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An Anniversary In Happy, Beautiful, Austria

Monday, March 27, 2006

What's the best gift to a partner when celebrating an important event in your life? They always say that diamonds are a girl's best friend. But what about a trip to Austria? Is there a more romantic location than beautiful Salzburg to celebrate a wedding anniversary? Especially when it was also Mozart's 250th birthday and Salzburg is full of music. Luckily my bride of many years agreed that Austria beat out diamonds by a mile.

I had been to Vienna several times to attend international medical conferences. I had enjoyed its many amenities, the museums, the beauty of this historic city and hopefully returned to Canada a wiser doctor. But by flying in and out of Vienna I hadn't seen Austria. This time I was saved by the bell, the meeting was in Salzburg. And since my wife and I are addicted to trains we circled the entire country on our way to what has to be the most beautiful city in the world. And there's no better way to see the wonders of this country than by boarding its immaculate, efficient trains.

To recover from jet lag we stayed in an elegant, small inn in old town Vienna, the Romischer Kaiser. This superb location on a quiet side street provided time for people watching, another of our addictions. The Viennese, wandering the main streets on a cold winter night are a happy well-dressed lot. We strolled the ancient pathways in lamplight, joined them in one of the numerous cafes to warm up where we were welcomed with a hearty "Guten Abend".

One thing that stirred the emotions daily was the consistent beauty of Austria. The train trip from Vienna to Graz in southern Austria through mountains and valleys was an unexpected thrill beginning to end. And Graz was a surprise.

My slim knowledge of this city was that Frank Stronach, our famous Canadian industrialist, was born in Graz, as was Governor Arnold Schwartzneggar. It's an undiscovered jewel. In 1999 the historic center of Graz was designated a Heritage site by UNESCO, and for good reason.

Hugging both shores of the river Mur, Graz displays a harmonious coexistence of buildings and alleys from Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Baroque, Gothic and elements of the 19th and 20th centuries. It's hard to find another city that offers so much in such a compact and pedestrian-friendly space.

The Schlossberg is a massive fortress built on Dolomite rock overlooking Graz. It's location on the southern slope was chosen as a defense against the invasions of Hungarians and Turks. No one could conquer it, not even Napoleon in 1809. Now it provides parkland and a captivating view of the city rooftops.

In Graz there's futuristic architecture along side narrow medieval walkways, ancient cobbled alleys and squares, culinary and cultural enticements at every step. Graz, unlike so many cities, is a "walking city". We left it realizing that although beautiful in the fresh snow of winter we would miss all the summer festivities of flower and song in its many squares. It's one city we will return to.

Better known Salzburg, located on the Salzach River at the northern boundary of the Alps, surrounded by mountains, was another winter paradise at the end of another spectacular train ride. It's largest mountain, rising 1972 meters is only a few kilometers from the city. Fortunately, during the 2nd world war much of the city was spared from destruction. And like Graz you can dine in cozy bistros with three foot walls that seem to have been there since the beginning of time.

In 1965, Julie Andrews became famous for filming "The Sound of Music" in Salzburg. The local inhabitants were invited to act as stand-ins and to sing their lovely song, Edelweiss. The film director was surprised to hear that the Viennese had never heard of the song! Everyone had forgotten that the music so appropriate for the scene was composed by Rodgers and Hammerstein in the U.S.

One day I skipped out of the medical meeting to visit the Bavarian Alps, in particular to see Hitler's Eagle's Nest. En route to the town of Berchtesgaden we passed the hills where Julie Andrews had filmed part of the movie. It's based on the true story of Maria von Trapp, the Salzburg-based nun, who joined an aristocrat family as a nanny and fled the German occupation by walking the children over the Alps. Here the true story is stretched unless Maria von Trapp and children could fly. How anyone could traverse these jagged Alps that rise steep into the sky requires a vivid imagination.

If you are ever in Salzburg don't miss this trip out of the city. The scenery of the Bavarian Alps is breath taking. Equally amazing was the vision of colourful Austrian homes built in the foothills, skis stacked at doorways and five feet of new fallen snow on the roofs.

During the war Hitler took over the town of Berchtesgaden as well as Obersalzberg where the Eagles Nest is located. Here in all its beauty Hitler, Goring and his Nazi ministers wined, dined, savored the crisp Alpine air and planned the barbarous acts of the Third Reich.

Hitler visited the Eagles Nest 14 times. This is surprising since I didn't know that Hitler was afraid of heights and the Eagles Nest rises 6,000 feet above Berchtesgaden. Maybe he took some schnapps each time to steady his nerves! Nor did I know that Hitler was a vegetarian. It was at the Eagles Nest that Hitler with his German Sheppard dog, Blondie, at his heels, entertained Mussolini and other dignitaries. And to project himself as a loving, kind ruler he and his mistress Eva Braun greeted children in lederhosen and dirndl dresses.

During winter the Eagles Nest is closed. But we were able to see the Gestapo headquarters near Berchtesgaden and had a view of the Eagles Nest high atop the mountain. A new Inter Continental hotel, built near the Eagles Nest, has just been opened.

Yes, we did attend a Mozart concert, but the highlight was the beauty of the Austrian countryside. And the celebration of an anniversary within its welcoming borders was a gift both of us will remember for years to come.

And no, I didn't spend all my time at cafés drinking chardonna. I did attend the 5th World Congress on "The Aging Male". To put more tiger in the tank of aging males was an appropriate topic, considering my gray hairs. But I'll write more about this problem in my medical column.