Salzburg is famous for a lot of reasons ~
- birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- where The Sound of Music was filmed
- beautiful baroque architecture with some of the most famous churches in the world
- it sits at the northern boundary of the Alps and borders the Salzach River.
- it’s 45 minutes from our German home (okay, that’s not so famous) and I discovered the most delicious, thick, frothy hot chocolate IN THE WORLD. I’m pretty sure that’s not an exaggeration.
But the first time we visited I almost froze to death despite wearing thermal layers that had me walking like the Abominable Snowman. Impossible to take pictures with gloves on – temperatures below freezing – I gave up when my naked fingers stiffened into claws.
I haven’t seen so many ankle-length fur coats since I played dress-up at the Fur Department in Belks, or either giant minks with human heads had taken over the city.
We braved the Salzburgian Arctic Tundra as long as humanly possible; but before heading home, Tad needed to use the restroom. As we’ve discovered in several European cities, public restrooms might require payment.
And, get this: some demand that you declare your business! Number 1 costs less than Number 2, which to me is just TOO MUCH INFORMATION but I suppose it’s based on water consumption and they’re just trying to be fair.
But I’d prefer anonymity and injustice and pay a little more to protect my privacy. My shy bladder looks bold compared to my reclusively private bowel!
Which is likely TMI for you.
Though I didn’t need to “go” I decided to blow my nose while Tad “went”; I wandered into the women’s side of the public WC to hunt for a roll of toilet paper. My frozen nose hairs were holding back a dam of snot, which sounds mildly offensive, but what IS the nice word for snot? Mucus? That doesn’t sound right, so please–I’m beggin’ for your suggestions.
But I digress.
I discovered coin slots mounted on all the stall doors, and since I had no euros to open the doors, I turned to paper towels hanging over the sinks. While I blew my frozen, raw nose with the equivalent of sandpaper, I noticed another wall of sinks and mirrors on the other side of a little hallway, vaguely hearing but dismissing a voice inside my head that said “The bathroom sure didn’t look *that* large from the outside….”
When I got to the end of the hallway, I noticed a small yellow basket with coins in it sitting in a chair to my right; in a nano second I tried to reason “Why does this side have the honor system…?” when a man’s voice thundered “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!”
Well, I might not have had to go but I about wet my britches and jumped backwards into the ladies room.
Had I just looked to my left, I would have seen a row of urinals and my husband turning and zipping up. Thankfully, only my husband.
Why there are doors for a men’s side and a women’s side is beyond me when it’s one big happy bathroom with a teensy hallway dividing the genders.
This isn’t quite what I had in mind when I declared 2012 The Year of Adventure.
~ smile ~
What a picture! Smiling and filing this in the “must know” category if I ever get to Salzburg.
HA! That is hilarious – and probably something I would have done too.
Ok, I’m officially jealous. I mean, not of the embarrassing part, and not of having to announce #’s 1 or 2- but the living in Deutchland part! My husband and I spent five weeks traveling around Europe in 2006. Switzerland and Germany were… I was going to say favorites, but now that I think of it, so were Ireland, France, Italy, England and Spain. But we’d love to go back and we’ve talked of moving to Switzerland for awhile. Not seriously enough to make actual plans, but just wishfully. But come to think of it, we’ve had those same discussions about every beautiful place we’ve visited. Like last summer in Alaska… But for now we contend ourselves with enjoying northern Indiana. I love fairytales and my dream is to finish following Die Deutsche Märchenstraße. We only had time for Hanau and Steinau on our previous trip. God bless you and your family in your wonderful German adventure. My paternal grandfather from ten generations ago lived in Bavaria and my maternal grandparents from ten generations ago lived in Bern, Switerland, and also in the Palatinite area of Germany. For me Germany and Switerland felt a little bit like coming home. Sorry for babbling on in this jealous rage, but your posts and photos about Germany had me smiling excitedly… I look forward to reading more about your adventures.