On the Border

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

-"The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus

A couple summers ago, I had the pleasure of visiting the Statue of Liberty once again, climbing up her stairs and admiring her majesty.  The poem, a symbol, recognizable words, evaded me, but it was important to me that I found it.  A very friendly National Parks Ranger escorted me to the poem, in the depths of the museum, near Lady Liberty's feet, it stands.  The poem was written well over a century ago, but it is still there.  It has not been edited.  Seclusion of certain groups has not been added.  It does not say, "give me your brightest, your wealthiest, your healthiest."  It says, "give me your tired, your poor."

I saw the huddled masses yearning to breathe free this weekend in a tent city in Matamoros, Mexico.  I saw the homeless and tempest-tost, and yet, they are not being welcomed by Lady Liberty's loving arms.

A year ago, I followed Rachel, my "do-er" friend who always finds a way to help to McAllen, Texas.  (Last year's McAllen post)  We worked at the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas for a long weekend.  At the time, the tiny center, no where near equipped to handle the influx of immigrants did an astounding job of feeding and clothing people who had just crossed the border legally and putting them on buses to their loved ones scattered throughout the country.  Earlier this year, they were able to move into a new, expansive facility, equipped with space that could not have been fathomed last year.

This summer, the Center welcomed upwards of 1,000 people a day.  Yes, 1,000 people a day.  We planned our trip then, eager to get back and do whatever we could to help, knowing that helping 1,000 people on a daily basis takes an incredible amount of money and man-power.  Then, within a month, the number of immigrants the Center hosted daily dissolved to under 20 a day.  Why?  Because of the new, stricter laws put into place by the administration.  So, the trip that five of us had planned, changed course, but we were still eager to go and do what we could.

We were scheduled to leave Thursday evening and arrive late in McAllen.  Our first flight was delayed, meaning we would miss our connected flight.  With some quick thinking and calls to customer service, we got a flight into Dallas late Thursday, a hotel at the airport and a flight out early the next morning.  Nothing ever runs as smoothly as planned.  Our flight continued to be delayed, and finally landed in Dallas around 11:30pm.  The hotel was close to the airport, but not in the airport as we had at first assumed.  Meeting up with the shuttle proved more complicated than we had planned, and so it wasn't until a quarter to one that I curled up on the floor of our hotel room to get a solid four and half hours of sleep before getting up to get on another plane.  As the plane began its descent into McAllen, and my eyes struggled to stay open, I realized that the difficult twelve hours I had just experienced did not even begin to compare to the days, weeks, months of hellacious travel that many of those I was headed to meet had endured.  Sometimes, we all need a little perspective check in our lives.

We hit the ground running with shopping errands given to us by one of the "on the ground" volunteers we had met last year.  We purchased dozens of sets of long underwear for children, knowing that the temperatures on Friday were dipping and were especially chilly to these people who rarely see cold weather, along with tarps to go under and on top of the tents. Mayra, the local angel who daily takes items across to the immigrants, greeted us and we followed her to Brownsville, Texas, about an hour south along the border.

Our team: Rachel, Lydia, Emily and Betsy

There is not a tent city in Reynosa, the town across the border from McAllen.  We are not completely certain as to why this is, as the local volunteers had a variety of answers, and even they were a bit uncertain.  Some said that Reynosa was more dangerous and not as welcoming to the migrants.  Some said that it was because there was a detention center there, and people were more likely to be arrested and held.  Some said it was because if asylum seekers were given an interview, it would be in Brownsville, so they settled close by.

Each of us anticipated driving across the border, partly because we assumed the tent city was a short distance away, but instead Mayra parked the car and we got out, pulling wagons of blankets, long underwear and tacos made by another group of volunteers.  We paid a dollar in quarters and then walked the short, five minute walk, across the Rio Grande into Mexico.  One would think that such a short walk, one would hardly notice the difference, but before even exiting the bridge, we could see the sprawling tents covering the hillside of what was once a city park.  Some of the tents backed up to the government buildings where they applied for asylum.  The guards on the Mexican side sometimes examined each of our items carefully, asking lots of questions about prices and amounts, but other guards saw what it was for and barely batted an eye.

Short pedestrian bridge into Mexico.

First time in Matamoros

I have seen and heard a couple different estimates on just how many people are living in this tent city, but it appears somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000.  They are living in tents, no matter the summer heat nor the winter chill.  They are living in a place that in no way is equipped to handle the huddled mass.  Port-o-potties are in the center, and one can imagine the stench coming from them as the sun bakes them throughout the day and the flies that circle close by.  Showers?  Well, the Rio Grande is right there.  Water?  Barrels with spouts provide water, but of what cleanliness, I know not.  Trash is partially under control, partly because Mayra gives out trash bags when she arrives, and those who return with full bags of trash seem to have a better chance of receiving one of the items she has brought with her.

Part of the tent city

Distributing Long Underwear

It appears that when people arrive, they present themselves to Border Patrol and are given a date of when to appear for their interview.  For whatever reason, some people are given a date a few weeks away, and some are given a date months away.  I saw multiple people carrying around official papers with "Notice to Appear" at the top, guarding the papers and seeking help in filling them out.

After distributing the items, we went back into Brownsville for dinner, but realizing how chilly it was getting, decided we could help again.  We went to the Mercado in town and purchased dozens of hats, gloves and socks, hoping they would bring warmth.  Even in this process, we faced a moral dilemma.  We were able to purchase hats and gloves for .50 and $1, most likely meaning they came from sweat shops where these people were running from.  And yet, if that meant we could help to keep them warm, shouldn't we still purchase them?  There were many times throughout the weekend where I felt that all we were doing was giving a man a fish, rather than teaching him to fish.  No, we didn't get to the root of the problem and help solve the crisis, but can a man who is starving even have the strength to learn how to fish?

Putting gloves on a hand that likely has never felt gloves, nor had the need for them before.

Even we were unprepared for the cold, so we purchased matching hats (which, yes, of course, we left in Matamoros).   Team: Rachel, Mayra, Willy, Betsy, Lydia, Rebecca and Emily

Exhausted and worn out, yet sleeping in comfortable beds in a safe place, in the beautiful home of a wonderful founder of the Humanitarian Respite Center, we slept soundly, and somewhat guiltily.

On Saturday morning, we went back to the Respite Center to meet up with Willy, whom we had met with Mayra the day before.  Let me first tell you about Willy, one of my new favorite people.  When he was 18, he met a young American woman on vacation in his home country of Guatemala.  They fell in love, and he followed her to New Jersey where they married, had three kids and he became a US citizen.  Knowing that education was the most important thing he could provide for his children, Willy worked long, hard hours as a pastry chef in a 5-star hotel, and was able to send them all to Catholic school.  They are now grown, with lucrative jobs and Willy and his wife have separated.  Last year, he came to McAllen with his dioceses and realized how much needed to be done.  So, he sold his home and car and moved to McAllen.  He has very little, and gives so much of himself to help anyone and everyone who may need the help.  When he was young, he said he really wanted to be a missionary, but he fell in love, and well, that changed things in the Catholic church.  So now, he felt he was getting to fulfill his lifelong dream.


We worked with another team of volunteers on Saturday morning, some nuns, some medical missionaries, and some like Willy spend much of their time and energy there.  We passed out sandwiches and milk (chocolate milk brought wide smiles of delight).  Once all were fed, came some necessities like diapers, formula and baby wipes all purchased, bagged and sorted by other volunteers.  We learned of a makeshift clinic on site, and were thrilled to visit them and learn of ways that we could financially contribute to their work at the border.

Crossing Saturday morning, wagons in tow

Distributing milk and sandwiches.  Please notice the adorable one in the green hat proudly wearing the long underwear given out the night before.

Interactions with those living in the tent city grew as our faces became more familiar.  Two young men told us they had been taxi drivers in Honduras, but showed us a photo of a friend of theirs, a fellow taxi driver who had been shot while driving.  They ran, fearing for their lives.  We met Edwin, a 21-year-old man awaiting his interview.  He is there alone.  It seems that women are more frequently granted asylum, and so his sisters were already waiting for him in Virginia, but he had to be patient.  One can only imagine the stories that they could all tell.  What fears and horrors caused these young mothers to decide to walk thousands of miles with young children in tow.

Edwin, enjoying the book and dictionary Rachel found for him.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our friends and family members, we spent Saturday afternoon shopping and even renting a cargo van to haul more supplies from the Respite Center to the border.  Willy was so excited about the possibility that he loaded up the vehicle finding more and more things for us to take.  We purchased vitamins, ibuprofen, bandaids, alcohol wipes, and children's board books for use in the clinic.

Should I be worried that no one at Costco batted an eye when we checked out like this?

Willy was so excited about the cargo van, that he continued to load us up!

Interesting fact: cargo vans echo a lot.  Also, they drive a lot like a pick-up truck.  I'm thankful for my days as a pick-up truck driver and how useful those days continue to be.

Arriving back at the "casita" later than anticipated, we got right to work with bagging hundreds of diapers into bags of a dozen and putting children's vitamins into small bags of seven, the dosage for a week.  At some point, delirium set in, and although we were faced with incredible dire circumstances, we found ourselves in near tears from laughter.  What we saw and experienced was draining both physically and emotionally, but this time with friends, with gummy vitamin residue on our hands was crucial.  It kept us going and kept us from falling apart.

The U-Haul cargo van that we assumed was much too large was quickly packed to the brim with wagon loads of items we had purchased and items Willy was eager to deliver.  We took a seemingly endless supply of toothbrushes, toiletries kits, reusable bags, chapstick, deodorant, large diapers, snacks and the medicine we had purchased.

Cargo van pre-organization

Cargo-van post organization

Upon arrival, we had decided that we wanted to distribute the items in an assembly line of sorts, starting with a bag and putting one of each thing in the bag.  This idea seemed to quickly disintegrate because half of our team had to return across the border to retrieve even more wagon loads (and Emily even traversed a third time for even more supplies).  Lydia, a beautiful young woman whom I was lucky enough to teach and since travel with, and I looked at each other with a moment of panic.  But before we could even comprehend a new plan, two young boys jumped up and took places in line eagerly helping to pass out items.  They were kind, cheerful and incredibly efficient.  I'm sure they joined us for a multitude of reasons: there is little else to do, they got to share in smiles as they passed out items, and sure, we watched them tuck away some chosen items, but we could not have cared in the least.  Lydia speaks Spanish, but aside from greetings, I can say incredibly little.  Truly though, aside from smiles and some pointing, little else was needed.

That little smile was worth all the miles we traveled.

Remember that seemingly endless supply of toiletries?  That loaded cargo van?  Every time I looked up, the line was the same length, no matter how many bags we made and distributed.  We gave away hundreds of toiletries bags and then three wagon loads of snacks.

Once all of the necessities were handed out, we brought out the non-essentials, the things that help to make our lives a little brighter.  Kickballs were quickly enjoyed both as soccer balls and volleyballs, giving children something to do and bringing smiles to their faces.  The ever ingenious and thoughtful Rachel had had the idea of bringing finger nail polish.  I believe this was my favorite part of the entire weekend.  The group painted dozens of hands, bringing smiles to the faces of women and girls.  I like to think that in these moments we showed our greatest humanity.  Sure, their hands were dirty and we could have been fearful of germs, but in our actions, we showed that we are all human, and we realize that they, although in very different situations, are just like us.  Betsy even got down on the ground and painted some toenails, the ultimate sacrifice to show love to a stranger.

Betsy's servant heart at work

Professional volleyball moves

As we passed out different items over our time, whether decorative toiletry bags, hats or gloves, we noticed multiple people who seemed picky or wanted more than one.  At first, I admit that I was frustrated, wanting them to be grateful and just take one.  But then, I had another gut check, a realization that I needed.  Am I not choosy in picking items for myself?  Do I not have a plethora of winter hats as opposed to one?  Do I have dignity and perhaps even some vanity in worrying how I look?  Absolutely, to all of the above.  I realized then that I had no right to judge, and only worried that I would give an entire collection of items to someone if only they asked.

Matamoros

It takes a village.

Matamoros, with the bridge to America in the background.

After purchasing more hats and gloves to be delivered the next day, when cold, wet temperatures were headed back, we said our goodbyes to Willy and Mayra, thanking them for all of their work that they do day in and day out to touch the lives of those living in Matamoros.  Our lovely hostess, Hermi fed us dinner and helped fill in some of the gaps of things that we did not understand about what is happening.  She and several others are the founders of the Humanitarian Respite Center and have worked tirelessly to help those entering our country feel welcomed.

And then, without much hassle at all, we came home.  We came home to safe neighborhoods, warm beds and families who love us.  Leaving what we saw behind, trying to go back to normal is difficult.  Interacting with people who have so little, and yet are so gracious and hopeful is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring.

We saw, through the incredible generosity of our friends and family members, that so many people want to do something, and yet don't know what to do.  We, in fact, still have some money to spend because of this generosity, despite the amount of things that we purchased.  We are currently awaiting an estimate from a local doctor for flu vaccinations, and then will decide where to spend any other money we may have left over.

But there are LOTS of ways that you can help financially, educationally and politically.  We encountered lots of people and lots of organizations doing the right thing and helping people.  Did they perfectly blend together?  No, of course not.  As with any groups of people working in the same area, trying to accomplish the same goals, there were often egos that got involved, but overall, every person I met had the best of intentions and their hearts were in the right place.

These are some people and organizations that we met and worked with along the way that you can contribute to:
River Ministries - This was the team we met running the makeshift clinic.
Team Brownsville - These people provide two meals a day and an hour a week of school for the children.  (This report was on NPR about them.)
Catholic Charities - The Humanitarian Respite Center is a blessing, and with any luck will soon be welcoming hundreds more people once again.
Mayra's Wishlist - Mayra has created a wishlist of items on Amazon that she distributes.

Educate yourself (as I will continue to!) about just what is going on, the dangers people go through to get to the United States and what we can do to help.  I recently read Enrique's Journey written by Sonia Nazario, a Pulitzer Prize Winning author, that documented a young boy's journey and his assimilation into the United States.  It was horrifying and eye-opening.  I also recently read The Only Road, a middle-grades fiction following two kids escaping to safety into the United States.

Since most of the people that I met were from Honduras, I began researching more about Honduras and what we, as US citizens can do to support the country and make people want to stay in their own homes.  Honduras is violent and corrupt.  I went to the country with Heifer International, and thoroughly enjoyed my time there meeting local people and seeing the work that Heifer was doing, but even at that point, a coup happened, and we were forced to stay indoors at times for safety.  It seems that problems compound one another there, but most of it starts with a corrupt government.  Corrupt leaders keep much of the money themselves, driving their country into deep poverty with 66% of the population living below the poverty.  Murders go un-investigated because of fear, bribes and lack of police.  Even teachers were "bought" by a leader and although they had some of the highest salaries around, they weren't doing the work or were not even certified teachers.  Even the medication is sub-par and often barely worth more than a placebo.  This New York Times article by the same author as Enrique's Journey explains a lot.  It also helped me realize that without necessarily meaning to, America has caused many of the problems that fuel the violence in Honduras because of our country's dependency on illegal drugs.  We are fueling the gangs and drug cartels.  Sonia Nazario also mentioned this organization helping to end corruption and the positive work that they have done so far.

Our Congressmen need to hear from us, their constituents.  Tell them that we want more done for those huddled masses yearning to be free at our southern border.  Help them to also see that putting funds in the right hands of support in Honduras could mean that fewer people will want to leave their home.  Instead, the administration has "punished" Honduras for allowing so many people to leave their country by cutting support to the country.  You can read more about that here.

You can also go!  Go, see first hand those who are suffering.  Meet people, hear their stories and then share with others.  Matamoros, Mexico is said to be very dangerous.  I cannot necessarily attest to that as I barely went 100 feet into Mexico, but I never once felt unsafe.  Sure, there were moments of angst when I was a bit nervous or worried that our large influx of items may start a riot, but they never did.  People were patient, kind, and appreciative.  I will be happy to pass on the contacts I've made there, or you can contact the agencies I mentioned above.  But I believe that the more people who see the situation first hand, the more things will change.

Take your own team to the border!  You won't be sorry, and you won't forget it!

Overall, though, remember that we are all children of immigrants.  Remember that at some point in our own histories, we have been members of those huddled masses yearning to be free.  And remember, that just like you, these people had no choice into the country in which they were born.  Let us all be like Lady Liberty and shine a lamp welcoming the tired, the poor, the homeless and tempest-torn.

Krakov

No, the v at the end of the title was not a mistake.  The town is spelled Krakow, but to the Polish, the w is pronounced as a v.  It took us several days to figure this out, but then Krakowian was much easier to pronounce if you viewed it as a v!

When making plans for our road trip adventure this year, making it to Poland, not only to see Auschwitz, but to enjoy the brighter side of things seemed important.  I knew very little about Poland, and felt that Warsaw was really the only the only city I knew much about, and all of that had to do with World War II.  But Krakow made more sense geographically, and after hearing Rick Steves describe the city as "simply charming," well, we couldn't resist.  It seemed, after that, that anytime I mentioned the city, people immediately laid praises on it.  It didn't take long to see why.

Although the sprawling city boasts a population of nearly one million, the heart of the city, the old town is incredibly walkable, making you feel like part of an old village where you walked to particular markets to purchase your necessities as you dodged horses pulling carts.  For hundreds of years, this heart of the city was surrounded by a city wall and moat to protect the residents.  In the 19th century, with no more need for such protection, the moat was filled in and turned into the Planty (Polish word for flat, not having to do with plants!), a small circular park encompassing the Old Town.  With such surroundings, it was easy to orient oneself for if you wandered into green space, you knew you had stepped outside the heart of the city.

We walked, what seemed like the entire city, multiple times (in particular one time when looking for the perfect ice cream), and that is what we enjoyed most.  Sure, we completed many things on our Krakow "to do" list, but what I enjoyed most was being in the city and enjoying the romance of such a colorful, clean city, rich with history and charm.  There are several stunning cathedrals in town, an underground museum that takes on the history of the city while looking at the ancient ruins and markets galore.  Two main markets took up a lot of our time.  The Cloth Hall in the middle of the expansive central square has been home to cloth merchants since the middle ages, give or take a remodeling or two.  It is now lined with stalls with all sorts of tacky tourist finds, amber jewelry and local craftsmen.  Our first night, we happened upon another, apparently seasonal, market just two blocks from our apartment.  I don't think we missed visiting this market on a single day of our time there.  Sure, it may have been the grilled sheep cheese wrapped in bacon that brought me back each time, but the stalls here seemed more artisan and less touristy.

There is a castle just outside of the Old Town overlooking the river.  Now, like most of us who enjoy a good fairy tale, I love castles.  While in the UK, I visited just about as many as physically possible.  But just like in Prague (another city I love), I was disappointed by the castle at the heart of town.  Sure, it was on a bit of a hill, had a lovely view of the city on one side and the river on the other, but it is not a castle in the sense of the word that I picture.  I imagine one expansive building with a gate and turrets complete with a great hall, spiral staircases and a dungeon.  Nope.  Instead, imagine a fortress with all the complexes that a royal might need and never have to leave the castle grounds.  There are public state rooms, museums, a cathedral and even a central grassy field.  It was all lovely, but not the kind of castle that allows for discovery of hidden nooks and crannies.  That is of course aside from the Dragon's Cave.  And well, if you aren't going to have turrets, having a dragon's cave seems to make up for it!  Legend has it that a dragon once lived in the cave below the castle.  The townspeople kept him at bay for years by sacrificing many of its livestock.  But of course they were still fearful, and obviously missed the livestock.  A young boy devised a plan!  He stuffed a sheep skin with sulphur and left it by the dragon's cave.  One would think that would do the trick, right?  No, the Polish story is much more entertaining.  The dragon quickly devoured the sheep imposter and became so thirsty that he began emptying the river of its contents.  He drank so much in fact that he blew up (the illustration in the children's books is priceless).  Now, you can climb down a spiral staircase from the castle grounds into what seems like a perfect hideaway for a dragon.  Near the exit sits a giant metal recreation of the dragon, who, once every four minutes, breaths fire to the eagerly expecting crowd.

One of the biggest attractions to the city is a short train ride away.  The Salt Mines were a cheesy, fascinating way to spend a few hours hiding from the sun. The Wieliczka Salt Mine has been in production since the 13th century.  In fact, in the 14th century, nearly one third of the wealth in Poland came from mining salt.  The miners, who spent a majority of their lives underground, took great pride in the mines, and in their work.  What would you expect to see when visiting a salt mine?  Yes, I heard your sarcastic reply of "salt," very funny.  Yes, of course, but what else?  Myself, I expected tunnels and carts, tools and underground mazes.  What about chapels?  Statues?  Chandeliers?  Sound impressive?  Now, picture them all carved out of salt.  Yep, every single last one was carved by the miners, with no artistic training.  They created masterful works of art out of the material they surrounded themselves by all day every day.   Room after room of underground splendor surprised us, and we barely saw a fraction of all that the mines currently encompass.

When you're in a salt mine, you lick the walls.  And yes, they taste like salt.

Carved out of salt!

Entire cathedral made of salt

Kazimierz, or the Jewish Quarter, is also a highly popular destination.  Now, it is the popular place to live, the up and coming neighborhood where the young are revitalizing the area.  In the 14th century, the king of Poland welcomed the Jews who were fleeing other nations to come and settle in Krakow.  While Krakow did have a totally separate part of the city for the Jews to live in, it was still much more welcoming than other parts of Europe.  The Jewish community flourished here and soon became an integrated part of the community.  That is until the horrors of World War
II.  At one point, nearly sixty-five thousand Jews lived here; today, only a couple hundred remain.  While this part of town does seem hipper, with eclectic market stands and food vendors, it lacks the old charm that the Old Town has in droves.

In the main square, next to St. Mary's Church is a watchtower owned by the city.  Every hour, on the hour, a fireman on a 24-hour shift, opens a window near the top of the tower and plays a haunting piece that seems to end abruptly.  Legend says that during the invasion in the 13th century, a watchman was alerting his fellow citizens when an arrow pierced his throat.  Now, in his honor, the song played ceases suddenly.  We could hear it from our apartment, and paused every time we heard the melody.

I'm not sure there are enough flowery words of support for Krakow.  A city rich in history, pride and charm, full of life, color, legends and energy.  Make sure to add Krakow to your list, and while there, make sure to try the many local flavors of wodka! :)

It is mole.

The year that my fellow Fulbrighters and I were in the UK, we decided to go to Prague for a bank holiday weekend.  I had been once before and fallen in love with the city and was eager to go back.  We toured the castle, shopped on the bridge, had a sunset cruise and laughed more than I can remember laughing.  On our last day there, once again in the small market, we happened upon a giant stuffed animal.  He was short, round, fat, grey and black with a big red nose.  We enquired about the creature from the woman at the shop.  She responded simply, "It is mole.  It is Czech."  Her simple response still makes us all laugh as we share in the collective memory.



In our drive today, we would spend much of the seven hour drive in the Czech Republic, sadly many hours away from the the beloved Prague, but still enough of our time to ensure that we stop and visit the country that has already brought us joy.  Of course, on our final moments in Austria, we enjoyed a few more Sound of Music sing-a-longs, in particular, "So Long, Farewell."

I had done a little research on southern Czech Republic, in hopes of finding a place that we could possibly break our journey and also take in a few sites.  Brno (pronounced Bruno), described as a small Prague with a dragon legend, seemed like the perfect spot!  Of course, finding a parking spot while driving a manual in an unknown city is always a bit more of an adventure than I anticipate, but nevertheless we were able to wander the city.



In my research, I happened upon the word “dragon” several times, which of course piqued my interest.  There were stories about a ferocious dragon who tormented the citizens of the city, making merchants no longer want to visit the town and residents fearful to leave their homes.  Finally, a butcher devised a plan to deceive the dragon and kill it.  His plan worked and now the dragon is stuffed and hangs in the town hall.  Of course, when presented with a great legend, in particular about a dragon, with evidence that mere mortals can still see, well, you must go see it.  So, we did. 



I don't know about you, but the dragon does seem to look a bit like another, more familiar creature, but who doesn't love a good legend?

During our short visit in Brno, Jessica excitedly punched me in the arm and pointed at a shop across the street. "It is mole.  It is Czech." was ALL over the small toy store.  We found pillows, puzzles, books, games, pencils, toddler toys, stuffed animals, key chains and even little magnets to share with our fellow travelers.  Apparently, this little creature is some sort of a cartoon celebrity here, and sadly, we know nothing about him.  But, he still managed to bring us joy!

The drive was otherwise, seemingly and thankfully, uneventful.  Crossing borders from Austria into Czech Republic and then into Poland was little more than seeing a sign on the side of the road.  After leaving the mountains of Austria, much of our drive today was flat, or gentle rolling hills through expansive countrysides.  I know that trains may have been a more economical form of travel, but oh how I love the freedom of a road trip!  We might have missed out on seeing our mole friend!

The Hills are Alive!

The Sound of Music is one of the most iconic, timeless films ever made. It is a gem that continues to delight audiences decades after its creation. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it even more fascinating. As you can only imagine, Salzburg has (rightfully so) found ways to capitalize on this popularity. Even today, there are a plethora of tour buses that visit the sites of the film taking tourists on trips multiple times every day of the year. Young, old, musical, historical, English speaking and not, the film reaches many. So of course, we couldn’t go to Salzburg without singing and dancing alongside the rest of the tourists!

During some of the morning scattered showers yesterday, we visited the Sound of Music museum. Yep, there’s even a museum. It separates the facts and fictions of the true story and the film as well as gives some insights into the filming process.

Maria did in fact live at the Abbey and her non-conventional ways were a bit of a struggle for the sisters, I mean, “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” But, she was a teacher, not a young nun. She was hired to be a tutor for one of the Von Trapps who was in poor health due to lasting effects of scarlet fever. The family was wealthy as the Captain’s first wife was the granddaughter of the man who had invented the torpedo. The true Captain was very different than the one Christopher Plummer portrayed. He was a loving and affectionate father, highly involved in the day to day happenings of each of his children. He did have a whistle with different calls for each child, but it was because of the large estate, and he didn’t want to shout.

Maria did bring music into the house, and the children loved her. Perhaps not quite the love affair portrayed in the film, as there was a huge age difference between Maria and the Captain, and while there was love there, it sounds like it was first, more of a marriage of conveince as the children were happy with her, and the Captain wanted a suitable mother.  The role of the Baronesse was a Hollywood addition because at the time, the actress who played her was a much bigger name than anyone else in the film, and they needed her stardom.

A friend of the family, a preacher, was visiting the house one day when he heard the children singing. Taken aback by the talent, he and Maria worked together to train and perfect the young singing voices. The Captain never really approved of the children singing for money, but because of several unfortunate economic crises, the family had little other choices. 

The timing was also a bit different. In real life, Maria married the Captain in the late 1920s, and they had two (and one on the way) more children before fleeing the country. They left the country in the late 1930s before WWII was in full swing. They had been invited to sing in America, and since they were fearful after refusing Hitler’s invitation to sing for him, they took it as an opportunity to flee. It was quoted that the family members screeched with laughter at the final scene of the film saying, “Don’t people know their geography!” The mountains around Salzburg lead into Germany. Yep, Germany, the very place the family was running from. In actuality, in far less dramatic ways, the family walked to the local train station and set off from there. After moving around and touring, the family finally settled in Stowe, Vermont (Jessica and I visited there last year!), which is very understandable as the scenery is similar.

We boarded a huge tour bus this morning, packed with fellow enthusiasts to see some of the beautiful sites where the filming took place. In true Hollywood fashion, the Von Trapp house was actually in multiple locations. We drove past the home that acted as the front of the house with the yellow walls and tall gate that intimidated Maria. It was also here that Maria and the Captain pulled in when returning from their honey moon. A Nazi flag had been hung on the front of the house. Do you remember the scene? Do you remember Christopher Plummer ripping the flag? Watch again. Turns out, it is difficult to tear a flag in half, so the props crew had already put a tear in the flag for him to use. Notice him looking for the tear now?

Thankfully, we stopped at the end of the path where Maria got off the bus, full of confidence, and so, of course, I had to do some reenacting.

The gazebo, a favorite for all us wanting to pretend to be 16 again, is not exactly as you’d expect. The shots from inside the gazebo, with all of the dancing were filmed in a studio with a much enlarged gazebo, making it more difficult for Liesl to prance about. Turns out that she missed one of the benches, sprang her ankle, and they taped it up and continued shooting. The real gazebo was on private property, but too many people kept trespassing, so it was moved to a more public location. But, years ago, an older woman, pretending to be 16 and prancing from bench to bench fell and broke her hip. The gazebo is now locked up and we can only gaze on it from outside.

The beautiful lake that set the scene for the back of the house was next on our list. Oddly enough, you never see the back of this house in the film because it is white, not yellow, but Hollywood directors still managed to find ways to use the lake, dock and back patio to make it look like the two were the same. Remember the scene where Maria and the kids are in the boat, but are so excited to see the Captain, they all fall out of the boat? Well, that scene was a lot more difficult than the carefree scene it portrays. Turns out, the little actress playing Gretl couldn’t swim. The plan was for Julie Andrews to grab onto her and hold her so she wouldn’t be scared. First take worked just as planned, but of course the directors wanted one more. Despite chilly waters, the cast got back out on the boat, but Julie lost her balance and fell backwards, in a different direction from little Gretl. Thankfully, divers were underneath the boat, but it gave the young actress quite a fright. So much so that she wanted to quit. Her parents begged and pleaded with her, and as with most parents, persuaded her with whatever sweets she wanted to continue filming. Well... the filming that was supposed to take four weeks took eleven, and so by the end of that time and all that bribing, little Gretl was, well, not so little any more. Christopher Plummer even refused to carry her up the mountain, so when watching that final scene again, notice that you don’t see Gretl’s face as it was just a stand in (who weighed less). Side note... Christopher Plummer cannot and did not sing in the film.

Our tour bus drove out of the city through the stunning countryside, some of which was shown in the opening credits of the film all while listening and singing to the soundtrack. Thankfully, and not surprisingly, much of the bus joined in with the sing along, led by our adorable guide in her Austrian hat with attached pigtails along with her stuffed goat.

Just in case you get the chance to meet an Austrian, don’t start singing “Edilweiss” to them. It is not their anthem. But it is a beloved flower that grows only high up in the mountains. It used to be that men proved their love by climbing mountains the pick an edilweiss for their sweet heart. Sadly today that will cost you a fine as the flowers are now protected. No real romance left in the world, I guess.

Maria and the Captain actually got married at the church at the Abbey, and although the nuns were going to allow filming there, the director decided to go with a stunning church nearby, lovingly nicknamed the “pink church.” I was also beyond thrilled to find my own stuffed goat at the gift shop next to the church. We had scoured Salzburg looking for something like the puppets used in “The Lonely Goatherder” to no avail. This place is the only one around to carry them! Jessica and I are excited that Lisel and Gretl will be joining us on the rest of our road trip.

The last stop was the famous Mirabell Gardens where most of the clips during “Do Re Mi” were filmed including fountains, the “musical steps,” runways covered in vines and this lovely gnome who was patted on the head when the kids passed by.

All of the indoor scenes were filmed in a studio in California, including the cemetery scene where the family hid behind grave markers, but that graveyard was inspired by one in town, so we made sure to stop by and see it. 

The theater were the Von Trapps performed in the film is also in Salzburg, but it is only open for set tours a couple of times a day, so I’m afraid our timing was not right and we missed those.

Our Sound of Music scouting was almost complete, minus one final climb. “Climb Every Mountain,” right? Well, no, although we could have climbed the mountain where the family was seen escaping at the end, but we climbed to the fortress atop Salzburg. It does not play a role in the film, but it is scene in shots of Salzburg, and so, we decided while there, might as well go see it. It was a massive fortress that had housed people for hundreds of years, growing frequently to even larger capacity. In the fortress, there were towers to climb, chapels to see and even some green spaces with small soccer goals.

Our intention for climbing atop the city was still Sound of Music inspired, though, not just for the fort. Do you remember the scene, just after Maria had taught the children do, re, mi while on a picnic? She was explaining how to replace these sounds with words to make songs. The scene started with the eight of them next to a short stone wall overlooking the city. 

Sadly, we couldn’t reenact the carriage scene where each child represents a different note... we needed more people to make that one work... I guess I will need to “ford every stream, follow every rainbow” to make that dream come true!

Rain and Shine: Salzburg

Our travel plans from here are basically a giant circle and a return to Budapest. This is for a couple of reasons. In the area, the Budapest airport is one of the largest, and so makes for easy access to connecting flights. Another is because there is a huge cost associated with dropping your rental car back in a different location than where you picked it up, so we might as well make this a loop. Sure, renting a car may not always be the most economical way to travel, but the convenience and flexibility it gives are huge bonuses as compared to trains and buses.

We set off to Salzburg from Budapest, a 5-6 hour drive. I’ve actually been to Salzburg twice, but was eager to return as Jessica needed to add Austria to her list. Sure, we could have gone to Vienna and saved several hours of driving, but Salzburg is just so perfect. Don’t get me wrong, Vienna is a truly stunning, royal sort of city, but it still has that big city feel, and I much prefer old cities where the heart of the city is easily manageable, close-knit and gives off the feel of a small town. Salzburg does just that. Plus, there’s the added bonus of the Sound of Music fun that I knew we’d both enjoy!

The drive was mostly on motorways, so fairly easy, despite some stormy weather. Our adorable loft Air B and B, could not be more convenient. The directions should say, “drive past the horse fountain, then drive through the mountain (don’t worry, there’s a tunnel with a partnering sidewalk) and take an immediate right.” It’s a five minute walk to town, and each time we go into town, we walk past the statue that the Von Trapps also pranced beside.

We wandered through the idyllic downtown, a pedestrian area with cobblestone streets winding between pastel painted buildings three and four stories high. It doesn’t take long at all to emerge yourself in Salzburg and cover the heart of the city, so, after a pub dinner of schnitzel, we did just that. Despite the fact of being a Saturday night, the town was quiet, respectfully enjoying itself as opposed to the raucousness that other cities emninate.

Sunday morning, the dreary weather continued, and the heavily Catholic town remained quiet and subdued. That didn’t stop us from wandering up to the Abbey where Maria had once lived, or strolling through the tents set up alongside the river where artists and merchants sold local and faraway treasures. I even found the store I’ve enjoyed twice before. A store filled, from floor to ceiling with blown eggs hand painted with every design you could ever imagine. It’s a true treasure trove, a stunning work of art, an almost fantasy world, especially when you realize the thousands of fragile designs surrounding you!

Almost ready to head in for a bit, away from the drizzle, the clouds parted and the sun shone in all of her majesty. The stars aligned perfectly, and this timing coincided with outdoor performances by some talented Austrians in a festival complete with sausages and beer (and cider!). Some of our favorite American songs were sung like “Walking on Sunshine” and “Proud Mary,” along with ones we did not know, nor could understand the language. Happening upon street festivals is one of the best parts about traveling to Europe in the summer, and one of the best surprises! 

The clouds returned after a couple of hours, and so, like other festival goers, we retreated for a well deserved relaxing evening. It may sound ridiculous for two people in a foreign country to revel in an afternoon on the couch while quoting Lord of the Rings to explain the German voice overs, but I must admit that it was needed and much enjoyed. When traveling for so long, we have to remember to give ourselves a break, just like we all find time to do at home. A dreary evening was the perfect time for us to do that, even when in Austria.

Buda and Baths

Since we explored Pest yesterday, it only makes sense that we explore Buda today! According to Rick (yes, it’s only a travel book that I bring, but I do refer to him as another traveler on our journey), this side of the river should be seen, but doesn’t necessarily have to be truly visited, so, see we did.

We climbed up Castle Hill, where no, we did not visit the castle as it is really fairly modern from the history of the area, with so much destruction and rebuilding. There’s a great view of the river and the Parliament building as well as narrow streets to wander, and a lovely small cathedral.

Choosing a new bridge to cross back over to Pest, we decided, on a whim to check out the island in the middle of the river, a sort of Central Park retreat from the city. Expecting just a few minutes of wandering about, not knowing what to expect, Jessica and I were entranced by this retreat for hours! While it is truly in the center of the city, with so much greenery and so few cars, it feels as if you were miles away. With the current heat wave, the scorching temperatures quickly drew us to the large, central fountain. There was space to sit on the edge and dangle your feet into the runoff that splashed over the side. We were mesmerized for probably way too long (I’ll blame the high temps!) by this fountain that performed all sorts of impressive tricks. Then, it even added music that the fountains were corregraphed to! And there was even another bubble man entertaining the children and creating squeals of delight.

After finally pulling ourselves away from the fountain, we decided to rent a car for an hour. No, not that kind, but rather one that you pedal. With some effort, and a whole lot of laughter, we were able to drive our flower child of a car up and down the island, singing and waving happily at the other tourists doing the same thing. A perfect way to escape the heat and hectic big city!

We wandered back through the city, on a similar path to the day before, but with a new end goal and some added stops along the way. The day before, a playful fountain with great sensors was not working, and the line for the rose ice cream was much too long, but we made up for those today!

Nearing the end of the day, hot and our feet tired from walking, we headed toward one of the baths, the number one thing to do in Budapest. Both feeling a bit apprehensive, and certainly exhausted, I think either of us would have turned away had the other one suggested it, but I’m so very thankful we didn’t. When it is 95 outside, hot springs don’t sound inviting do they? Nor does a swimming pool with hundreds of other people. But then, you experience it and all your cares float away and you realize why people come here. 

All over Hungary, hot water springs flow freely. The Hungarians have long since learned about their healing powers, and have channeled those, creating healing and social environments for locals and foreigners alike to enjoy. We paid about $20 for usage of the pools and the locker room, changed into our swimsuits and then, anxiously wandered out into the swimming areas. Outside there are three pools, but the middle one is reserved for swimmers, people trying to get their laps in. The other two are of similar temperatures, but one is slightly cooler with more “entertainment,” while the other with just the perfect amount of warm, was meant for relaxing. The “fun” pool had sprayers where high powered water jetted out, giving free neck and back massages. There was also a sort of whirlpool in the center with jets pushing the water around in a circle, almost like a lazy river, but it wasn’t slow, and there were no rafts. We spent most of our time in the relaxing pool, where our fingers quickly turned into prunes. People watching and picking up on a variety of languages kept us entertained while we let every ache, pain and worry of the world disappear. We did wander inside for just a few minutes to sample the other small pools of varying temperatures and see the saunas, but we soon returned back to the relaxing pool where life was really too good to be true. It was only our rumbling bellies and the long route back to the apartment that finally urged us out of the pool. But, we have one final day in Budapest before we fly home. Can you guess where we’ll be spending our time?!