From Salt to Sound

Once, I dreamt of travelling to the imaginary, hilly land of Salzburg. I guess, every child would fantasize of reaching such a place where one can sing to his delight-the songs which the children Von Trapp sang in the captivating film 'The Sound of Music'.
After 20 years, I finally fulfilled one childhood dream-to sing 'Doe-A-Deer-A-Female-Deer' in Salzburg. Boy, was it funny and heartwarming to enjoy singing the songs in the city where Mozart was born. And this time-my son came along. He too, became a bit too involved with the singing. Most of the time, he sang 'Do-Re-Mi, unfortunately the same three notes over and over again inside the car. It was a bit too much for one's ear.
To recollect the same scenes of the movie where the children Von Trapp went about in drapes, I had to watch the film again in Vienna (more than 200kms from Salzburg) before we started the journey. I wanted to orient myself the position of the sun and the cathedral and steeples and the statues etc etc. and really take good pictures to send to my mother-who at one time during my childhood, revealed to me her fascination about the film. My toddler awed as he too watched the film. He begged once more to watch the scenes of which the chilren were singing merrily the famous songs. I think it infected him.
So I tried to retrace the scenes inside my head as we drove towards Salzburg.. Adding to my luck, the weather cooperated as I had prayed for.
The city was majestic from afar. A 'burg' or 'castle' sits proudly on top of a mount overlooking the whole plains. As we arrived, fog was encircling the the foot of the castle and succumbing the ancient city. A beautiful jewel as one poet described it.
For one whole day, together with my family and a good friend, we tried to go about the city-it was a splendour. Indeed a rarity.
To my surprise, my Austrian friend wondered why I knew so much about the views. I told him about the film. Sadly, he admitted he never knew the film itself. Most Austrians don't, as I later found out. The film 'Sound of Music' won Oscars in Hollywood and became a celebrated classic, outside of Austria. The songs in the movie were 'Hollywood-composed' and not Austrian folklore songs. But of course, the city has profitted from the film and thus invited tourists from all over the world. Today, one can find 'Sound of Music Panorama' tours or 'Fraulein Maria's Bicycle Ride Tours' and alike tours around the city. And puppet theatre pieces based from the film, still run all year long. I don't think Julie Andrews can still hop and run nowadays as she used to more than 40 years ago so they now used hand-made puppets instead.
But really, I recommend you to run amok around the city like you don't care-and sing the songs from the movie-you'd have a perfect good time! (A bit embarrassing but heck, you only live once!)
Nevertheless, I saw it-the famous city of Salzburg in the month of October in the year of our Lord 2008 and fulfilled a once-bleak childhood dream...
The Hills are alive...with the Sound of Music...basta!

That's Christopher Plummer behind me! He had enough...