The Hills Are Alive ...

Hello from Salzburg, Austria! We arrived here this afternoon after a wonderful stay in Venizia, and will be staying two nights in a very colorful hostel with about 300 Jr. Highers playing tag in our dormitory hallway. It´s fun :)
Venice was beautiful... I had been before but it was wonderful the second time round. We walked around the narrow streets and over a ton of bridges over tiny canal ways. The first night we stayed in a campground outside the city because of bus issues, but it ended up being a nice little getaway for us.
Yesterday we saw San Marco´s Piazza and the Rialto bridge... we then went to the water´s edge after lunch and sat reading, writing, listening to music and I painted. Carissa had said she wanted to go on a gondolah ride but it was 100 euro (roughly $140) for a ride, so we initially settled for watching people ride up to the docks and the zebra-striped pöle guys with the funny straw hats lounge around. I began painting two of them from my spot, and the curious gents took a gander at my picture and liked it. I decided to be bold and went up to mz ´models´and asked if I could have a ride for half off.
"Eighty Euro."The younger one said
"Fifty. With the painting"
They consulted their red-faced boss who came over and inspected the painting.
"I am not even in it!" he said
"I could put you in," I laughed, "But then you´d have to give me the ride for free"
The old round man shrugged his shoulders and said, "Fine. Fifty Euro."
I smiled and shook his hand
"It´s a good painting," he said.
I think I´m content if I never sell another piece of art again, that half hour was more than worth it :)

The train ride into Austria was by far the most gorgeous. Towering green mountainscapes for miles, whitecapped with snow. Watch the first two minutes of Sound of Music and you´ll get the visual pretty fast. We watched the whole movie in the lobby tonight and tomorrow we´re going on our own little bike tour to see all the sights for a few hours. Praise the Shepherd for beauty, its such a gift.
I love you and miss you all.
So long, Fare well, Aurvederzein, Good night!