Salzburg was the next stop on our tour through Bavaria. Like most tourists, the main draw of Salzburg was the Sound of Music tour to have an excuse to have sing along with 100+ adults and it did not disappoint. Before meeting the tour group, we stopped in a cafe for a pastry and coffee and I immediately knew that Austrian coffee was much better than whatever we had been drinking in Munich. I even made friends with two retired gentlemen sitting besides up. On the trip I realized that living in Florida was an easy conversation starter because it is one of the few states that most have heard of or have even been too (hello Orlando, Miami and West Palm) and suprisingly people had heard of Tallahassee which blew my mind. 

And then we were off on our morning bus ride through town and the Lake District with stops to see the Abbey, the house(s) used in the film and the church from the wedding scene. The Lake District was unbelievably quaint and surrounded by mountains in all directions. Apfel strudle and coffee made for the perfect pick me up in Mondsee. 

Once we returned to Salzburg, after touring the gardens, we walked to the city center for a quick walking tour. I loved how the city was set up in squares and you could wander from one to the next getting lost in the maze. Snacks along the way included my first currywurst of the trip and a stop at the Augustiner beer hall to end the day.

There were a lot of tourists in Salzburg and most were in large tour groups which were hard to maneuver around. Also, walking is pretty much the only way to get around Salzburg so by the early afternoon my feet were not happy. Samantha and I took the train up to the top of the fortress to take in the views, which was well worth the cost. 

It's been pretty much decided that this Labor Day while everyone else is enjoying a day out on the lake, Samantha and I will be living out our dream of becoming a von Trapp. Seven days spent traipsing through the Bavarian Alps on a diet of bratzel and melted cheese is my idea of the perfect vacation. I'm still trying to come up with the perfect hashtag for the trip so said people out on their boats can follow along and realize how their vacation pales in comparison. 

To prepare for this adventure, I'm reading up on all of the Austrian Wars of Succession, and when that gets a little dull and/or confusing without the help of a timeline, I'm filling in the gaps by reading The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki. Side note: The Meet the Habsburgs promotional photoshoot Sarah and Kiel were a part of is kind of my favorite thing ever.

The week's tentative agenda will include visits to: 

Flickr Creative Commons | Rossella Di Maria

Neuschwanstein Castle - Because who doesn't want to pretend to be Cinderella for a little while? Plus, the hike up the hill to the castle will help burn off some of the calories from my strict bratzel, cheese and streusel diet. 

Munich Olympic Park - I'm obsessed with the Olympics, which more than likely stems from my severe lack of any sort of athletic ability, so I'm looking forward to exploring the site of the 1972 summer games.

Flickr Creative Commons | Christian Scheja

Dachau - In high school english, we did an extended lesson on Holocaust history, and although I know that this will be an extremely sobering experience, I think it will help to give a frame of reference to all of the books and history lessons I've read through on the subject.

Pinakothek Museum - The Pinakothek is one of the oldest art galleries in the world and houses one of the most famous collections of Old Master paintings (according to Wikipedia). I'm a master of the "stare - stand back - sigh" method of observing art and in my mind it makes me look like an art expert.

Flickr Creative Commons | amador_emmanuel34

Sound of Music tour - To fulfill my dream of being Leisel. That is all.

Mönchsberg Walk - According to Rick Steves, the Mönchsberg Walk is the "hills are alive" stroll you can enjoy in the heart of Salzburg. And who am I to argue with Rick Steves?

Flickr Creative Commons | Donald Windley

Munich Residenz - This former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs of the House of Wittelsbach is the largest city palace in Germany. This will act as a point of comparision to the many palaces of the Habsburgs in Vienna.

Flickr Creative Commons | Iker

Everything related to the Habsburgs - Castles, artwork, more palaces, armour, musical instruments, ancient Greek statues, I want to see it all. To include, but not limited to, the Hofburg Imperial Apartments, Hofburg Treasury, Schönbrunn Palace (because everyone needs a summer palace as well) and the Hofburg New Palace Museums.

Cathedrals - Not to brag or anything, but my semester in Paris made me an expert on gothic cathedral architecture. Seriously, I could talk about apses, narthexes and naves for hours. I preferred the French and British cathedrals to the Italian (which are the Real Housewives of New Jersey of cathedrals) and I'm looking forward to compare the German style as well.

My passport is sitting, gathering dust in my safe. It's time that it is broken out again. Samantha and I are in the beginning stages of planning our next great adventure. I can't be more excited about it. It started as a Nordic adventure through the fjords of Finland, Norway and Sweden and then we decided that since we missed out on the Sound of Music tour when we were studying abroad, it needed to be bumped up to the top of the list. 

Salzburg than turned into a Germany and Austria trip through the alps. On the (tentative) agenda is Munich, Neuschwanstein, Garmisch, Salzburg and Vienna. I will simultaneously be Heidi, Julie Andrews and a Hapsburg waltzing around Vienna.

Next October cannot come soon enough. I have forgotten how much I missed planning elaborate vacations. The hardest part is narrowing down just where in the world I want to go. On the one hand, I want to throw a dart and go wherever it lands. But on the other hand, I have kept an ever-growing list of wanderlust that needs to be checked off.

And now the real fun begins.

First on my list: Pick the perfect hashtag for the trip. 

Second: Start learning German. Duolingo will be my new best friend.

Third: Refresh my memory on the dozens of wars of Austrian succession.

And now I need your help: Have you visited Bavaria, Salzburg or Vienna? What would you recommend to eat/see/do there?