Salzburg never disappoints.

Arriving here Wednesday evening, after a long trip - leaving Powell River on Tuesday morning - the weather has been sunny and pleasant. Sitting outside the next day having lunch we got our first ☀️ burns of the year, and shed our winter jackets from the morning.

Having been away since 2019, there have been many changes: seeing the absence of several traditional restaurants; people are concerned about world changes; the cost of living has gone up creating furrowed brows for many.

But I'm relieved as always to feel the peace that being in nature brings, as well as spending time with old friends and family. And, of course good meals and beverage.

The attached photos are from Salzburg Getreidegasse, Gaisberg Mountain, Augustiner Braustubl, and St Wolfgang.

Window shopping in the Getreidegasse

The family chocolate business

For anyone wondering what the heck a Bra-stubl is: a popular Salzburg "watering hole" - one of Austria's largest beer inns where one can join in the tradition of sipping beer sold in stone-made pitchers - the draught directly drawn from wooden barrels.

Roman (Pete's German friend) along with Pete and me

We, along with about a hundred other thirsty patrons, sipped our beverages underneath some very old chestnut trees in the garden enjoying the first whiff of spring. I imagine the stories, laughter and tears that those chestnut trees have held over the years.

And St. Wolfgang is not a saint - well there probably is one but for this reference it is a picturesque town (about 30 kms from Salzburg) perched on the shores of Wolfgang See in Salzgammergut (translation: Salzburg's mountainous lake region).

We are obviously enjoying our time and especially happy to be here before the onslaught of May tourists 😊.

Hope I haven't lost you yet with all the translations and pronunciations...these Germans and Austria's love their vowels and extensive use of the alphabet 😄. I'm embarrassed to admit that despite making several visits over the past 17 years I still am not able to speak this language. But I can always listen with my heart and the help of my very skilled translator ❤️ .