Chris will not stop singing! He asked our tour guide if he could visit the nunnery, and when she said they did not allow the public to enter, he asked, "Well what if I knock on the door and say 'I know how to solve a problem like Maria'?" He is out of control! And while on our business visit (see below for details), he, Rob, Alex, and Joe got stuck on the elevator for about 10 minutes. I tried saving them from outside, but the door would not open. It was quite funny. Chris belted out a tune and the others just groaned. Rob, Joe, and Alex decided that if they were stuck for an extended period of time, Chris was going to be dinner. Chris - the other, other white meat. Yummy.

We have visited so many Sound of Music sites since we arrived on Sunday, and it is a real treat to see where the Von Trapp family lived and where the movie was filmed. Salzburg is the 4th largest capital in Austria with 150,000 citizens. The Salt River (Salzburg was named after its many salt mines) divides the city into two halves. The popular energy drink Red Bull was invented here. Salzburg is also the birth place of the famous composer, W.A. Mozart (we toured his birth home and family residence).

This city is spectacular. I felt at first that Vienna would be my favorite, but it is definitely Salzburg that takes first place. It is a small city with much charm and serenity. The Alps in the background only add to its natural beauty.

While here, we visited with the Press Director of the Salburger Festipiele (Salzburg Festival). The festival combines tradition with innovation, and is held each summer for 5 weeks. There are 207 performances in drama, concert, and opera. Over 240,000 guests visit each year. Now in its 88th season, the festival is one of the largest and most reknowned in the world. Some of the most talented artists and musicians perform here. Ticket prices are relatively high (15 Euro to well over 300), but Nestle sponsors a youth subscription which encourages young people to attend by offering discounted seating.

Public subsidies account for 25% of their total revenue, while ticket sales account for 50%, sponsorships 6%, and rentals 10%. The average guest spending is 240 Euros per day, which totals 60mn Euros each summer (in only 5 weeks! - this is the multiplier effect). Their total turnover is 168mn Euros (3 times their budget), and they measure their success via ticket sales, number of journalists covering the event (usually 600-800), and guest feedback from the Chamber of Commerce.

We leave this wonderful place today for Munich, Germany, our last stop on this tour of Europe. More photos will be posted soon.

Finally rescued!

A very relieved Chris.