It's 11.00am on Wednesday 8th May. I had hoped to join a tour to Bratislava (The capital of the Czech Republic) but I've been struggling with cramp in my calf muscles so have decided to rest up before we arrive in Budapest tomorrow. Never mind it's rather damp and cold outside today and at least it gives me a chance to catchup with the postings to the Blog!
By contrast our visit to Salzburg last Sunday was bathed in sunshine and it was a real joy to see the city on a quiet day provided of course you kept out of the of the bikes.
The final part of the drive over the hills was spectacular for there before us were the snow-covered peaks of the Alps and right ahead I could see the Zugspitze, the mountain I had visited way back in 1970 on my Postbus adventure along the Bavarian Alps. The day back then had also been sunny and warm and at the peak of the mountain I could see for miles along the Alps in all directions and a warm feeling of nostalgia floods over me as I recall that day.
I also recall that the morning of that day back in the 70s had not been so successful since I had tried to climb up to Hitler's Eagles Nest. I think I decided it was going to take too long before my next ride – well that's my excuse!! I have just Googled Hitler's Eagles Nest and I'm not surprised I didn't make it to the peak since it's a climb of 800ft and I was wearing a pair of leather boots – none of your Hi-Tec gear of today. Yes, yes another excuse I hear you cry!!
Hitler's Eagle's Nest is a Nazi-constructed building erected atop the summit of the Kehlstein, a rocky outcrop that rises above Obersalzberg near the southeast German town of Berchtesgaden. Although I could see Kehllstein it was some distance to the west and I now remember that it was from Berchtesgaden that I had begun my journey all those years ago.
It was a very enjoyable visit to Salzburg and it's difficult to do justice to this visit in words alone and yet I have shown you so many photos of historic buildings that showing a few more photos will still not be enough. So, I'm going to take a different approach in this post.
The history of Salzburg is not so different from all the Medieval Cities that I have visited on this cruise i.e. founded on or before Roman times, developed into Prince Bishoprics under the control of the Holy Roman Empire and eventually after conflict and popular uprisings gaining independence and the ability to trade freely, no longer under the control of the Prince Bishops.
I don't know if it was in Regensburg or Salzburg that the penny finally dropped that an Archbishops Palace is close by in Charing! (A village some 3 miles from Pluckley for my non-local readers) According to Charing History Society "Charing's greatest historical asset is 'The Archbishop's Palace', in the grounds of which stands a private residence, 'Palace Farm', just off the Market Place. To the right of the Farmhouse itself, is a barn, which was originally the Great Hall."
I'm going to indulge myself here because I have never visited or taken more than a passing interest in this important historical site so a few more facts to educate myself. Wikipedia tells me that the Archbishop's Palace, Charing, dates back to the eighth century, and was one of the earliest to be owned by the See of Canterbury. The current palace was constructed in the late thirteenth century with later additions and rebuilding, notably under Archbishop John Morton in the late fifteenth century. There was almost certainly an earlier hall on the site as the palace was said to be a favourite place for visits by Archbishop Dunstan (959-88) and Archbishop Thomas Becket (1162–70).
Furthermore, Charing was one of 17 medieval palaces in the possession of the archbishopric of Canterbury and the first in a string serving the archbishops' travels between Canterbury and London. Charing was visited by a number of royal guests, prominent among them being Henry VII and Henry VIII, both of whom paid several visits. Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon stayed at the palace, together with their vast entourage numbering over 5,000, on their way to the Field of the Cloth of Gold in France in 1520.
A long aside but that's what I find to be one of the benefits of travel it causes you to be curious and find out more and the more you find out the more you find links to your own life and locality.
On our walk around Salzburg we came across a couple of the brass tripping stones which had their origin in the 'The Anschluss (the occupation and annexation of Austria, including Salzburg, into Nazi Germany) took place on 12 March 1938, one day before a scheduled referendum on Austria's independence. German troops moved into the city. Political opponents, Jewish citizens and other minorities were subsequently arrested and deported to concentration camps.
During the Nazi occupation, a Romani camp was built in Salzburg-Maxglan. It was an Arbeitserziehungslager (work 'education' camp), which provided slave labour to local industry. It also operated as a Zwischenlager (transit camp), holding Roma before their deportation to German camps or ghettos in German-occupied territories in eastern Europe. Salzburg was also the location of five subcamps of the Dachau concentration camp.'
46 percent of the city's buildings, especially those around Salzburg railway station were destroyed by allied bombing but today almost all have been renovated or reconstructed.
One of the most famous sites is the birthplace of Amadeus Mozart (See photo) but perhaps another time for a history lesson on Mozart!
A closing highlight of our visit to the centre of Salzburg was Kaffee und Apfel Strudel in the main square. The photo of the coffee and cake is prettier than the piles of rubble and builders equipment as the square is undergoing major renovation.
Here 'endeth' Part I of our day in Salzburg because we then climbed a 1000 metres(In the coach) for lunch at a folk restaurant and then comes the photos of the Alps in all their glory. Who knows I might even get a short video of the scenery to work?
