the street and begin singing. People stop and applaud which only encourages this behavior. These kids, typically not with an adult(the teens), came off as, "we're teens and think we're really cool and so we're just going to stop everything right now and sing." It was annoying.
-Men and women really do wear lederhosen and drindhals, and to think I left my von Trapp lederhosen at home-packing fail!
-Sometimes getting on a train is a leap of faith. You never quite know if it is the correct train or not.
-"Auf Wiederseian" (Good-bye) is fun to say.
Climb Every Mountain
"Climb every mountain, ford every stream, Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream!"
Well, I finally did it. I went on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, Austria. While you were back home celebrating PRIDE, I was following "every RAINBOW"and boy was it fun. I did the tour but I also found some places on my own and of course we sang along the way on the bus.
"I Have Confidence"
The scene when Maria sings and ends up at the gate of the von Trapp residence was filmed on this path. It leads to neither of the houses used in Salzburg as exterior shots of the house. Remember she has her suitcase and guitar? You remember...
Next we saw the gazebo for "16 going on 17" and "Something Good". This is the one from the exterior shot of the house on the lake. The scenes were actually shot in Hollywood and a much bigger replica was used. This has now been moved to a public museum/palace in Salzburg for all to enjoy at the original house is now a hotel.
On our way to the third stop we went past the exterior house that was used for Maria to ring the doorbell at the end of "I Have Confidence" and when they were rolling the car out at the end of the movie. I didn't get to take a picture. Then we got to the exterior house used for the scene when the kids fall into the water and when they are on the terrace having drinks and I believe also when Maria returns to them.
We got to see the Abby from afar but I didn't get a good shot. They only part of the movie that was actually shot here and not on a soundstage in Hollywood is when the kids come to the gate. The picture isn't worth posting.
Finally on the tour is the church where the Captain and Maria get married. You never see the outside in the movie but it is set in a huge tourist destination of sorts. The inside is beautiful.
We also saw a lake that appears in the opening sequence. It has two boats on it I believe before Julie Andrews begins to sing, "The Hills are alive..."
That was the tour, then I added a few things that I found on my own.
Remember in "Do-Re-Mi" they are by a fountain? I was walking through the Mirabell Gardens on my first day and was like, "Oh, this is the fountain."
Also in "Do-Re-Mi" or is it "My Favorite Things" when they are riding bikes? This is the bridge they go over.
I think my favorite find is from the scene at the end when they are escaping and Ralph finds them in the cemetery. This is at St. Peter's church which was right by my hotel.
The filmed in May and June and apparently it rains a lot. I had 3 days of sun, which is rare. When I was on the salt mines tour, our guide pointed out where Maria actually sang the opening scene. This was the final scene shot before returning to Hollywood to complete all the inside shots. They were in Salzburg for 11 weeks and it was supposed to be a 6 week shoot, due to weather. In the photo you can see a little green patch in the middle of darker trees. This is actually in Germany, not Austria, for this scene.
Did you know that the real Family von Trapp didn't escape by climbing over the mountain? They actually hopped a train to Italy to escape and the oldest child was a boy, not a girl and he was more like 27 than 17.
I didn't "Solve a problem like Maria" but I did "Climb every mountain' on my Sound of Music tour. It was fabulous!
Well, I finally did it. I went on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, Austria. While you were back home celebrating PRIDE, I was following "every RAINBOW"and boy was it fun. I did the tour but I also found some places on my own and of course we sang along the way on the bus.
"I Have Confidence"
Next we saw the gazebo for "16 going on 17" and "Something Good". This is the one from the exterior shot of the house on the lake. The scenes were actually shot in Hollywood and a much bigger replica was used. This has now been moved to a public museum/palace in Salzburg for all to enjoy at the original house is now a hotel.
On our way to the third stop we went past the exterior house that was used for Maria to ring the doorbell at the end of "I Have Confidence" and when they were rolling the car out at the end of the movie. I didn't get to take a picture. Then we got to the exterior house used for the scene when the kids fall into the water and when they are on the terrace having drinks and I believe also when Maria returns to them.
We got to see the Abby from afar but I didn't get a good shot. They only part of the movie that was actually shot here and not on a soundstage in Hollywood is when the kids come to the gate. The picture isn't worth posting.
Finally on the tour is the church where the Captain and Maria get married. You never see the outside in the movie but it is set in a huge tourist destination of sorts. The inside is beautiful.
We also saw a lake that appears in the opening sequence. It has two boats on it I believe before Julie Andrews begins to sing, "The Hills are alive..."
That was the tour, then I added a few things that I found on my own.
Remember in "Do-Re-Mi" they are by a fountain? I was walking through the Mirabell Gardens on my first day and was like, "Oh, this is the fountain."
Also in "Do-Re-Mi" or is it "My Favorite Things" when they are riding bikes? This is the bridge they go over.
I think my favorite find is from the scene at the end when they are escaping and Ralph finds them in the cemetery. This is at St. Peter's church which was right by my hotel.
The filmed in May and June and apparently it rains a lot. I had 3 days of sun, which is rare. When I was on the salt mines tour, our guide pointed out where Maria actually sang the opening scene. This was the final scene shot before returning to Hollywood to complete all the inside shots. They were in Salzburg for 11 weeks and it was supposed to be a 6 week shoot, due to weather. In the photo you can see a little green patch in the middle of darker trees. This is actually in Germany, not Austria, for this scene.
Did you know that the real Family von Trapp didn't escape by climbing over the mountain? They actually hopped a train to Italy to escape and the oldest child was a boy, not a girl and he was more like 27 than 17.
I didn't "Solve a problem like Maria" but I did "Climb every mountain' on my Sound of Music tour. It was fabulous!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
The Hills Are Alive
Maria is definitely in the air. Within minutes of arriving in Salzburg, I felt the presence of Maria and the Sound of Music. I’m not being dramatic either, well maybe a little, but in all seriousness, the church bells were ringing and it just felt like the Sound of Music. Salzburg is small and quaint. My mission today was to stay up. At present I have been up for 27 ½ hours with only a couple hours of poor sleep on the plane. I remember 11 years ago dragging really bad, but this time it hasn’t been too bad. I’m super tired, but I managed to stay up. I’m going to call it quits in a few but am hoping to stay up for 28 hours so that tomorrow I’ll be on European time.
While trying to stay awake, I nearly walked the entire city. I went to get my tickets for the Sound of Music tour and the salt mines. Then I headed to the train to get my overnight ticket to Lake Como. That is going to be a hell of a trip. It is 13 hours with two transfers. I hope Lake Como is worth it because getting there is hell. After I had my ticket I went to the Mirabell Gardens, which is where they filmed part of “Do-Re-Me” in The Sound of Music. I sat there for a while and then just walked around. I found where Mozart lived as a kid. During my day I thought I had a Wynonna sighting but when I broke out “Love Can Build a Bridge” (a Judd classic) and she didn’t flinch I knew it wasn’t her. Damn!
For lunch I happened upon this place called Sternbrau, a place I had marked in my book. I will definitely return in the next couple of days. I looked at what they had and picked from the counter. I saw a sausage that looked good, a pretzel, and some potato pancakes. What an Austrian meal, right? I cut into the sausage and this gooy liquid came out. At first I was going to be grossed out but like bugs in Thailand and guinea pig in Peru, I must try the local delicacy. I bit in and it wasn’t bad so I took another bite and discovered the gooey deliciousness was CHEESE!!! These Austrians know how to do it. You know those hotdogs you can get infused with cheese? Yeah, these are like that but authentic and 100 times better. Dinner wasn’t nearly as good. I had cheese that smelled like butt, but it was good. I then had goulash. This is totally different than what my mom used to make up. There were no noodles and big chucks of meat, not hamburger.. I didn’t much care for it, but again, it was very Austrian.
After dinner I walked around trying to stay up, which is where I am right now, typing, trying to stay up. Tomorrow is the Sound of Music tour and I hope to “solve a problem like Maria” believe me.
p.s. 1 year ago today Michael Jackson died. They are having a tribute on the television right now. His celebrity spanned the world over.
p.p.s. I've been looking for internet all over this place. I followed signs for "WIFI" and it was a young, hit bar with the college kids, but internet. They looked at me as if a foreigner when I asked. (insert laughter) Then I saw a sign for "Mode Am" and thought it would work, alas, a clothing store.
While trying to stay awake, I nearly walked the entire city. I went to get my tickets for the Sound of Music tour and the salt mines. Then I headed to the train to get my overnight ticket to Lake Como. That is going to be a hell of a trip. It is 13 hours with two transfers. I hope Lake Como is worth it because getting there is hell. After I had my ticket I went to the Mirabell Gardens, which is where they filmed part of “Do-Re-Me” in The Sound of Music. I sat there for a while and then just walked around. I found where Mozart lived as a kid. During my day I thought I had a Wynonna sighting but when I broke out “Love Can Build a Bridge” (a Judd classic) and she didn’t flinch I knew it wasn’t her. Damn!
For lunch I happened upon this place called Sternbrau, a place I had marked in my book. I will definitely return in the next couple of days. I looked at what they had and picked from the counter. I saw a sausage that looked good, a pretzel, and some potato pancakes. What an Austrian meal, right? I cut into the sausage and this gooy liquid came out. At first I was going to be grossed out but like bugs in Thailand and guinea pig in Peru, I must try the local delicacy. I bit in and it wasn’t bad so I took another bite and discovered the gooey deliciousness was CHEESE!!! These Austrians know how to do it. You know those hotdogs you can get infused with cheese? Yeah, these are like that but authentic and 100 times better. Dinner wasn’t nearly as good. I had cheese that smelled like butt, but it was good. I then had goulash. This is totally different than what my mom used to make up. There were no noodles and big chucks of meat, not hamburger.. I didn’t much care for it, but again, it was very Austrian.
After dinner I walked around trying to stay up, which is where I am right now, typing, trying to stay up. Tomorrow is the Sound of Music tour and I hope to “solve a problem like Maria” believe me.
p.s. 1 year ago today Michael Jackson died. They are having a tribute on the television right now. His celebrity spanned the world over.
p.p.s. I've been looking for internet all over this place. I followed signs for "WIFI" and it was a young, hit bar with the college kids, but internet. They looked at me as if a foreigner when I asked. (insert laughter) Then I saw a sign for "Mode Am" and thought it would work, alas, a clothing store.
Let the travels begin!
June 25, 2010
*I wrote this on my computer but am just getting a chance to post now.*
What I like about traveling is the excitement. For as much as one prepares not to rush before leaving for a trip, one always finds a way to be late. I woke up today and put the final touches on my packing. My bag is WAY too heavy. I rushed out the door and to the bus. Once on the bus we got stopped because of fire trucks. We waited and waited. I began to get the first stages of panic-sweating. Our bus driver was a rock star and made it through some parking lot and back in business. It ended up being fine and I was on my way to O’Hare.
It was a good sign standing in the ticket line at Lufthansa when the nun took her spot behind me. A huge smile took its place on my face and I giggled a little. I’m sure she is coming with me to help “solve a problem like Maria.” Did I sing the song in my head at that moment? Of course I did! Once I got to the ticket line, my ticketing took only 2 minutes. The ticket agent must have thought I was cute because he placed a yellow “HOT” sticker on my bag. ; ) No explanation was given so I’m sure that is it.
I made it through security in 5 minutes with plenty of time to spare when an older gentleman approached me. He spoke no English and showed me his ticket for Minneapolis. I couldn’t find his departure gate anywhere on the screen. We went to customer service, which was only phones, and I knew that wouldn’t help him, so I finally found the gate where his plane was supposed to depart. It was gone or at least the doors were closed. He showed me something written in English that said he was going to Minneapolis to teach. I think he was from St. Petersburg, Russia. I finally found an agent to help him. I hope he makes it and I hope my help is good karma for the trip.
The flight to Frankfurt was smooth, leaving on-time and landing on-time, although the technology on the Lufthansa flight was circa 1990 and the monkey sitting behind me bugged. Seriously, kids, in this case a teenager, should not be allowed to travel without parental supervision. My seat was kicked and tugged on the entire 7 hours. I seriously thought there was a monkey sitting behind me. The last straw was when she kept putting her foot on my armrest and it kept touching my back and arm. Good thing seemingly clean feet don’t bother me. Overall, for an international carrier, I expected more. Lufthansa-airline fail!
I helped a lady on my flight to Salzburg carry her bag. Sometimes I can’t get over what a nice guy I am. ;)
I have complied a list of things you want me to find out.
For Kristin, I will try my best to discover “how to solve a problem like Maria.”
For Jessica, it will be at the top of my list of things to do in Rome to find out what exactly they mean by, “when in Rome.”
For Jen, I will create a “sting-like” operation in Rome to catch the gypsies perhaps using the time-tested method of a deck of cards in the back pocket as if a wallet.
For Jeremy and Rob, well, you know what I will try to do for you. ; )
For me, and the reason I am heading to Salzburg first, is to discover if the hills really are “alive.” 11 years ago I missed the opportunity to travel to Salzburg and I said then that the next time I’m in Europe I will take the Sound of Music Tour. I’ll keep you all posted.
Happy Travels!
*I wrote this on my computer but am just getting a chance to post now.*
What I like about traveling is the excitement. For as much as one prepares not to rush before leaving for a trip, one always finds a way to be late. I woke up today and put the final touches on my packing. My bag is WAY too heavy. I rushed out the door and to the bus. Once on the bus we got stopped because of fire trucks. We waited and waited. I began to get the first stages of panic-sweating. Our bus driver was a rock star and made it through some parking lot and back in business. It ended up being fine and I was on my way to O’Hare.
It was a good sign standing in the ticket line at Lufthansa when the nun took her spot behind me. A huge smile took its place on my face and I giggled a little. I’m sure she is coming with me to help “solve a problem like Maria.” Did I sing the song in my head at that moment? Of course I did! Once I got to the ticket line, my ticketing took only 2 minutes. The ticket agent must have thought I was cute because he placed a yellow “HOT” sticker on my bag. ; ) No explanation was given so I’m sure that is it.
I made it through security in 5 minutes with plenty of time to spare when an older gentleman approached me. He spoke no English and showed me his ticket for Minneapolis. I couldn’t find his departure gate anywhere on the screen. We went to customer service, which was only phones, and I knew that wouldn’t help him, so I finally found the gate where his plane was supposed to depart. It was gone or at least the doors were closed. He showed me something written in English that said he was going to Minneapolis to teach. I think he was from St. Petersburg, Russia. I finally found an agent to help him. I hope he makes it and I hope my help is good karma for the trip.
The flight to Frankfurt was smooth, leaving on-time and landing on-time, although the technology on the Lufthansa flight was circa 1990 and the monkey sitting behind me bugged. Seriously, kids, in this case a teenager, should not be allowed to travel without parental supervision. My seat was kicked and tugged on the entire 7 hours. I seriously thought there was a monkey sitting behind me. The last straw was when she kept putting her foot on my armrest and it kept touching my back and arm. Good thing seemingly clean feet don’t bother me. Overall, for an international carrier, I expected more. Lufthansa-airline fail!
I helped a lady on my flight to Salzburg carry her bag. Sometimes I can’t get over what a nice guy I am. ;)
I have complied a list of things you want me to find out.
For Kristin, I will try my best to discover “how to solve a problem like Maria.”
For Jessica, it will be at the top of my list of things to do in Rome to find out what exactly they mean by, “when in Rome.”
For Jen, I will create a “sting-like” operation in Rome to catch the gypsies perhaps using the time-tested method of a deck of cards in the back pocket as if a wallet.
For Jeremy and Rob, well, you know what I will try to do for you. ; )
For me, and the reason I am heading to Salzburg first, is to discover if the hills really are “alive.” 11 years ago I missed the opportunity to travel to Salzburg and I said then that the next time I’m in Europe I will take the Sound of Music Tour. I’ll keep you all posted.
Happy Travels!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
11 years later, a return to Europe
After 11 years I'm excited to get back to Europe. I hope you follow my adventures as I find out if the hills really are "alive", if George Clooney invites me in for a drink, if indeed a consistent wine buzz helps calm my nerves as I tour my family around Italy for 2 weeks and if my college friends and I can eat and drink our way through Paris and London. It's shaping up to be a pretty fantastic trip.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
What I did for spring break
While celebrity stalking and generally taking in the best city in the world, New York, I made a little promotional commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5-86mKixZc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rockofagesmusical.com%2Freactions.php&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5-86mKixZc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rockofagesmusical.com%2Freactions.php&feature=player_embedded
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