Tuesday: The Sound of Music

Today was a marvelous day, just as I was expecting it to be. J

I awoke to the sound of rain. I looked outside the window that is literally only inches from my face to see the mountains surrounded by mist. Sigh. Paradise.

Katleyn and I had breakfast, including a delicious cappuccino, and caught an early bus to school. We met up with Hannah, whose generous host sister’s offered three of their precious dirndls to our cause. These are the traditional Austrian/German dresses that include a ruffley short sleeved dress shirt, long (ish) jumper, and apron (sometimes a contrasting color, other times the same color/pattern as the jumper).

They’re really cute, and Austrians wear them for special occasions i.e. church, going to see a show, etc. We tried them on and loved them! Jenna, former Salzburg College student who is now in charge of student relations, immediately snapped a few photos for us.

Before I knew it, it was time for Hannah and I to hurry off to the Salzburg Cathedral for the organ demonstration (excursion for our Arranging class). My friend Clary who had taken the class a few years ago told us about this excursion and I had ben looking forward to it ever since. It was definitely different than I imagined it, but still AMAZING. I got a few photos but unfortunately they are only for personal use. I can only use words then, and can simply quote my professor Johannes, “The organ is like an orchestra”. We learned about all of the different timbres that can be adjusted with levers, the octave doubling (which is the most important in terms of arranging), and how the pipes are varying heights. It was all so cool. About twenty to thirty minutes we stepped back out into the rain and made our way towards the Landestheater for our showing of the Sound of Music. It was the earliest matinee I’ve ever been to, but that did not detract from the charm.

First we met up with everyone else from Salzburg College and took a group picture. We also took a special photo with those of us in traditional garb, which was just Hannah, Katelyn and I and our friend John, who rocked his host brother’s lederhosen.

Then we entered the theater. Staircases to the mezzanine and balcony were coated in red carpet. We made our way to the orchestra where our seats were, and saw the coat checking station. The theater almost reminded me of the performance hall of the Mozarteum, all white and gold. The ceiling reminded me of Beauty and the Beast, with a grand chandelier and a beautiful mural. I suppose a lot of Baroque ceilings are like this, and I should not all compare them to the “Tale as Old as Time” scene. But I simply cannot help it. This blog title does have the word “PRINCESS” in it after all.

We all enjoyed the show very much, even though it was sung in German. There were helpful English subtitles, although we had to crane our necks to see them. At intermission I couldn’t help but buy myself a little snack. I was hoping for a Snickers bar but all of the children beat me to them. I ended up purchasing wafer cookies, which had a chocolate hazelnut flavor in between them. I hadn’t had wafer cookies in way too long! They remind me of ballet class, because I think I used to have them for a snack when I went to dance as a five-year-old. J

One of the coolest parts of the show involved Nazi guards standing in front of the doors of the theater while the Von Trapp Family singers performed at the festival at the end, making us feel like we were really there. I got goosebumps multiple times throughout the show, and there happened to be a kindergarten class on a field trip sitting in the very front row. A certain boy and girl within sight were especially excited, clapping their hands and leaving their seats to lean forward on the bar that held them from falling into the orchestra pit. They particularly loved the “Do a Dear” and “Lonely Goatherd” songs. Now that I am older I forget that the film/play has a plot for adults as well as parts for children.

After the show we all headed to lunch because we were STARVING. I joined Allison, Hannah, Sam, and another girl for a trip to the dirndl store, where Hannah finally got lederhosen swim trunks for her little brother. They’re pretty awesome, and everything in the store was half price! They went to the train station to inquire about tickets, so Hannah and I made a trip to the music store. She got the music she needed while I played with music boxes and took photos. We were still in our dresses and our feet were soaked in our little black flats.

We then grabbed a hot drink and hung out at the college, attempting to plan our trip to Italy for the free travel weekend. Really though, Hannah and I cracked up over silly things for at least two hours.

When she left to help set up for the evening barbeque, I decided to practice. It felt so good to actually sing. I learned my part for the Bach Chorale we are doing in Arranging. It is a possibility for the final concert. Right now we only have a miniature tuba, flute, violin, piano and voice, but hopefully for the final concerts we will add at least a viola to have a bit more of a complete orchestra.

After practicing classical singing, I went into another practice room to play to college’s guitar. I played covers by myself, and I can’t possibly describe to you how amazing it is to sit down and remember why you love something, purely through the feelings that are released.

I even played four chords over and over again and started improvising (basically scatting), and words came to me and there I had a lick to a new song. Creativity always strikes when I feel a bit melancholy on rainy days. I love it.

Time flew, I changed out of my dirndl and we walked to the student Catholic center where dinner was being held. We immediately met a few young Austrians and chatted with them. Then we were led to tables with cards, got drinks, and were playing Egyptian ratscrew within five minutes. Then it was time to get food.

I ended up waiting about twenty minutes to get a bratwurst (I simply couldn’t settle for an American hot dog, not even if it was cheese-filled), and therefore fell into the role of hostess. I started telling people about the options, helping them cut their rolls, and opening and throwing away bags. Lol. I don’t even know.

After I got my bratwurst I squeezed a bit of mustard on it and paired it with a beer. Unfortunately my seat had been stolen but I found a chair on the opposite end of the table. We were somehow labeled the “Fun table “or maybe it was just “loud”…Needles to say we were all having a good time. As usual, I whispered to my friends about the cute Austrian boys who we saw step in. Eventually we did talk to a few, and they were all nice.

We left a couple of hours later since we have class early the next morning. It was still raining when we went outside to catch the bus. It is rare that it rains all day continuously in Florida; we typically just get brief showers, especially in the summertime. I was cold walking home but you know me. I love the rain and the cold. When I’m inside though, I must admit.

Tomorrow is another day of class, which I’m not particularly looking forward to, but I love music history and arranging is growing on me. We also get to hear a talk from Konrad preparing us for our weekend trip to Vienna. We are all so excited to be in a hostel together again, since we are so far from each other at night, in different houses all around town.

I just love this trip so much, I never want to leave (just like my mom predicted…why are mom’s always right?). But of course there are good things awaiting me at home.

Peace from this quiet home,

Princess Samantha

Sat/Sun: Relax/Run

This weekend consisted of two fairly opposite days, back to back!

On Saturday I wasn't feeling too hot. We had done two hikes back to back and I knew that I needed rest. I met up with my best friend Hannah
*talk about rehearsal*

We ended up uniting with some more friends at the weekly farmer's market in Old Town.

This farmer's market is far more gourmet than anything you've seen in the US though.
I grabbed a schnitzel sandwich (that's right, like in the song "My Favorite Things") and some grapes, and we all headed to the river!

Victoria had also picked up some wine, and Hannah bought a few Mozart chocolate balls. John accidentally bought way too much salami, and Jesse did not realize that he was buying an entire loaf of bread. Needless to say, we all kind of shared and had a marvelous time. Christine had perfectly planned for her sandwich with the right amount of meat, cheese and bread...don't ask me how she did it. We all had a lovely time chatting and enjoying the view.

We walked around town and took care of a few errands, then went to Cafe Tomaselli, where Mozart used to dine, and drank coffee and ate delicious cake.

SUNDAY--

Canyoning. I must preface this entire paragraph with a warning: There is absolutely no way that words, nor photographs, not even VIDEOS could do this experience justice. It is truly indescribable.

The night before, even day before, I was freaking out. It only got worse as time inevitably ran out and it was time to meet up with everyone at the college. I couldn't stop expressing my worries to my friends, or just standing around quietly until hearing something that worried me, and then piping up to hush everyone from freaking me out even more than I already was...!

Finally, the canyoning guides from Crocodile Sports arrived at the college and drove us to our destination. I'm still not exactly sure where that was lol but I will let you know when I do. I know that it was around the area where the Salt Mines are.

Anyways, we soon arrived and stripped down to our bathing suits, were assigned a wet suit and put it on with further equipment (shoes, helmet, and harness). Putting the wetsuits on was a struggle. Even more than squeezing into skinny jeans right after they come out of the dryer and you had 5 too many brownies the night before. But something like that.

"This is already an adventure", I remarked to a friend as I watched everyone writhe in the stretchy material and crack up with the people around them while asking for help and reassurance.

After I put all my equipment on I felt pretty prepared for anything. My shoes were sturdy and fit properly, my head was protected, and my wetsuit was incredibly warm. My nerves started to fade.

Eventually we were all suited up and were following one of our leaders down the side of the canyon below.

Somehow I was leading the pack.

He instructed us to walk down the "ladder", which was made of ROOTS! Lol. Hardly a ladder. Barely able to move in my tight wetsuit, I did my best to quickly step down without falling. Soon I reached an actual metal ladder, so my confusion subsided.

We were given a safety talk, which stirred some of our nerves a bit. He mentioned that it was important to look up and around from time to time, to realize the beauty. I liked this bit of advice.

Before I knew it, it was time to get up and start the adventure, for real. My friend Leann and I sang "I Have Confidence" from the Sound of Music softly to each other in an attempt to get pumped. (I know, we're such girls).

All of a sudden, half of the group had disappeared around a bend, and I heard hooting and hollering followed by splashes

*Gulp*

They're already jumping in. We're jumping in. I'm jumping in.

To get to the first jumping area, we had to climb a bit. I can't tell you how out of my element I felt at first.

"Channel Tris",  Leann reminded me, referring to the Divergent series that involves a sheltered girl choosing to abandon her old life to pursue a fearless one. [We're all been reading and talking about this series, the movie just came out in March].

Once again, minutes turned into seconds and seconds ran out and I was standing on the edge of a small cliff with the water before me. I was wondering desperately just how cold it was going to fill. I mentally and physically prepared myself for the kind of cold that takes your breath away.

And then, I jumped, trying to remember to keep my knees slightly bent, my feet together and my mouth completely closed. I feel for a short bit and hit the water. I don't know how deep the water was, but it felt like a second or two before I was at the surface again. It was cold, freezing cold, but my body still felt warm inside the wetsuit. It also made my buoyant, as did my shoes. I smiled. This was fun.

I swam over to everyone else who was basking in the sun by a rock, also in disbelief after the first jump.

Pretty soon I couldn't stop smiling.

I cheered for my friends Leann, Katie, and Hannah before they did their first jumps. Everyone did so successfully and seemed happy once they were swimming in the water.

I can't remember every detail of the course, but it involved swimming, sliding, jumping, and climbing. My favorite part was actually the climbing. Pretty soon I fell right into the groove, my muscles alive and my brain alert, moving quickly and efficiently. It feels great to be alive in that sense. Physically and mentally, survival instincts ticking like a clock.

Towards the beginning, we popped out individually through a small opening and the instructor just sort of laid you down and hooked your head up to the person behind you's feet. Before long we had constructed a human chain. Hannah and I held hands afterwards, and asked the instructor to snap a photo. I'll post that one soon. :)


There were two opportunities to do a high or low jump, and I am proud to say that I had the courage to try both high jumps. The first was terrifying because you had to take quite a large step out in front of you to avoid a lot of rock that was in the way. The second was much higher, approximately seven and a half meters. After this one, I felt like I was just falling and falling and falling and didn't know when I was going to stop, when I finally I hit the water.

Multiple times my feet hit rock on the bottom, so I was very grateful for my awesome shoes to protect me and if anything, help me bounce back up towards the surface.

All of a sudden I was slap happy. Somewhere between the release of fear and worry and the adrenaline rushes, I was more joyful than I had been in months. I felt brave, and that was a good feeling. My friends Katie and Hannah mentioned that they were proud of me, which made my heart swell even more. I also just enjoyed my first wetsuit experience, haha! This energy made me start fooling around, laying on my belly on rocks saying "I'm a beached whale. My best comedic moment (in my humble opinion), was at the very end of the adventure, when we were coming out of the water for good. I started running in slow motion and singing some kind of mash-up between the Chariots of Fire theme and "Rocky"...and then fell flat on my face. I got up, laughing, hoping someone had seen it! People had...they just didn't think it was as funny as I did. And then I knew that it was time to call it a day. Lol.

I felt my muscles working hard and properly at the beginning, but towards the end started to feel a little bit like jello. Other highlights include taking a group photo underneath a freezing cold waterfall, getting teased by the instructors once they realized how much fun I was having i.e. swimming by one saying "Don't splash me, only to be dunked.. Pushed into a hole, helped up, and then almost dropped again while being helped up...laughing the entire time. It was just so much fun.

I was so grateful that for most of the adventure the sun was shining brightly above us, warming our bodies in a way that the wetsuits just couldn't compete with. It was the perfect day.

I soaked in one last view of the canyon in all its glory, taking a mental photograph, before beginning the walk up the mountain. It was quite a hike, and after a while, I got to lead everyone, which gave me one last burst of adventure-confidence.

There truly are no words to do this experience justice. If you get the opportunity to go canyoning: GO!

Photos to come,
Princess Samantha

Weekend One: Lake District and Day in the City

I write this morning from my bedroom, chugging water in an attempt to get completely over this cold.

My host family, Katelyn (my roommate) and I just had a typical breakfast of wheat bread with jam, butter, or nutella, and fruit. The nutella was a new addition to the table today! As was a fruit smoothie that my host mom whipped up, which contained the grass portion of a wheat stalk! Who knew you could eat that stuff..? It was a light brown color but tasted delicious. Host mom always makes sure we eat healthily. :)

Katelyn and many of my friends are going on an excursion today to the salt mines. A part of me wishes I was going too, but I am thankful for the day to just explore Salzburg a little bit more (especially after getting lost last night...I clearly don't know the city as well as I thought I did. It looks completely different when it is overcast!), and also to rest. I originally passed up the opportunity to save on cash, and now that I am sick I don't think I would have been able to handle four days of excursioning in a row. Tomorrow I am going canyoning. I am absolutely terrified but I've heard it's amazing, so I'm giving it a shot. My goal for today is to rest and drink tons of water so that I wake up tomorrow feeling healthy and ready to go.

Yesterday was in a word: breathtaking.
Literally.
We ran out of breath.
Because we hiked up a freakin' mountain!!

But also the scenery was picturesque.

To all you outdoorsy people: Bear with me. This was my first real hiking experience, so I was a little unprepared. Aka I am in the worst shape of my life thus far, lol.

Okay, let's start from the very beginning. (It's a very good place to start.)

We met bright at early at Salzburg college and then boarded a charter bus. Konrad (our Viennese fearless leader) came on the intercom system and debriefed us for the day. We took off toward the lake region and were almost immediately surrounded by gorgeous mountains.

About half an hour and 20 pages of Divergent later, we reached our destination. We got out and the first thing I notice was a cable car going up to a mountain. After a quick pit stop, we walked towards a little town. This place was so quaint my friend Leann and I broke out into the opening number of Beauty and the Beast for the fortieth time since arriving in Europe. (There are just so many little towns!!)

We proceed to hike all the way around the lake to get to our hiking trail, and the view was just...incredible. I was actually a bit angry at Konrad for not allowing us more time to take photographs. I had never seen anything so gorgeous in my life.

Except for Schloss Neuschwanstein maybe. ;)

When we reached the end of the trail we were greeted by SWANS!
Swans are kind of a big deal in the US, at least in my experience. They are somewhat rare, and so beautiful. I snapped like 10,000 photos of these swans...

Then the actual hike (aka DEATH) began. It was all uphill, at an incline greater than I'd ever attempted on a treadmill at the gym! At one point I got separated from the group as I fell behind the speed demons but was still ahead of the few that formed the caboose, and I just took a second to connect with God in nature. To really absorb the beauty that surrounded me. To appreciate the peace that nature brings. I was very thankful for that moment. I think it might be what I remember most when I reminisce about this hike later in life.

FINALLY we reached the peak where the view was SPECTACULAR.

And then, the descent. Which was fun but allowed for even more separation among our group. A few of the boys used the downhill to their advantage and SPRINTED down. These were the same boys who slid down the steep hill of the fortress a little over twenty-four hours ago.... (*sigh*)

When we reached the end of the hike, the view became even BETTER. The hills looked just like the ones that Maria sings in at the beginning of the Sound of Music. So of course, we took photos. Unfortunately my camera had already died by that point, so I will have to wait to mooch those ones from my friends when they post them on Facebook.

All of us worked up an intense appetite, and could not wait for lunch. It was a two or three minute walk to the farmhouse where food awaited us. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, we got chewed out by a scary German lady for running around in the hills before we made it down there. It's actually kind of funny though, getting reprimanding when you don't understand the language. Their frustration intensifies, and you just stand there dumbfounded, not knowing what to say or do. These are my cultural observations, lol!

Lunch was delicious. On the tables there were giant slabs of...tree. It looked like bark on the underside, and smooth wood on the top where the food was. There was all kinds of meet and cheese on this board, surrounded by a few vegetables (tomatoes, radishes and peppers), potato salad, and condiments (butter and horseradish spread). To accompany all of this was wheat bread, which was so soft and spongey!

I went to wash my hands and by the time I came back most of the platter was empty. I then realized that I had chosen to sit at a table of mostly BOYS! Struggle. Thankfully Konrad noticed that all of our food was gone in the first five minutes and nicely asked the waitresses if we could have more, and shortly it arrived. In the meantime I mooched off of the table behind me--my friend Kasey provided a piece of salami and goat cheese. To drink there was water, but also a special syrup--elderberry! I had just gotten some elderberry cough drops at the grocery store the previous day, so it was cool to see the fruit pop up again! And it is SO GOOD.

Our next stop was the adorable town of Halstatt. On the way, we passed through , where Brahams and other famous people vacationed! Very cool.

Halstatt stole my heart almost immediately. Tiny, quaint, and full of tourists, this stop is definitely one of the highlights of the entire trip so far for me. I will just let this picture speak for itself:

Right before jumping back on the bus my friend John and I decided that we need something to satisfy our sweet teeth (even though we had gelato less than hour ago...whoops). We ran into a cute bakery and quickly decided to get two different things and split them. I chose the last apple strudel and he selected a chocolate cherry cake. We made it back to the bus with a minute or two to spare, and happily munched on our pastries which were DELICIOUS. It may be a bit pathetic but the amazing food is enough reason to make me consider moving to Austria.

Speaking of food, dinner with my host family is definitely one of my favorite parts of every day. We usually have a traditional Austrian dinner on the weeknights, which consists of meat, cheese and bread. Because my host mom has a green thumb and enjoys eating healthily, we usually have fresh-picked salad too. Twice in this first week though we have been treated to exceptional meals; the first, barbecued chicken and asparagus and tonight, spaghetti with a cream sauce that had asparagus and bacon. Both times we were indulged with dessert too; the first being chopped fruit with yogurt and sherbet, and tonight rhubarb sponge cake. I am thankful that I walk a lot in the city otherwise I wold have gained at least 5 pounds! ;)

Also, we enjoy the company of the two children for the meal, but soon they are ready to hop up from the table and resume playing or if it is a Friday night, watch TV. This gives my host parents time alone with Katelyn and I. They are intellectual and humanitarian people, so we always have interesting discussions. Sometimes we compare and contrast our cultures, sharing details and stories. Other times we talk briefly about our days. I know that this time in the evening, sipping on champagne with my host parents, will definitely be something that I miss greatly.

It was wonderful to have a rather relaxing day in Salzburg, as tomorrow I will be embarking on a bit of a crazy adventure--CANYONING! I have heard it is amazing, a must-do, if you will. I am definitely terrified, but it's nothing that prayer and encouragement can't get me through! Hear my cry, Lord! Lol.

OH! I don't know how I forgot until the end, but ALSO, this morning began with observing a rehearsal of the Mozarteum symphony orchestra. I don't know what to say other than that it was the most heavenly music I have ever heard. The blend of the strings was flawless. The sound was so incredibly warm. Music in heaven will be something like that, I'm sure.

Also, we witnessed some drama because one of the singers was under the weather and the violins were upset that they couldn't hear him. Poor baritone, I felt his pain. Being sick is no fun. As I described to Hannah, it is like your voice is trapped in a glass box, banging on the walls screaming hoarsely, "Let me out!!" It is frustrating when you want to do a good job and your body simply won't let you. Athletes with injuries feel the exact same way, I'm sure.

Thanks so much for reading. Hope you are doing well where ever you are. :)

Gute Nacht,
Princess Samantha

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Finally...an update!

A few nights ago I was incredibly restless, frustrated that I was at home, fifteen minutes away from the city where I truly wanted to be.

Tonight I set at my desk listening to the Sound of Music original soundtrack as the sun sinks below the mountains outside, happy as can be.

My allergies started flaring up a couple of nights ago, and now it seems they have turned into a full-blown cold. It's like I'm experiencing Gainesville allergies all over again. Yay.

Nevertheless, I'm grateful that not feeling well is forcing me to rest.

Today we walked up to the highest point in the city of Salzburg--the fortress!

The view was absolutely amazing, and I'm so glad that I could even muster the energy to go after waking up feeling like my head was encased in a box...

That building right above my head is the house of the Von Trapps in the Sound of Music! (Sidenote: This was not the ACTUAL house of the Von Trapp family.)

We hiked up and around and then all the way up to the fortress. We learned that it was literally in-conquerable, surrounded on all sides by mountains and the steepest ramps ever.

The view of the city was fantastic.

Just hanging out with this gorgeous view like it's no big deal. Casual, as my friend Victoria would say.

More photos of the fortress to come!

Thanks for tuning in. :)

Gratefully,
Princess Samantha

Day 4: So This is Love

This post will probably the one that most resembles the name of this blog, because... I visited Schloss Neuschwanstein!!!!!!!

I know that probably means nothing to you. Let me clue you in:
This is the castle that inspired Cinderella's castle in Disney World/Land!!!

Day 4 was our free day, and honestly, I didn't know what to do with myself, UNTIL...I started chatting with some friends and we deciding to spontaneously check out this famous castle.

Five of us woke up at the crack of dawn to take the 8am train, and our dedication was soon gratified with the sight of gorgeous, snow-capped mountains.

About two hours later, we arrived and boarded a bus that took us uphill to the tiny town that surrounds the castles. All of us grabbed the very back row of the bus, and got a British dude to snap a photo of us for the memory. The little town is essentially composed of restaurants and cafes for people to dine at after touring the castle. We soon saw two castles from the bus window! One was the one we expected, beautiful in all it's Cinderella-esque glory:

The other reminded us of Spanish culture:

We bought our tickets, deciding to tour only the Cinderella castle, and then learned that we could take either a bus or a horse and carriage up to the castle. Can you say FAIRYTALE?! To save on Euros and precious time we opted for the bus. But seriously. A HORSE AND CARRIAGE!! Okay I'm done.

The bus driver made sure that he packed us all in as tightly possible which brought me right back to UF (anyone who rides the 38 from Gainesville Place to campus for an 830 class...you feel me). THEN he proceeded to take the tiny, winding road at high speed! My friends and I clung to each other, holding on for our dear lives and observing aloud to one another that if we were to slip by taking a turn too fast, the small guardrail would be no small feat for the bus to topple over...and down the mountain we would go...
"He does this drive so many times every day", someone tried to reassure. We tried to distract ourselves, and soon arrived at the top of the mountain, where the castle was!

We had about twenty or thirty minutes until our tour began, so we walked up a hill to "the bridge" that we had heard about. This rickety thing brought me right back to The Emperor's New Groove:

Uh-oh.

Don't tell me. We're about to go over a huge waterfall.

Yep.

Sharp rocks at the bottom?

Most likely.

Bring it on.

BOO-YA-HA-HA-HA!!

Genuinely felt like that was going to happen, and quoted it aloud to my friends but hey, I'm still here! Alive and well. Except I'm sick. But I'm alive!

ANYWAYS, after weaving through loads of tourists (that's the other thing, there were people packed tighter than we were on the bus on this bridge), we started taking photos.
Because it was a breathtaking view...

On the other side too:

The weather was rather overcast, the air was damp and cold. My friend Katie wished the sun was out for better picture light, but I remarked that I loved a bit of melancholy in life. I know it was a castle, and usually fairytale things are bright and sunny in my mind, but for some reason it seemed fitting. The castle was gray and regal, and the weather matched its color and dignity.

After an extensive photo shoot, it was time for our tour! It was a bit of a hike to the actual castle, and we put a bit of pep in our step to make sure that we weren't late! ...We ended up being early, which meant...more photos!

This was truly the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

And then we went inside.

I wish, SOMEHOW, I had the words to describe the magnificence that was the castle interior. Photographs were prohibited, so I will leave the images to your imagination...

We moved through a hallway, past servants quarters, and entered the throne room. The tour guide described various features of the room, most significantly, the gigantic murals on the walls. She told us that the twelve disciples were depicted in two lines of six, and above them, a row of kings. And the top, she said, was the King of Kings.

I looked up at Jesus, ruling over all of those noble and amazing people, truly holy and the most amazing of them all.

Goosebumps covered my entire body.

If this is the throne room of a particular king, WHAT will the throne room of THE KING of Kings look like?!

The astounding beauty made me wonder HOW I ever doubted the existence of God.

The details simply never stopped. Even the floor was made of mosaics.

The other rooms were quite beautiful too, and before I knew it the tour had ended. And I could not stop picturing that throne room. I still can't. Such regality.

Of course, there was a gift shop. My friends and I bought postcards and such, then made the trek back to the bus to take us to the little town, where we had a casual lunch outside.

The next part of the adventure is the most exciting...

We finished our lunch and noticed that a bus was waiting to head back towards the train station. Katie asked us if we should try and catch it. Unsure, and distracted by insanely delicious french fries, I hesitated. Two or three minutes later, we actually got up and started hurrying towards it. As life would have it, the driver pulled away just as we were approaching the rear of the bus.

Frustrated, but also laughing (because we had joked about such a thing happening), we waited in line for the next bus. ..The next bus did not come.. for almost forty-five minutes we waited, knowing that if we did not get to station soon, we would miss our train. There was another train at six, but we were tired after rising early and were ready to get home and pack, as we were leaving for Salzburg early the next morning.

FINALLY a bus came. We were first in line, so we jumped on quickly. To our dismay, the driver waited for EVERYone to get on....which took at least five minutes (hey, that's a long time when you're in a rush to catch a train)!

The ride felt like eternity, as we were watching the clock intently, feeling that truthfully, there was absolutely no way we could make our train. Trains are almost always extremely punctual in Europe, departing exactly when they say they will, if not earlier.

Nevertheless, with determination, we kept off the bus as soon as it stopped, and sprinted towards the train station. We looked around, and almost everyone around us was sprinting with us, trying to catch the same train back to Munich! Adrenaline pumped through our blood as we caught sight of the train, miraculously at the station! We reached an entrance, and suddenly noticed that Leann and Katelyn were not right behind us, and Leann had our train ticket! I anxiously craned my neck, hoping to spot their faces somewhere in the stampede, and after a few minutes, saw them running towards me! They had gotten trapped in a crowd, but MADE IT.

We grabbed seats near each other and sat down with long sighs of relief. What a day.

Still in disbelief,
Princess Samantha

Day 3: Nuremberg

I don't know if I've ever had so much to say and such writer's block when it comes to actually saying it!

There is no way to describe in words how amazing the beginning of this trip has been.
The pictures do not do the beauty justice.

I can't seem to be able to wrap my mind around it either.

But I will try my best. :)

Day 3 began with breakfast and grabbing a sandwich at the train station. I opted for the one that was literally called "Big Sandwich". Because it was cheap and well, big. Lol.

We rode the train for a little over an hour and then met up with our tour guide. I wrote these thoughts in my "Notes" app on my phone...

"It was beautiful on the train, but I could only look out the window for so long because fate had chosen for me a seat that moved backwards. I also believe it to be true that I can only take in so much at once and truly appreciate and enjoy it. The concept of sensory overload if you will. So I let the story of The Fault in Our Stars transport me to another place as we traveled across German countryside, knowing that when we arrived at Nuremberg I'd truly be able to absorb it all.

 I wanted to look at new things with the fresh eyes of a child for the next five and a half weeks. I never wanted to get used to it. I never wanted to take it for granted. I wanted to stay amazed. 

My ears are popping like crazy on this train!! The Germans all seem use to it.

I hear German all around me, unlike on the subway where they prefer silence. There are lots of children but they seem well behaved. No one really looks me in the eye. The sound of German over the intercom sort of scares me, maybe because the voice sounds harsh and sharp. 

The houses and rolling hills are ever so charming. I think it's the most beautiful place I've ever seen, but I also think Salzburg will soon take its place."

To my surprise,  the city of Nuremberg was significantly more charming than I expected!

Case in point.

We continued through the city, only to discover a huge church, ornate fountain, and fortress on a hill.
After climbing the hill to see the castle/fortress, we ate our packed lunches in the shade. I found that two of my new friends had also chosen the Big Sandwich, which was rather delicious.

                                                             The amazing cathedral!

                                                                   Ornate fountain!

                                       Fortress and tower. (Tower reminds me of Rapunzel)!

Before long it was time to hop on another train to check out the courtroom where the Nuremberg Trials were held. There was a museum and although we were all pretty exhausting, it was still interesting. We listened to audio guides and moved through the exhibits at our own pace.

We soon hopped back on the train to go back to Nuremberg, and then back to Munich.

My four friends and I planned our trip for the next day, which is described under "So This is Love"...

In awe,
Princess Samantha

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Day 2: Munich

Yesterday began with a walking tour of the city with our charming tour guide Frau...I already forgot her name. But she was fantastic. By far, my favorite things were the two churches we went into. The details were just amazing. It made me wonder how I ever doubted God's existence, and made me wish places of worship were still this ornate.

Following the tour, a handful of us chose to climb to the top of this insanely high tower and got an INCREDIBLE view of the city. We took photos and then traveled down the stairs to the marketplace for lunch.

*PAUSE: Listening to Spotify and the commercials are in German! Yay. (I am listening to Tim McGraw to ease the slight homesickness for Southern culture...)*

There were endless tiny shops open selling fine cheese, bread, seafood, and of course, sausages, pretzels, and beer. My stomach was slightly upset from pork, potato, and beer from the night before, so a friend and I chose to have a lighter lunch. We found fresh fruit smoothies and a bakery, from which I got what looked like a cheese danish, but ended up being mostly sugary bread (it was SO good). My friend and I were entertained by a young man near the smoothie shop who took it upon himself to explain every single flavor to us even though we were clearly not THAT confused...after his lecture he sighed, "I love American girls", to which we giggled, of course.

Soon it was time to meet back up at the glockenspiel, the giant clock tower, to go to the train station together. And then: More hail! It lasted a little longer tho time and strangely enough, I found walking through it to be somewhat enjoyable. (I did have my comfy sneakers and trench coat, and umbrella).


We then went underground and traveled to Olympia Central, where there is a BMW Museum and the park/facilities that were used when Munich hosted the Olympics in 1972. We learned from the walking tour that hosting the Olympics changed everything for the city and its economy. The Olympics does much more than provide entertainment and world unity!

The BMW museum was not really my thing, but it was still cool to see all of the old cars and their evolution. It also didn't hurt that our tour guide was rather adorable. ;)
*Sidenote: As my close friends/family/roommates will ALL tell you, I love clean cut, well-dressed guys. Feminine might be stretch, but basically, ALL THE GUYS IN EUROPE ARE MY TYPE!! Maybe not all, but a large majority. Lord send me a European husband. <3 Lol..

Time to head to breakfast, definitely need to write more later. In the evening we went out to dinner and then saw the city light up at night, and finished the evening with gelato for only a euro (I love a good bargain). I also need to write more about the culture and differences from the US...the Underground, the diversity, etc.

I'll be back soon. :)

Regards from my bunk bed,
Princess Samantha

Day 1: Arrival in Germany

Well. After some unexpected travel issues (flight delay and transfer), I have safely arrived in Munich, Germany! And it is so cool.

We took the train from the airport to the main city, then walked to our hostel. The names seem slightly misleading to me, as the train was more like a subway and the hostel closely resembles a hotel (it's a nice hostel).

We checked in, freshened up, then walked to the historic part of town for dinner. We went into the restaurant and my friend almost immediately remarked, "So the German stereotypes are all true!" There were waiters in leiderhousen, and women in the stereotypical German dresses, a man walking around selling huge pretzels and of course-- the largest beer glasses I have ever seen accompanied everyone's dinner.

It was so lovely sitting with a small group of friends, some old and new, all absorbing this new culture together. Some have been to Europe before and others have not. Some speak a little German and others not a word. Overall everyone in my group seems extremely flexible, nonjudgemental, and open. Not to mention friendly! I think these next 5 weeks will be a lovely experience.

After dinner we walked back to the hostel, and we noticed that we had dined for three hours! A new friend mentioned that he had heard dining for longer periods of time was part of the German culture to which I responded, "Hey, I don't have any problem with that!" (I love food..)

We had noticed some storm clouds and were expecting some rain, but all of a sudden small hail starting raining down on us! I don't think some people in our group had ever seen hail before haha. But almost as soon as it started, it had ended, and we were fine to lower our umbrellas.

After our meal and German beer, everyone was feeling the jet lag. We were determined to stay awake until at least 8-8:30pm, so our circadian rhythms could successfully align again. A different group of us got together to go our for coffee/dessert. We found a small cafe and chatted for about an hour, then went shopping for various things that people needed. By then it was around 8 o'clock, and everyone was ready for bed.

Today is a new day, we are all rising and getting ready for breakfast, which will be followed by a walking tour of the city. I opened my laptop to check the weather before dressing, and I'm glad I did because it's supposed to be colder than it was yesterday! All 40s this morning with a 50% chance of rain.

I have no idea what we are doing after the walking tour because I forgot my Munich itinerary at home. Normally I would freak out a little bit about that but it's kind of nice, just going with the flow and truly living in the moment. I woke up this morning feeling so strange, remembering that I was in another country...on another continent! This is the farthest I have ever been away from home, and without anybody I know very well. I immediately felt so strongly though that this is something will be so glad I did in my twenties. These are the years to travel and explore.

Thanks for tuning in, I'll update whenever I can. :)

Thank God the "Post" button is orange otherwise I would have no idea what to press... everything on this webpage is in German!

Yours from Munich,
Princess Samantha

Taking Off

Dear readers,

Thank you so much for choosing to join me as I travel to Munich, Germany and Salzburg, Austria (and who knows where else I might stop along the way..)!

I am a music education major focusing on choral singing, and will be studying music history and instrumental arranging at Salzburg College.

Last summer may have been the driest season of my entire life, devoid of activity, and devoid of music. That being said, I truly couldn't be more excited and grateful to be immersed in what I love this summer, in a new and beautiful place! In Europe!

Being the natural worry wort/A-type personality that I am, I am overthinking and over planning like crazy, and getting a little anxious.

It is the day before I leave. I take off to Munich tomorrow afternoon and no...I am not yet fully packed. And I sit here typing away instead of getting a move on! ;)

It will all get done. It will all be well. I have to keep telling myself that.

What scares me the most is the unknown.
When I left everything I knew in love in Virgina four years ago and moved to Florida, the unknown terrified me.
One year later I left for the University Florida, and tearfully embraced my parents in disbelief that I was actually moving out. I had no idea what to expect.
That following summer I worked at a sleep away camp in the Poccono mountains for inner city children, and the unknown bewildered me.

In all of these cases, the reality was so much different than my expectations. In so many ways, it was better. I need to rest in that now.

All of the little details about getting there are not what is actually important. I'll get there. And once I'm there, I just need to enjoy and soak up every single moment.

I'm normally pretty okay at that. :)

As for the name of the blog, well, some might say I have an obsession with Disney Princesses. Okay here's the thing: I like how they sing. I like the songs. That's the main reason. But they have become, in some ways, my role models and inspiration for beauty and grace. Okay now I am not an "anti-feminist": Women do not need to look or act like the princesses to be beautiful. But if I want to resemble them in their patience and kindness, I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

So I began identifying myself as a princess. Perhaps I'm just revisiting a childhood dream.
But the label helps me combat the negative thoughts about my worth.
It also reminds me that I am a daughter of God, who is King over heaven and earth, and King of my heart.
Therefore, I truly am a princess.

Salzburg is so much more beautiful (even in the pictures) than anything I've seen before.
There is a real castle, unlike the replica in Disney World.
I can't help but feel like in Salzburg, I will feel at home. In a fairytale. A princess in her kingdom.

Here I will post my thoughts and feelings (hopefully on a weekly basis), and upload photos as well. Hopefully there will be a little on culture shock...dealing with German, Euros, and different social norms.

I can't wait for all that I will learn. For how I will be stretched and grow.

Thanks for reading.

All my love from my anxious heart,

Princess Samantha