Saltzberg and The Sound of Music

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are no words to describe the joy of this day. I think it’s mixed with my childhood, my love of stories and the wonderful movie the Sound of Music. Of course we are here, actually here in the Austrian Alps. It’s hard to believe.

This was our longest day. The boat docked in Passau this morning. Planned for us was a two and a half hour bus ride to Salzberg, lunch a show and another bus ride for 1 hour to Linz to meet the ship. Many people decided the bus ride was too long and declined the opportunity.

I was determined to go. I have enjoyed the movie and the musical, the Sound of Music for most of my adult life. Tom came along because the only other choice was a day on the ship or tramping through Linz by himself. I’m glad he came along and so was he.

The bus ride up the mountain was beyond description. Mile after mile, turn after turn, brought a wider view of the idyllic countryside. It felt like we were on an airplane looking down at the neat fields and villages. Vista after vista appeared with every break in the trees. The winding road was narrow. We thanked the bus driver when we got to the lodge. Already the day was filled with joy-filled moments.

The meal was yummy. The show opened with a beautiful young woman singing, “the hills are alive with the sound of music”. I felt like I was living a dream. My heart soared. Tears dripped down my cheeks. Every song, the ones by the kids, the ones by the handsome young man, instrumentals by the orchestra touched my soul. Even as I write this the tears pour down my cheeks. One of the last songs they did was “Silent Night” written by Salzberg’s Franz Gruber. It was introduced as a song of peace so much needed by the world.

We still have Vienna but as far as I’m concerned I have flown, flown on God’s Spirit. Thank you God. I’m glad, I’m a woman and can weep with joy when my heart is so totally touched.

 

This trip has been filled with joy filled moments. Wow. It was expensive. When I was planning it I struggled to spend that much money for a holiday for us when half the world is starving. Yet today, I understand what Jesus meant when he said to the woman who poured the nard on his feet and wiped them with his hair. “Leave her alone. I will not always be with you”. Sometimes it is good to just relax into the joy God gives you.

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