(I apologize that I didn't get to write yesterday, it was a crazy day.)
I was last telling you about my claim ticket being a good thing, but alas it produced no results. So I was trying to keep calm while filling out the paper work about where I would be staying, what the suitcase looked like, etc, and then also when asking the information worker about how to get to Franz von Sales Kolleg in the southern part of town. Guess what? He had no idea. He just told me to take the #2 bus to Hauptbanhof and ask directions from there. "Great," I was thinking to myself. "He doesn't know where I am going anymore than I do!" SO I set off to wait for the bus. After about 5 minutes of trying to figure out how to buy a bus ticket from a broken machine, a man that I had seen in the airport baggage area also came up to me and asked me if I was attending the Orff-Institut, also. It turns out that his bag was lost as well and he was staying in the same building as me! He also had the proper directions to the Kolleg. Whew!
We finally boarded the bus, paid the driver and were on our way. Now keep in mind, this was at about 2:15 pm and we could not check in until 4pm. So we decided to kill some time at the main bus terminal and grab something to eat. We then waited for the next bus which took us to the reception area. We checked in and explained to the very patient reception clerk our baggage dillema and she offered to call the airport to check the status of our bags and give them our room numbers. Pablo's bag would be in that night she said, but they were not sure about mine. They could not find it yet. So, again I tried to maintain my composure, and asked her how late the stores were open. She said only until 6pm and now it was a little before 5. I booked up to the room, where I dropped off my few things and then I raced out the door to buy a few clothes and toiletries.
After returning that day, needles to say I was done for the night. I read to calm myself down and then went to sleep.
Pablo, the man that I met at the airport, is from Spain and a very nice person. I wanted to rent a bike to ride while staying here, as my room is about a 20-30 minute walk to the Orff-Institut. Pablo asked if he could come with, so after renting the bikes we decided to ride to find the Institut. The way that the reception clerk recommended was a beautiful path. After turning off of the main road, there is a side street that turns into a gravel road, which leads through a huge open meadow with a view of the Alps right behind. It is like something out of a movie...("The Sounds of Music" comes to mind... and for those who don't know, a lot of it was shot here in Salzburg, including the residence next to the Orff-Institut.)
The path continued to a tree linedgravel road with more gorgeous views, this was Hellbrunner Allee. After we found the Institut and made it back to the rooms, we started out for downtown Salzburg, finding out along the way that it would be as late as this evening before my suitcase would come, but there was no guarantee. I didn't care as long as it arrived.
Downtown Salzburg, or the old city, is beautiful and breathtaking. The Salzach River (or the Salt River,) runs through the middle and separates the old town from the new. I had found a self-guided walking tour in my guide book and we followed it.
It lead us through the Mozartplatz and through the old town square with its Romanesque fountain. Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed wandering through this city that was so important to music. I will post photos soon....
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