The shops along the main cobble stoned street in Salzburg all have antique looking iron signs hanging above the doors.  As I wandered down a side alley way, I came upon a small square with cart vendors selling everything from fresh flowers to handmade wooden toys to a variety of local wurst.  I bought some locally made aged “mountain cheese” and a variety of fresh baked salty pretzel rolls and grainy breads.

During my visit, I’ve also purchased some European chocolate, loose leaf tea, a music box, hand made egg shell ornaments, and a kuckucksuhr (cuckoo clock) as souvenirs for family back home.  You’ll find little of the disposable plastic memorabilia in Salzburg. They tend to market mainly chocolate and hand made crafts, a nice change from so many other tourist destinations.

We were blessed on the last day of our trip with blue skies and sunshine.  The temperature is still quite brisk, requiring coats and gloves, but it was a nice respite from the rain, sleet and bitter winds during our day at the castle fortress up on the hill overlooking Salzburg.

After spending the morning viewing centuries old church cathedrals, we sat outside on a rooftop terrace above the Hotel Stein sipping Austrian brewed beer and wine and enjoying an unhindered view of the snow capped Alps, castle, churches, river, and the town below.  On our way back to the hotel, we strolled through the nearby gardens featuring more than a dozen large statues and tailored flower beds with pansies still in bloom.

In response to this sort of delightfully uncharacteristic weather, my good friend and travel companion Simone always offers the catch phrase, reminiscent of her German Granny, “When angels travel.”