Unlike what the rest of the world thinks, the Sound of Music is not Austria’s national film – barely anyone has even heard of it, let alone watched it!
To be fair, in Austria, the hills are alive with the sound of music, mostly the accordion, however in spring in the country, the hills come alive with something else entirely… they come alive with the smell of poo.
One of the things I love about the small town where I live are the pockets of green in amongst the houses. And I’m not talking about a small park or two, I’m talking about huge paddocks of crops separating one small village from the next. This means being able to walk out your door and be in town in 10 minutes, passing scenic fields and streams along the way.
The main crops are wheat and corn, and like all good farmers, come spring, it’s time to fertilize – and fertilize they do! Hanging out your washing is not always an option, neither is opening windows at certain times – there’s no fresh air out there!
Occasionally I’ve been caught unawares out jogging, struggling to breath and heaving my way in between two particularly pungent fields. Often it just hangs around for a few days. Unless there’s strong wind or rain to push it out of the valley or into the ground, there’s just an aromatic waiting period to be endured until the air clears again.
But I wouldn’t trade it for the city any day! Embrace the poo!
an aussie in austria 
Not too unlike the British countryside at this time of year then! It’s funny how the Sound of Music is such a cult film in the Anglophone world, yet in Continental Europe it doesn’t seem to be that well known.
Well I hope you enjoy the smells of Spring too, Rosie! I remember telling my husband how the Sound of Music is often played around Christmas time in Australia and we all watch it – he was like -whaaaat?
I think it’s just one of those films that almost every Anglophone had seen – I remember watching it for the first time at a hostel in Salzburg. Funny how others don’t get the fuss!
I also watched it for the first time in Salzburg in a hostel – way back in 2006 before I had any idea of my Austrian future!