Sunny Salzburg

October weather in Salzburg has been magnificent. Often sunny and highs in the 60s, I’ve been trying to get outside as much as I can before the Alpen winter sneaks in to the city. Though several days have been cursed with clouds, drizzle and a slight chill, we’ve been blessed this October. A couple of weeks ago I even packed away the few short-sleeve shirts I brought. I neatly folded them and placed them in my suitcase under my bed to let them hibernate through the winter and wake them in the spring. I immediately unpacked them a couple days later.

Beautiful weather lends itself to outdoor excursions. Last week my friends and I wandered up to Schloss Hellbrunn. Located in the southern part of Salzburg, Schloss Hellbrunn was built 1613-19 by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. The Schloss is surrounded by beautiful acreage and a well manicured garden. There are several look-out points in the surrounding area that one must put on their hiking shoes and trudge up the mountain to reach. Out of breath and stinging thighs about a quarter of the way up made me realize how out of shape I am again. Once at the point though, it’s worth the effort. The view is gorgeous and I snapped a few aerial shots of the city. Though it was a beautiful day, there was a gloom hanging in the distance and I didn’t quite get the photos I wanted. I’ll have to return to the Schloss Hellbrun anyway, not only because it’s a beautiful place, but because it’s next door neighbor is the Salzburg Zoo.

The trip to Schloss Hellbrunn made me vow to get back in shape and find a walking path nearby my student housing. Once again nice weather brings good reason to explore the outdoors. The sun shining, I pulled my work-out clothes from my closet and tied the laces on my pink and grey New Balance walking shoes and ventured out of my apartment. I didn’t even have to wander far before I found an actual walking/bike path near my home. Awesome! Even better is that the path is surrounded by trees on one side and a river on the other, nicely aligned with Austrian houses and mountains in the horizon. I’ve walked along this path everyday for a week now with my iPod headphones blaring, the trees, the river and the mountains… I feel as though I’m in heaven.

The week ended perfectly with an authentic Austrian dinner that my friend Birgit and her lovely friend Miriam spent hours in the kitchen preparing. The dish was called Mohnnudeln which is, from my understanding, a noodle made from a potato dough and covered with a sweet poppy seed topping. Not like a dressing, the poppy seed topping is dry and sticks to the thick, dough-like noodles. It was delicious. I shared this meal with my English friend Beth, my Austrian friends Birgit and Miriam and my new French companions who are full of life and are studying in Salzburg as well. We enjoy food, drink, laughter and a chance to practice German together. We hope to make this sort of gathering a habit.

I feel truly blessed to live in this beautiful city. I get to walk out my building everyday and gaze upon the green mountains kissed by the morning fog and watch the sun slowly strike the tops of the baroque-style rooftops. I can walk beside the serene Salzach river everyday and breathe in the crisp, cool air it whispers away. I meet new, lovely people from all over the world and learn a little bit about new places. I haven’t had the chance yet to be homesick, and I have no doubt that those moments will come. But, I also know that I will feel lucky to be here every day and never regret my decision to study in Salzburg.