The Hills are Alive

I recently watched the Oprah special celebrating the 45th Anniversary of The Sound of Music, which included the entire cast that played the Von Trapp Family.

Having only seen the movie once, I heard it was loosely based on the real Von Trapp story, and I really loved the music and not to mention the most idyllic and amazing scenery (Um, can I film a movie in Salzburg for 6 months please????)

It was great listening to Christopher Plumber playfully talk with Oprah about filming the movie. For being in his 80s, he's still quite potent and well versed. What was funny was when the "children" all came out and were being interviewed and Oprah asked the woman that played the oldest daughter (I am 16 going on 17 -- which btw she was 21 during the filming) if Chris Plumber ever taught her anything during their filming together. She earnestly said, "Oh, he taught me how to DRINK!" :)

After reading up to learn more about the real Von Trapp story, I noticed that some people, even some members of the Von Trapp Family, were not proponents of how the movie portrayed the family, especially the Father. The movie purported the Father to be distant and and prosaic, but the actual children said he was never that way at all.

Understandable I suppose, however, movies, even movies re-telling the tale, have to be quixotic to some degree --- it's a musical and meant to be a little histrionic.

I'm still fascinated by what went on in Europe during Hitlers imperious reign and can't ever imagine being in a situation that I would have to flee my country to be safe. Crazy.

Back to the Von Trapps, did you know that they still have the family lodge in Vermont, which has been for a long time a resort and bucolic get-away? I was trying to think of reasons why I would want to visit Vermont and this is easily one of the reasons. Vermont in fall at the Von Trapp Family Lodge... ahhhhhh.....

I'm planning a bicycle journey in Austria next year --- Krimml to Salzburg on the The Tauernradweg --- I'm overjoyed that the opportunity is more real than ever, as I've been thinking about this for a long time. Time to start planning and doing some of my own family history digging.