Interestingly, the Austrians were totally oblivious to the existence and popularity of The Sound of Music as it was never screened in the country till recently. Hardly anyone in Austria (besides the tour guides) is familiar with the movie!

If you were to ask me for my honest opinion about the tour, I would say that save for the nuggets of historical information dished out by my humorous tour guide and the absolutely jaw dropping scenery, the tour was rather mundane because most of the attractions were out of bounds to visitors.

Much to my dismay, the famous gazebo where Liesl sang “Sixteen going on Seventeen” was locked and the majestic mansion where the Trapp family apparently lived could only be viewed from across a lake. I was even more disappointed to find out that the interior of the mansion in the movie was actually not authentic. The tour guide told us that Hollywood modelled it after the real mansion in Austria.

That moment of realization crushed me. I felt like a kid who just found out that Santa Claus never existed.

Nevertheless, the scenery was worth every bit of my time. Without this tour, I wouldn’t have ventured into the outskirts and stumbled upon the beautiful Mondsee Lake. Here are some of my favourite photos:

Gorgeous isn’t it? 🙂

Balm for the soul.

I was excited about visiting the Old Town because Mozart’s birthplace, otherwise known as Mozart’s Geburtshaus, lies right in the heart of the town. The yellow visage makes it almost impossible to miss.

Mozart’s musical talent was first discovered by his father, Leopold, who started grooming him when he was only 3 years of age, and this humble abode at Getreidegasse 9 was where Mozart spent most of his childhood with his family. The numerous artifacts displayed here also reflect the way of life in the 18th century. However, I much prefer Mozarthaus in Vienna as the information provided here relates more to the Mozart family rather than the composer himself.

Nevertheless,there is a rather obscure but quaint and well-decorated cafe on the second floor of Mozart’s Geburtshaus that I really like.

The food in Austria is generally tasty yet very affordable as compared to most European countries. My main course usually sets me back by about S$15 or at most S$20. I can’t remember what main course I had here, but it was probably pork with pasta. Doesn’t sound or look appetizing I know, but I swear it was good! The thing about meat dishes in Austria is that like the Chinese, the meat is always well-marinated, albeit with herbs and spices.

The meal at the cafe marked the end of my tour at Mozart Geburtshaus.

The Mozart family later shifted to a larger residence situated at Marketplatz in Salzburg and that has since been converted into a museum as well. But alas, I’ll be saving that for my next visit to Austria. 😉

Her relentless pursuit for freedom eventually cost her her life at age 60. An unfortunate twist of fate led to her tragic end while she was on holiday in Geneva. Her assassin was hoping to kill a prince from the House of Orleans, but turned his attention to Empress Sisi instead after her cover was blown in the local newspapers. She was stabbed in the heart.

Besides her penchant for freedom, Empress Sisi was also known for her beauty, fashion sense and her draconian diet and exercise regimen. She was extremely vain, as evidenced by her tireless efforts to preserve her beauty.

Vain as I am, I can never imagine taking half a day to wash my hair and spending another 3-4 hours just to style it. Well, but that was exactly what Empress Sisi did!

Incredible isn’t it?

She also stuck to a very strict regime to maintain her 20 inch waist. With Royce chocolates, Awfully Chocolate dark chocolate ice-cream and Best Fries Forever (YUMMY!!!) all within my reach, I can never imagine myself going on a diet.

Empress Sisi was also romanticized in many Hollywood films and musicals, the most famous being Sissi – Forever my Love. She was portrayed as a public figure in these films, but in reality, the Empress was anthrophobic and often went around town with a scarf shielding her face.

Here’s a short clip on Empress Sisi in the movie Sissi-Forever my Love. The song, I belong to me, is from the Empress Sissi musical.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Schönbrunn Palace also played a crucial role in Mozart’s life, as this was where he first performed at the tender age of 6 years old for Empress Maria Theresa and the rest of the Habsburg family. The performance became the talk of the town and set the stage for his meteoric rise to cult status!

It was here at the Schönbrunn Palace Orangery where many of his works were first performed and it was also rumoured that this was the place where Mozart and his adversary Antonio Salieri competed in a musical contest.

Given the significance of the venue, we had to secure tickets to the concert at the Orangery! We had a lovely time listening to the works of Mozart and Strauss in the company of opera singers and ballet dancers. To my surprise, even JW was thoroughly enthralled by the performance.

The famous contest between Mozart and Salieri was dramatically staged in the movie Amadeus and is one of the funniest scenes in the movie. I love it!

The traditional version is made of breaded veal and deep fried to perfection. Interestingly, the schnitzel resembles pork cutlet in many ways, except that it is thinner, flatter, much larger in size and crispier. The pork version is fast becoming a popular choice among diners as well.

Figlmueller is renowned for its great tasting Wiener Schnitzel and huge servings. It is crowded at all times of the day so reservations are a definite must.

The schnitzel and potato salad were so good that we just had to return for a second round of feasting during the later part of our trip!

Our first stop was Mozarthaus, the apartment where Mozart spent most of his golden years. Although Mozart was born in Salzburg, it was in this apartment in Vienna that he composed some of his greatest works, including famous operas such as the Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute. This apartment was also Mozart’s most expensive home as he acquired it at his peak when he was a fast-rising celebrity with considerable wealth.

I have always been a fan of classical music, probably due to my exposure to this particular genre of music during the most impressionable years of my life.

So there I was, in Mozart’s house, like an inquisitive little girl with endless questions about his life and his incredible works. I felt an immense sense of satisfaction after I completed the informative tour, which really quenched my thirst for knowledge. I gained insights into the series of events that had an impact on his works and achievements as well as the various people in his life who supported and believed in him, thereby leading to his success and ironically, his eventual downfall as well.

If you are interested, you can also read more about my love for classical music here. I’ll be very happy to hear from fellow classical music lovers, so do drop me a note if you’re one too! 🙂

In the mean time, here are some of Mozart’s immortal works for your listening and viewing pleasure!

For those of you who are interested to learn more about Mozart, you may also wish to watch the movie Amadeus for a quick introduction. Here’s a trailer that I found on youtube. 😉

As morbid as it sounds, the tune is strangely evocative of tragic love, where the couple is resigned to their fate and have finally found peace in death. The melancholic melody, especially in the solo piano section, is mysterious and dramatic yet inexplicably serene.

Several anecdotes revolving around the Sacher Torte have been circulated over the years, including speculations that the cake’s recipe, which remains a closely-guarded secret today, was later perfected by his son, Eduard. The cake was then sold at Demel Bakery and Hotel Sacher, a hotel founded by Eduard.

On the other hand, the apple strudel (another Viennese delicacy!) was a delight to savour. The Viennese love strudels and they sell it with various types of fillings. I chose the traditional apple strudel. Yummy!

What I loved most was the ambience of the cafe, which was largely attributed to the opulent baroque style furnishings, ornate wallpaper and ceiling fixtures. And there I was, sipping my favourite bitter lemon drink and nibbling on sweet treats in the lap of luxury. Talk about pure, unadulterated bliss!