Tuesday

On the road... again. We got up early and hit the road. We programed the GPS for a more scenic route, and actually got to drive through some of the Black Forest. We had to stop at a gas station to purchase a special sticker for the car in order to legally enter Austria. We cruised right up to border patrol, got the nod from the dude with the AK-47, and cruised into Austria. We made it to Salzburg by early afternoon. This was just a stop and stretch your legs point for us. We walked over to the Schloss Mirabell and walked around the gardens. These are the gardens featured in "The Sound of Music" movie during the Doe-a-Deer song. They run around a big fancy fountain... that's in this Mirabell garden. We then took a buss/van tour of the city. It lasted about an hour. We left Salzburg at about 5pm and continued east to Vienna. Our hotel was right on the western edge of town, right across the street from Schloss Schonbrunn (palace). I parked under the hotel and had to take a car elevator to get to the garage. The elevator was a very tight fit for the car. The three of us started the giggles trying to get in and out of the elevator and get parked in a space. I think we were all glad to get to our room! Sonja and I went down to the hotel restaurant for a bite to eat, and Sonja experienced spatzle for the first time. Sonja likes spatzle! It's curled noodles in a stingy white cheese sauce. Really, it's about the most decadent bowl of mac and cheese you've ever tried. Two thumbs up!