I don't know about the rest of Germany, but if it's anything like Austria, sign me up. The train ride over looked like the Sound of Music, all the time. (note: train travelling is so cool. It's great having the space to roam around in or get lost in your own thoughts.)
Speaking of the Sound of Music, we stayed at Salzburg, where the majority of the film was shot. We got to see the chapel, the front of the Von Trapp house, and the 'Do Re Mi' Mirabell gardens.
We also visited Mozart's home and saw a classical concert with works by Mozart and Tschaikowsky. The acoustics in the room were flat-out awesome; they made the sextet sound like an army of strings.
The people were much more welcoming and friendly then the Italians we encountered; I wonder how much of that was just happenstance or cultural differences. But regardless, it's definitely an eye-opening and humbling experience being an American in these countries. One moment you're proud, the next you're ashamed and you don't even know how to explain it. I've been outside of the US before, but this trip was the real bursting of my America bubble.
I was very sad to leave Germany. Even my bro, a staunch Rome advocate, preferred it. But you just can't stop this train...
mmm...leberkase. (sausage sandwich -- back to basics.)
