Thursday, December 6, 2012

Today we walked to train station and took a 2=hour train to Salzburg, Austria.  After getting off the train, we went down the escalator at the station to the Localbahn train which took us to Oberndorf.  The chapel is about 1 mile away from the station, and eventually we couldn’t find our way, seem to lose track of the signs pointing to it.  A wonderful little boy showed us the way…he spoke English…or we might still be looking for it!

I copied a little about Oberndorf and the Stille Nacht chapel so I wouldn’t have to explain it.  See the following:
 

It was at the Romanesque parish church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf that the Christmas carol "Silent Night" was first performed in 1818. The story goes that Joseph Mohr had composed "Silent Night" as a poem in 1816, then on Christmas Eve 1818, Franz Xaver Gruber composed a melody to go with it.

The two creators were the first to perform it: Mohr sang tenor and played guitar, while Gruber sang bass. The reason for the guitar, and indeed for the performance of the song itself, is said to be that the organ was not working that night.

TheSilent Night Memorial Chapel, which stands on the original site of the St. Nikolaus Church, was consecrated on August 15, 1937, after 13 years of construction

It was great seeing the same place that I watch on webcam on Christmas Eve when they have a big celebration to sing Silent Night.  It was one of the highlights of the trip for me.  Soon after coming out of the chapel and museum, it started to snow and didn’t stop all day and evening!!

We returned to Salzburg station and took a bus into the old town to the markt.   We had a great time, ate more sausages and had gluhwein in the snow and was surprised by a visit by St. Nikolaus who gave treats to the children.  And, as usual Krampus was there also – he is supposed to frighten children into being good, but Krampus is not a mean character but rather a humorous one.  One of the came after me hitting me with his tail, the other one grabbed me, took off my hat and messed up my hair.  I kept saying I’d be good, but I don’t think he understood English!

It was a beautiful time, many stands at the markt, but Austria seemed more commercial that the one in Nurnberg  and the one here in Munich.  Each is different however, and seem to have different things.

We ended the evening having a bite to eat at the train station..which is almost a small city in itself.

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