The Hills Are Alive Take 2

While in Austria I really wanted to get to a higher altitude on foot. In the small amount of unscheduled time during this weekend's festivities, Kevin and I headed out the door of our hotel and up into the surrounding mountains. The walk was relatively easy, given that it was along a farm road. But after an hour or so of walking up hill I certainly felt like I was out getting my exercise.

Even though the day was a bit overcast, the views were spectacular. The fresh air felt great, and the cows, sheep, and occasional farmer certainly left me feeling like Maria von Trapp. Is it any wonder then that I could resist twirling a time or two?

Fest Tracht: Dirndles and Lederhosen

This weekend Kevin and I had the honor of attending the wedding of one of Kevin's co-workers. This was the first European wedding that I've been invited to, and I was excited to see how it differs from a wedding in the U.S.

The wedding was held in Goldegg, Austria. The town is located about 60 kilometers (just under 40 miles) outside of Salzburg, Austria. Nestled in the Hohe Tauern, the highest in the Austrian Alps, it is a popular ski destination. It is also home to several wellness centers and where the bride's family has owned a weekend home for generations.

The event’s setting was truly idyllic: a medieval church overlooking a lake in the tiny town center followed by a cocktail reception at the adjoining castle. But, what made the event a true highlight of my European experience was the attire.

The invitation requested that guests wear "Fest Tracht," traditional Austrian (and Bavarian) dress. That meant dirndls for the women and lederhosen or steireranzug for the men. For those of you who don't know what these outfits are, picture Oktoberfest or the Sound of Music. I felt like I stepped out of the 21st century and into a timeless era where everyone was dressed movie-set perfect.

Tracht originally was the everyday clothing of rural people in Bavaria and the Alps. Made from cotton, wool, leather, and loden (a water-resistant material made from sheep's wool) tracht became popular "sportswear" for Austrian and Bavarians in the 19th century. The clothing is well suited for hunting and other outdoor pursuits. Today, tracht is still popular dress for weddings and other social and cultural events.

Dirndls consist of full skirts with an apron, white blouses, and a tight-fitting bodice. It's too bad women can't wear these ensembles ever day because every woman - old and young, fat and thin - looks good in a dirndl. They accentuate your chest and make your waist nice and skinny.

The men's outfits were equally impressive. Some men wore lederhosen, which literally translates as leather pants. They are full, knee-length or short trousers usually made from leather. The shorts are worn with wool socks. Some also include suspenders and ornate brackets going across the man's chest. The Steireranzug consisted mostly of long pants made of loden in grayish green. The jackets vary by region, but most of the men at this wedding had jackets with collars that stood up and a half belt that buttoned in the back.

Kevin and I received a "pass" from the bride and groom, and were told that it was okay to wear normal formal dress instead. Having been told that these outfits are rather expensive to purchase — a nice quality outfit can cost upward of several hundred Euros — and not knowing if a maternity dirndl is even an option, I figured that we would not be the only guests to forgo the tracht.

I was surprised that we — in a dark suit and party dress — were in the minority by a long shot. Out of the nearly 200 people at the wedding, I'd say over three quarters of the guests were dressed traditionally. When the dancing started and the floor was filled with people in their tracht doing a waltz it was really a site to behold.

Salzburg Bound

No time for a proper post this morning . . . I have to pack and get on the road. Expect to see plenty of lederhosen on Monday.

Back on the Road

Even though it feels like I just got home from Greece, I'm off again this weekend. This time I'm headed to the mountains outside of Salzburg, Austria for a wedding.

Kevin and I visited Salzburg over Christmas and it was beautiful -- but really cold. Despite the recent blast of Siberian air over Bonn (that's the truth, there is a cold front bring air from Siberia) I don't expect the same frigid temperatures this weekend.

Though cities are often travel destinations, I love weekends planned to explore a small town in the country. I am excited to see what the countryside looks like. Our hotel is on a lake surrounded by the Alps. Maybe I'll feel up to a hike. I certainly wont rule out the possibility of more Sound-of-Music running and twirling antics.

Austria Travel Guide

Note about driving to Austria: You need to purchase a driving pass to display on your windshield. The passes are available at most gas stations near the boarder. A pass costs €7.70 and is valid for 10 days.

Reutte
A small town located near the German boarder in Bavaria. It's a good place to spend the night while visited Neuschwanstein.

Accommodations

• Alpenhotel Erberg, Planseestrasse 50, 05672/71912. Plain, but comfortable, rooms with great views. Hiking and running trails near by. Really good food in the cozy restaurant. (See Oasis in the Snow, my post from December 26, 2007.)
  

Attractions

• See Schloss Neuschwanstein in Bavaria.
  
• For additional information about this town visit the region's English language tourist site.

Salzburg
Both Motzart and the Von Trapp Family called Salzburg home so this a very musical city. But, the picturesque winding streets ending in charming squares make this a must-see stop for even those who can't stand The Sound of Music.

Accommodations

• Hotel Stein, Giselakai 3-5 A. +43 662 8743460. I would stay if I wasn't trying to maintain my travel budget.
• Belmondo Hotel, St Julien Strasse 7. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the center of the city, but I wouldn't stay here again. The staff was rude and it wasn't as clean as I'd like.

Attractions

• Mozart Dinner Concert. Not the best food and quite touristy (everyone at our table was from the U.S.) but a good way to experience opera in Salzburg if you're with someone who's not willing to sit through an entire concert.
  
• There are many concerts in Salzburg all the time. For information , visit the Salzburger Concert Web site.
  
• Salzburg Dom. The main cathedral in Salzburg is worth a visit. Since we were there on Christmas Eve we attended midnight mass. The music was AMAZING!
• Sound of Music Tour. Rick Steves, surprisingliy, gives this tour a great review. Kevin would have killed me if we spent Christmas Day on a bus full of American tourists singing "Doe a Deer" though. I were in Slazburg with my sister we'd surely indulge in this tour.
  

Restaurants

• M32. Mönchsberg 0662/841000. Restaurant at the modern art museum overlooking the city. This restaurant was closed when I visited Salzburg (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). I am including it in my guide because it was highly recommended by an Austrian friend who has spent a great deal of time in Salzbug.
  
• The Steinterrace. Giselakai 3-5 A. +43 662 8743460. This is the rooftop bar at the Stein Hotel.
• Carpe Diem Finger Food. Getreidegasse 50. +43 (0)662 848800. Dinks and snakes. All of the the food comes in cones., hence the name.
  

Oasis in the Snow

Our Christmas trip has been great. Munich, Salzburg, and the German Alps meant a lot of site seeing in the cold though. Thankfully today we found solitude in the Austrian Alps.

Even though I had sworn off Rick Steve's (as in Rick Steve’s Travel Guides) restaurant recommendations we decided to give him one more chance. This decision came more from a lack of other choices than from confidence that he's steer us to something worth while. Well Rick, you've redeemed yourself.

The Alpenhotel in Ruette, Austria, near the German boarder in Bavaria was fantastic. Downstairs is a cozy little restaurant. The customers seemed to be split between locals and tourists – mostly who appeared to be in the area to ski. The room was cozy, with big tables and small tiled stoves keep the place extra warm.

The food was fantastic. Kevin had roasted goose and I have a pot of chicken, beef, and pork in a mushroom sauce. For dessert we had dumplings with chocolate sauce. I have to say this was one of the best meals we've had so far.

And the best part was, when we were ready to go back to our room, all we had to do was go upstairs! The next morning we went for a run on a small trail near the hotel. The views were awesome and my "winter in the Alps" fantasy was complete.

Now I am ready to head back north the Rhine Rive valley where the temperatures are warmer. Tomorrow we're going to spend the last day of our trip in Baden-Baden, an ancient spa town soaking in the thermal baths.

The Hills Are Alive

Christmas in Salzburg.

We decided that if we were not going to spend Christmas with our families, we should spend it in a storybook town in the Alps. The town lived up to my expectations, though I don't think it would be been necessary to spend more than two days site seeing here. Also, our hotel was a bit of a disappointment and we didn't have the most amazing food.

On the food front, I'll forgive the city. Not much was opened on Christmas Eve. We ate in a place that served both curry and traditional Austrian dishes. On Christmas we went to a Mozart concert and diner, the food was passable, but the music was better. It was very touristy. We sat at a table of Americans. It was nice, though, to be able to speak English comfortably for a little while though.

Of course for me – having seen the Sound of Music countless times – I had to re-enact the twirling scene from the beginning of the movie. Kevin was a good sport too, but I wont embarrass him by posting the photos of him running through the hills.