Uhhh…. Can you say, "AMAZING?!"

So this morning I woke up around 8:30 and everyone was still asleep, so I took the opportunity to shower before anyone was up and not feel like I had to rush. It was nice. Already my day was going well, and it was Mozart's birthday! We all ate at the hostel and then headed off to explore Mozart's birth home, which was amazing and had so much information! Outside the house some people had a huge cake in honor of his birthday and later would pass out pieces to others and have a parade, but more about that later. Next we went to Mozart's other home where he lived when he was older. This house was very interesting, too, with lots about his family as well as him. Next we all got a sausage at the street vendors for lunch before heading up to the Salzburg Castle! Taylor and I took the funicular while everyone else took the trail. It was so beautiful from the top! There was also wifi… go figure. I FaceTime called my sister even though it wasn't even 6 am at home yet… but I wanted her to see some of the sights that I am privileged to see! I am so glad she answered the second time. Inside the castle there were many things to see. One room had marionettes! Some were based on The Sound of Music and there was a cut out of four of the family to take pictures with your face in! We did that… Other things at the castle include a room of torture tools, a room of old instruments, old war uniforms, and more. After this we walked down the hill and went back to the hostel to change before the concert at the Mozarteum. Once we were all dressed we left to get dinner. Some of us went to see the Mozart parade and get cake while others of us went to get Schnitzel! I went with the group to get schnitzel… It was AMAZING! So was the concert which we went to next! Apparently the concert hall at PLU was modeled after this hall… I didn't really see it… The first piece was not what we were expecting because it was way better than what we thought we'd hear! It was all orchestra, and by Mozart! The next piece was by Gluck and sung by a tenor. He sounded wonderful! Then came another set of songs with the same name, first by Gluck and then by Mozart, sung by a mezzo in a  gorgeous dress. She had such a dark, rich, and loud voice! She probably didn't even need the microphone in front of her. Then she sang the song by Mozart with the same name as the Gluck piece. I loved the runs the mezzo had in the Gluck piece, but the Mozart arrangement really spoke to me.  Then there were three songs by Gluck, two songs by Mozart, and the Prague Symphony by Mozart. I was so amazed and cannot wait to go back tomorrow night for another concert in the same hall! Oh yeah, we sat in the first and second rows again!!! We have had such great seats!