Mittwoch 22 April

Salzburg, Mauthausen, Melk & Vienna

Breakfast is provided at our hotel, and we check out and depart.

Guten Morgen! We are currently on the bus leaving Saltzburg and on our way to Mauthausen, Melk Abbey and eventually Vienna! I fell in love with the little city of Saltzburg as I’m sure many of the other kids did on the trip. We kicked off yesterday with a walking tour of the city where we saw the highlights of the city and got a feel for the city as a whole. We then sang in Saltzburg Cathedral, which for me has been one of the highlights of the trip so far. The reverb was AMAZING and it was a very emotional experience for many of us. After that we had free time for about 5 hours to explore the city on our own. Roh, Cec, Soph and I went off and got some delicious, freshly baked bread and pretzels off the street. We also went into a coffee shop and shopped around for souvenirs for a while but the highlight of the day by far was the amazing view we saw of Salzburg and the Alps from the top of the cliff that surrounds the city. We then went back to the hotel and had an amazing dinner of schnitzel and apple strudel. Overall it was a tiring yet worthwhile day, I can’t wait to see what else Austria has to offer J Miss everyone back home!

Much Love,

Lucy

Hello America!!! Yesterday in Salzburg we sang in a beautiful Cathedral. We sang Jubilate Deo, Locus Iste, Ave Verum Corpus, Precious Lord, Elijah Rock, and The Lord Bless You And Keep You. It was my favorite performance I’ve ever done!!!!!! It got very emotional at the end. We had a lot of free time so we got to walk around Salzburg. We went to the garden in The Sound of Music. It was so pretty!!!!! We went shopping a lot and we sat by the river. Near the river, there is a Lock Bridge. People put their name and their significant other’s name on a lock, put in on the bridge, and throw the key into the water. I bought one saying “Sydney and Leo 2015.” That was my proudest purchase. It was amazing. We went to a restaurant and had schnitzel for dinner. And the bathrooms were so cool. After dinner we did a “flash mob” of O Du Lieber Augustin. Well, we tried. Once we were a few seconds in, a very angry German woman yelled at us through her window threatening to call the cops if we didn’t stop. It was really funny. Well I never want to leave Austria and I’m not looking forward to coming home!!! I am so grateful to be a part of this group and become closer with all the members this week. But I do miss my family and my dog. Peace out!!!!!! –Sydney Walt

Hello everyone, I think I owe my family a real message instead of the goofy one that Evan and I made earlier this week so here it goes… Salzburg is incredible. Before we left, it was the place that I was looking forward to seeing most, and it was in fact my favorite place so far. Right now we are on the bus heading toward Mauthausen, which will be an interesting experience with mixed feelings. Yesterday in Salzburg we were able to walk around almost all day! In that process, I managed to go broke from the shopping. Oh well. The city lit up at night was awe inspiring, especially with the lights reflecting off the river. At dinner, the bathrooms were so cool. The sinks were just a tilted slab of marble and it was really different and “European.” The countryside is beautiful and the culture may have convinced me to pursue German in my future endeavors. I am looking forward to the rest of the trip!

Justin

Hello, this is T-Pot and RiQ. We are now leaving Salzburg, which was amazing! Yesterday, we spent 5 hours exploring and falling in love with the city. We had a picnic of bread and cheese overlooking the river, and then hiked up to an old Austrian battlement with a beautiful view of the Alps. After that, we went to the catacombs w Poz and explored inside the mountain. Later, we met up with some of the tenors and had delicious hot chocolate and sub par cake in a famous café, and then sat by the riverbank chatting. Before dinner we explored a little bit more, walking up to the abbey, which had another picturesque view of the city. Overall, we both agree that Salzburg is one of the most beautiful cities we have been to, and we’re grateful that we had the opportunity to explore it. We’ve already created infinite memories in Bavaria and Austria, and we’re excited to make some more.

ily

TTFN

Hey everyone- its Rohini and Cecilia here. We are so sad to leave Saltzburg, it was legitimately one of the most beautiful places we have ever visited. Yesterday (as Lucy mentioned), a bunch of us saw an amazing view of the city BUT it took forever for us to finally get there. Basically, one of the tour guides told Sophia that there were catacombs somewhere in the city which were really cool, so all of us spent so long trying to find them! We asked locals all over the place and they all led us in different directions so after almost an hour we decided to go into the Museum of Modern Art and take the elevator up, thinking it would take us either into the mountain or up somewhere- we had no idea. BUT IT WAS THE BEST DECISION WE EVER MADE OMG when we got to the top it was a spectacular view of the entire city from the top of the mountain. We were speechless and it was so breathtaking to see the fortress and the river and both sides of the river AHHHHHHH it was amazing. Wow. Doesn’t get better than that. Just so you know, if we don’t come home we are hiding there in the mountains. All the people there were so nice. We are in love.

Soph and Carl here (but mostly Soph because I’m the one writing). Thanks for the shout-out Rohini and Cec, I like to think I have good ideas sometimes. Carl and I are planning our wedding right now; we’re gonna get married at the cathedral we sang at yesterday because it might’ve been the most incredible cathedral I’ve ever seen (and I spent a whole summer touring cathedrals and monasteries in Greece sophomore year.) Singing there was the highlight of my trip so far. When we sang Precious Lord and that one beautiful, loud chord echoed through the cathedral for what felt like forever…that is something that is not only unique to musicians, but unique to this group. That one chord made me feel everything, and I don’t really know how to explain that because it doesn’t really make sense. I guess while that one chord echoed, I really became aware of the people around me and the magnitude of this trip and the special way this group experiences music and how this is the end of not only my high school career, but my career in Lyrics. And the fact that I could feel all of that within the echo of one chord is what being a musician is all about…it’s what being in Lyrics is all about. Soph and Carl out.

This morning we stop at Mauthausen WWII Concentration Camp Memorial.

Hello all, it’s Eddie here. We have just departed from the concentration camp known as Mauthausen located in Austria. I am usually the type of person who is generally unaffected by sad movies. I did not cry at titanic when Jack died. (Gasp) Mauthausen, however, was a completely different experience in every sense. When we first arrived, I seemed to feel a weight on my chest that was very persistent. It was always in the back of my mind what actually went on in this serene place. Now add to this the eerie moments of absolute silence. The combination of my own thoughts mixed with just how unfathomable the amount of death really was had me in a mood of sadness. We toured the various barracks that housed up to two thousand men while only being rated for three hundred. I imagined just how many people that would be, but I couldn’t. From there, we continued our way on to the crematorium. Again, my mind could not really grasp the full amount of death, but when I looked at the furnace, I felt a cold sensation. Next, we traveled to another section below ground where the gas chambers and showers were used. This is where my mind made the ultimate connection. Having seen the boy in the striped pajamas and seeing how the showers were actually used, I came to a full realization of the mass killings carried out like it was a normal thing. I broke down, but I kept to myself by snapping a picture to preserve that moment. After that we had a quick lunch, which lightened the mood a bit, followed by our quick performance of a Jewish prayer, which brought out the tears again. Now I sit here next to Chris, who has helped me with some grammar mistakes, on our way to Melk.

From there, we continue to Melk, where we have a guided tour and Informal Concert in Melk Abbey.

Hello everyone! We left Salzburg this morning. Yesterday we got 5 hours of free time to walk around and explore. We got crepes for lunch!! (Olivia) My favorite part was going to the gardens that the Sound of Music movie was filmed at. It was breathtaking. Mom, you would have cried if you were there!!!! We just left the Melk Abbey. It was beautiful. Our tour guide was very good and we learned a lot. I thought it was interesting that the monks are still living there. The view was scenic and after the tour, we went and got crepes for lunch (again). Now we’re off to Vienna! SAY HI TO LUCKY, JAX, AND BUTTON FOR ME!! (If she is still living) Hopefully I’ll survive next to Michael…..

-Grace

Hi everyone at home! @Mom we saw a lot of cows and flowers! Melk Abbey was really cool and their library was pretty awesome. They had soo many old books with some hidden doors. The church was very ornate and we sang in there! It sounded great and now we head to Vienna for the next few days. Hopefully I’ll survive next to Grace….

-Mike

Mark and Maddie here! We just left Melk and are headed to Vienna! This morning at Mauthausen was extremely intense and eye opening. It is obvious that our experiences so far this trip have brought us so much closer. The back of the bus is sharing a bag of Goldfish and Twizzlers. Markie Mark and I are jamming to some middle school classics. Mark says “Melk sounds like my name.” Anthony just asked if I was writing about “Alleluia,” so I guess I should say that it sounded fab in the chapel.

YAY GIVE LOVE TO THE DOGS! –Mark and Maddie

Hi Mom and cat –Emma

Swiggity swag this trip is in the bag –Larz+Laurkdjhehjb

Hello! I was so sad to leave Salzburg this morning - it was an amazing city. However, I am looking forwards to Vienna. Today we visited a concentration camp and the Melk Abbey. The camp was an experience that I’m not sure I will be able to put into words (and I still need to process it), but the Abbey was so, so beautiful and every inch of the inside was decorated. We went into the library and I really wish they would have let us read the books in the library. There was a book from the 800’s! I’m going to go back to sleep now, so say hi to Kai for me! – Kelly

Hello from the bus on our way to Vienna! I really want to go back to Salzburg sometime in my life! I could have spent so much longer there and even though we had so much free time there was so much more that I wanted to do! It was absolutely beautiful and adorable and we were so lucky to have the chance to go! I was so excited about the Sound of Music stuff! Today we went to the concentration camp and Melk Abbey. The library in the abbey had secret doors in the bookshelves!! It was so beautiful and extravagant there and singing there sounded gorgeous! I can’t wait to go to Vienna! – Lauren

Hello Family! I love you all and also I love my friends if they are reading this! Hope the USA is as cool as you all are. I will be home soon and I am now carrying loads of stories and pictures to share with y’all! Love MICHELLE!

I’ve decided that I absolutely HAVE to live in Salzburg at some point. I dunno when, but someday. We had to leave this morning and I can’t wait for when I can go back. Mauthausen was a very important experience, but I don’t really think I can describe it. Melk Abbey is absolutely beautiful. It’s very ornate and historical and fascinating. I also can’t stop listening to The German Requiem which seems fitting because HEY we’re going to Vienna, which was Brahms’s city for much of his life. The Austrian countryside is so gorgeous and exactly how I’d imagined it based on storybooks and whatnot, except way cooler in person. I’m loving this trip. –Angelina

Yesterday was absolutely amazing in Salzburg as a fan of the sound of music it was a dream come true. Grace and I got to sing do-re-mi for a little girl who was skipping through the mirabel gardens. Singing in the cathedral was my high point. It was an extremely moving experience. I learned the importance of being present. It finally hit me. I absolutely fell in love with Salzburg. The city was just the right size and there were great little shops and cafes. It was a great experience to just relax and sit by the river. Mauthausen was also an unforgettable experience, but not nearly as enjoyable. But It was important to go, because if we never learn, history could repeat itself God forbid. This experience was especially moving for me because when looking at a large memorial dedicated to the Italian victims of the holocaust and those who died at the camp, I believe I found the name of a relative, which hit me hard. Even though it was difficult and emotionally draining, it was something that needed to be done. A high from today was definitely the Melk Abbey. It was so ornate and beautiful and we learned a lot. And we also got to sing in the beautiful church, where the acoustics were phenomenal. Now we are on our way to Vienna!

See you all soon!

Olivia

We continue on to Vienna, with dinner provided, and check into our hotel.

Star Inn Hotel Wien Schönbrunn

Linke Wienzeile 224

Vienna, Austria

Phone +011 43 1 33 66 222

Fax +011 43 1 33 66 222 122 22