After an enjoyable weekend with the Sillabers, it was time to head for Vienna for Roger's conference. However, we made a stopover in Salzburg to take the Sound of Music tour since this is Peggy's all time favorite movie. We first went to downtown Innsbruck to see a parade related to Tirolean history and the defense of the area against Napolean and the like. Each area of Innsbruck has its own regiment with colorful costumes. Then we headed out to Salzburg where we waited in the Mirabell gardens for the tour to start. Alfons picked us up at the last stop on the tour and then we headed for Vienna. Along the way, we saw some more castles, beautifully-maintained farmland, and modern wind turbines.

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View of the Sillaber's garden. Blue building was built to house the Olympic athletes.

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Back of Sillaber's House. Notice blinds that come down on the outside of the windows. Raised and lowered electrically.

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Marble staircase, Sillaber house

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Alfons outside one of his substations

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Innsbruck scene

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Reviewing the troops. This day was a special day honoring Tyrolian history.

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Another unit

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Stil Another unit

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The crowd gathers for the parade

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The mayor singing the Tyrolean hymn

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Band playing

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Scene from Innsbruck

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These guys have cool uniforms

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I have a hat like this, but I guess I need a bigger feather.

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Nice plumes

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Office for IKB (Alfons' office)

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Sound of Music cow

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Salzburg

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Taking a rest in Mirabell gardens

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At Mirabell gardens. In the Sound of music, Maria leads the kids up these steps jumping and singing. There is a WC to the right.

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This statue of Pegasus at Mirabell appears in the Sound of Music where Maria and the kids go dancing and singing around the rim

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Some scenes in the Sound of Music were filmed here in Mirabell gardens.

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This arch appears in the Sound of Music -- Maria and the kids run through it toward the camera

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Peggy and Alfons take a rest at Mirabell gardens while waiting for the Sound of Music tour

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Mirabell Gardens

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Mirabell Gardens (Mirabell was reportedly constructed for the mistress of an Archbishop! - see http://www.exulanten.com/wolf.html)

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Our tour bus

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They have these in America, too

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It was a hot day in Salzburg and folks were cooling off

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The horse gates leading to the lake.

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The outdoor balcony where the Captain supposedly looked longingly at Maria and broke it off with the Baroness.

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Close up of fortress on the hill

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This house built for an Archbishop was used as the model for the back of the house in the Sound of Music. Salzburg fortress in the background. This view of the house is never shown in the movie. Another nearby house was used (it was a different color). A replica of the gates on the lake was made at another place on the lake. This is where the scenes looking out onto the lake were shot. Nevertheless, many people recognize this as the "Sound of Music" house -- possibly, due to publicity photos.

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Swan and swanlets

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View seen from the back of the house

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This is the gazebo that appeared in the Sound of Music. Now at a public park

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Here we are in front of the gazebo

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This is the path where Maria gets off the bus and skips down the lane. Of course, a lot of people had to imitate it.

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Imitating Maria skipping

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The abbey in town as seen through the bus window.

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The monastery where Herr Detweiler claimed to hear the choir singing. Had to have pretty good ears. The car the were riding in was supposedly in Mondsee (although it looks like one of those fake Hollywood car scenes to me) a good distance off. This is in downtown Salzburg.

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Typical village along the way.

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Beautiful rolling countryside.

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Roger heading up the mountain to take a quick ride down the stainless steel track. Forgot to take the second ride.

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Near one of the areas where opening scenery in the movie was shot.

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Nice house in the mountains

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At the top of this mountain is a restaurant with a cog train that goes to the top. You can see them hanging out of the train in the when Maria takes the children on a train ride

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Some of the movie was filmed on the top of this mountain -- either the Do-Re-Mi scene or the opening sequence when Maria is dancing around the top of the mountain

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This lake (Wolfgang) and church show up prominently in the movie. The movie makes you believe that Maria ran to this church after hearing the bells ringing. A really long way! 10 km (6 mi) I think. Good athlete and good ears! I think Mozart's mother was born here. This is St. Gilgen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Gilgen).

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View of the lake at St; Gilgen used for some of the scenery shots and some filming locations

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Close up of the restaurant at the top of the mountain that has a cog railway leading up to it.

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This mountain at Mondsee appears in the background to some of the shots when they were driving in the car.

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Church in Mondsee where they filmed part of the wedding scene

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Inside the church at Mondsee (under renovation -- so we couldn't get to the elevated gold altar where the Captain and Maria were wed in the movie.)

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Artwork in the church at Mondsee

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Pipe organ in the church at Mondsee. Check out the movie, it is in there.

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Another palace or castle or monastery on the way to Vienna. Not sure which.

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Quite a paint job on this farm house.

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Wind farm on the way to Vienna

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Note green paint on bottom of wind turbine.