| TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 | THE STRAITS TIMES | D7

A travel series every Tuesday. The stories are also available in sgtravellers.com BON VOYAGE

igh on a hill was a lonely goat- and Vienna in , and Munich and Do your “Do-Re-Mi” herd…” sang , Oberammergau in Germany. at Mirabell Gardens, My favourite things in “H before her melodious voice To many tourists around the world, where Maria and the was drowned by a wild chorus of “Lay ee is famous for being the filming von Trapp children odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo!” from 40 giggly location of The Sound of Music movie. danced around the adults. But long before there was The Sound of Pegasus Fountain, Learning how to yodel along with Music, there was the sound of Mozart. ran through the vine the movie’s soundtrack was one of the In 1756, classical music prodigy tunnel, did their amusing highlights of my recent Sound of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in “sewing” at the Greek Music tour in Austria. Salzburg, where he lived till he moved to statues, tapped the Yodelling is a type of Alpine folk singing. Vienna in 1781. To experience the world stone gnomes and And thanks to our tour’s local specialist of this famous composer, I visited two hopped on the steps. Salzburg Natascha Santos Rivera’s singing tutorial, museums dedicated to him — Mozart’s PHOTO: ISTOCK Jac Woo revisits her childhood movie we could sing our hearts out during our Birthplace, the home where he lived till he in the land of The Sound of Music coach rides. was 17; and Mozart Residence, where he lived from 17 to 25. Let’s start at the very beginning Actually you cannot escape from Salzburg is one of the destinations on the Mozart everywhere you go, for his pictures itinerary of Trafalgar’s 10-day Sound of Music tour, which also includes Innsbruck CONTINUED ON D8 D8 | THE STRAITS TIMES | TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 | | TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 | THE STRAITS TIMES | D9

A travel series every Tuesday. The stories are also available in sgtravellers.com BON VOYAGE

are everywhere — from signboards and grocery stores the gazebo was relocated to Hellbrunn Palace Park so to cafés and gift shops — especially on the “Mozart that more tourists could dance around it like 16-year- CONTINUED FROM D7 Balls” spherical chocolates. olds. The hills are still alive Not-so-lonely goatherd In 1965, The Sound of Music came into the picture. The Sound of Music fans will remember the mario- My favourite things in Based on the true story of an Austrian family, the nette (string puppet) show put up by Maria and the The new 10,000 sq ft service centre movie was fi lmed mainly around Salzburg and kids as they sang The Lonely Goatherd in the fi lm. features a minimalist Scandinavian design, became a worldwide success after it won fi ve Oscars. This traditional art came alive for me at the and accommodates 60 front desk service What is phenomenal is that, after 53 years, global 105-year-old Salzburg Marionette Theatre, which counters and a spacious customer service Lake Hayes, tourists are still fl ocking to the city to relive their stages puppet shows like they are full-scale operas. area. Queenstown Salzburg favourite scenes from the movie. Joining them, I found After watching its puppet version of The Sound of Customers can enquire about tour myself skipping around with a song in my mouth. Music, we went on a guided backstage tour to observe packages through the EU service crew, Of the dozens of fi lming sites, one of the most the puppeteers at work. and peruse tour package booklets on their newzealand.com famous is the lakeside garden of the von Trapp home. I was amazed that there were about 500 puppets in PHOTO: EU HOLIDAYS own at a designated “roadshow” area. There Located at the historic Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron, this theatre. One fi gure had to made for each costume, is also a private lounge with a travel library this garden is only accessible to hotel guests. Tourists so one production could have 20 to 90 puppets. The iconic HELLO, EU TRAVEL EXPO corner, a conference room and a briefi ng LET OUR who are not staying there can only view it from the lakeside garden The new year has marked EU Holidays’ room. opposite side of the lake. A few more of my favourite things of The Sound move from Chinatown Point to Suntec City With its 10th anniversary coming up I felt very privileged to be able to stroll in the garden Our tour came with a special “Be My Guest” family of Music’s von Convention & Exhibition Centre (Level 2, next year, EU Holidays aims to reach out Stunning because Trafalgar’s Sound of Music Tour includes two dinner in Salzburg. We were hosted by the Klaushofer Trapp home Crescent 2). to more customers, reinforce constant nights of accommodation in this hotel. family on their farm, where they keep bees for honey, was fi lmed at Known as EU Travel Expo, the new communication with them and provide more Autumn VIEWS A former family estate commissioned by the bake bread, produce cheese and grow a herb garden. Hotel Schloss lifestyle concept centre aims to be more attractive tour packages. Captivate You Prince Archbishop of Salzburg in 1736, the hotel is Our wholesome dinner had such charming table Leopoldskron. than a travel agency that introduces exciting Visit www.euholidays.com.sg for more currently supported by Trafalgar, which contributes settings and a sumptuous spread — from turkey esca- travel packages. information. to its upkeep and conservation under its JoinTrafalgar lope and roast pork to home-made cheese strudel — they were must-buys in Salzburg. Discover a better way to Áy to heritage initiative. that it felt more like dining in a restaurant. We were pampered on the trip too — our luggage GETTING THERE New Zealand with Air New Zealand Only the garden scenes of the movie were fi lmed at Our tour was also meaningful because of the little was always seamlessly delivered between our coach ■ I fl ew on Emirates from this historic palace, whose elegant halls now serve as pleasant surprises from our Trafalgar travel director and our hotel rooms and we had free time to indulge Singapore to Munich via 9D See New Zealand North Island Hotline: 6212 9660 dining rooms and event venues for hotel guests. Katarzyna Połoczanska-Komar, who took care of us in personal pursuits such as shopping. Dubai. Salzburg is a 90min Another famous movie location is the glass gazebo throughout the trip. For sure, it was not easy to sing So Long, Farewell at drive from Munich. Anew With Capital 95.8FM where Liesl and Rolf sang Sixteen Going On Seventeen She refreshed our memory of The Sound of Music the end of the trip. ■ DJ Pan Jia Biao I travelled with Trafalgar’s Lake Taupo Cruise FREE Catch The Sound of Music puppets in action in the fi lm. by screening the whole movie in the coach, and 10-day Sound of Music tour, Agrodome Farm Show & Tour Can of Abalone at the Salzburg Marionette Theatre. PHOTOS: JAC WOO Formerly situated at Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron, offered Mozart Balls to us even before we knew that The writer’s trip was sponsored by Trafalgar. which covers fi ve cities in ‘ANG POW’ PERKS BY Waitomo Glowworm Caves Per Room PLUS INSIGHT VACATIONS Blue Spring When Flying $400 OFF Germany and Austria. Visit * Explore Insight Vacations’ itineraries that Hobbiton Movie Set Tour With Air New Per Couple www.trafalgar.com for details. 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