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| advent celebration? Should have written all these down! |
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| celebration at the river's bend |
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| Our awesome hostess |
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Memorial chapel
The original was destroyed in a flood |
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| leaving Deutschland |
Our detour into Hallein prompted us to go on another 'unscheduled' adventure to Oberndorf, the town where "Silent Night" was composed and first sung. It is a town located at the bend of the river Salzach which forms the border between Germany and Austria. The chapel was at the very farthest curve of the bend, in a place prone to floods and fires and harsh weather. The entire area is called the 'unterberg', which means under the mountains. Maybe in the shadow of the mountains? In any case, it is a beautiful place to visit and live, but the winters are snow filled and for the farmers of the area the climate is not always favorable. We visited a tiny little museum where the proctor took our family around, explained every exhibit and told us about the traditions of the area. Most of the festivals are based on asking for a good harvest, giving thanks for the harvest, or scaring away the bad spirits which come in the long, dark, cold, winters. I'm not sure the kids understand what it means to depend on the weather, the seasons and to never know what the future might bring. Not that we know what the future brings, but our comfort is practically assured. Of note also was the warm reception our children received at the museum. We are used to stares and questions if these are all our children, instead she complimented us on taking the kids around to learn the history of the places we visit. It was such a nice change!
The rest of the day we recovered from our travels at the Watzman Therme, a series of pools filled with naturally heated spring water (salty, also!) I thought the water wasn't nearly warm enough and stayed in the tepidarium to get warm. I guess feeling cold all the time is just my default state.
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