Chasing Sunsets

We admired the castle from the second we got to Salzburg. In fact, the very first night I ran halfway up to catch the sunset. I knew Salzburg was something special from the second we arrived. Even on the train ride in I was getting excited going through all the mountains. I tried not to look up pictures of the cities before traveling to them, because I didn’t want any bias when I experienced them so I didn’t exactly know what to expect from Salzburg before arriving.

The Hohensalzburg Fortress

 I was in for a treat! Growing up in Colorado, I love mountains and they hold a very special place in my heart. I had enjoyed all the cities on the trip, but Salzburg was quaint, smaller and pristine. Often times I would be walking around the town and all the sudden I could see the jagged mountains peering over the city. It kind of reminded me of when Rainier peaks out of the clouds because it takes my breath away every time.

The View From the Top

Finally, on the fourth day in Salzburg we got to ascent the steep mountain to the castle that awaited. We stared at the castle for days wondering what the views look like. The climb was certainly steep, but whenever I see a hill or anything that has the potential of having a beautiful view, I have to climb it. I live for the feeling of conquering a hill or mountains and then basking in the trill of a beautiful view. The Hohensalzburg Fortress met all these expectations and more! Our tour guide pointed out the Eagles Nest and we could see for miles once atop the fortress.   

The mountains towered over the city and made Salzburg look so small.  Snow blanketed the serrated peaks and I wanted nothing more than to climb that mountain which was about 10 times taller than the hill. It broke my heart to be so close to the mountains and not be able to touch them, but all the more reason to come back one day. Salzburg was a special place for me, and I will always cherish my time surrounded by its beauty.