SALZBURG, GERMANY

Erich Matzek, a man from Salzburg, Germany emailed me and has since friended me on Facebook, too. His English is better than my German, since I don’t speak any German, but we determined we may or may not be related, but not directly. He emails me occasionally, most recently with this message:

HI MARY
HOWE I HOPE GOOD,LETS
HAER WAHT FROM YOU A GAIN.
Send YOU PETIUFUL PHOTO
OF HOMETOWN SALZBURG
LOVING GREETINGS ERICH

Salzburg IS without a doubt a beautiful city.

This is the castles high above the river. So, I told him I would emaill him pictures of Murphys. I looked through my photos and realized, I don’t have any pictures of Murphys that were not related to an event, where the streets are mobbed with tourists, or a parade or something. So, yesterday, it was overcast and grey, but I took pictures of Murphys. I realized at once how much it has changed since I moved here and now I’m lamenting not taking pictures earlier of our growing little town. It does not have old world beauty like Salzburg, but it is charming. Then, when I told him I would send him photos, he sent me one of his birthplace, Steyer, one of the three oldest cities in Austria.

Medival cities were always built near a handy source of water for transportation as well as all other domestic uses. It, too, is a beautiful city.

Murphys is not as beautiful as Salzburg, but it has charm.

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We don’t have a “centreville” like most European cities have. It is just a five block long street with shops on either side.

Some buildings are old;most are newer. The town burned down twice and rebuilt.

The Murphys Hotel is the second oldest building in town, about 150 years old, and is basically the center of town. Many a romance was kindled at this spot.  The Hotel was a vacation mecca for the valley towns of Stockton, Sacramento, Modesto, and some as far away as the Bay Area.

The older buildings have character, but the newer ones have brought economy saving businesses to town.

The street still has remnants of old houses and businesses in a pleasant mix.

When I first moved to Murphys there was only three buildings with two stories. Now there are at least ten, maybe 12. 

The old stone building is one of four left in town. They had no electricity, or sanitation when I first came. They still lack plumbing, but they do have electricity. It makes for a pleasant mix of old and new. And, the tourist trade proves that it is a likeable place with a lot of appeal.

I didn’t take a picture of every building in town, but I’m going to return some day and do that. I’m really glad that Erich’s email prodded me into looking at Murphys with a more conscious mind and that he inspired me to take pictures. I’ll get each building, next time.

A SIXTH BORDER CROSSING

After visiting the Slaughter Ranch, Jim wanted to visit the small town of Douglas for several reasons. First, because when he returned from Panama in 2004 with his friend Bud Kuball, they exited Mexico with their motor homes at this portal. Back in the United States after 343 days.

It was late in the day when we crossed into the town of Agua Prienta. It was closing down and  not very exciting compared to the others I’ve visited, but I enjoyed the idea of a sixth border crossing, especially this one that had meaning to Jim. Each crossing has something unique.

In enjoyed the series of  ten tile mosaic figures decorating the walls of the portal.

It was a brief stop and back to Douglas a town that never had a major fire and now has 335 buildings on the Historic Register.

One of the old grand hotels still in use is The Gadsden with its sweeping staircase, dark wood, marble columns and mirrored dining room.

We had lunch and wandered around admiring the hotel and later the town.

The beautiful ceiling and chandelier.

Huge stained glass windows.

It’s kind of fun to step back into yesteryear and think the Slaughters must have come here for dinners with friends.

Douglas also has four churches on one block, each taking a corner. This is supposedly the only place in the world where that happens. First there is the Episcopalian Church above.

The Baptist Church.

Presbyterian.

And the Methodist.

The Catholic Church of The Immaculate Conception dated 1907  is on the next block over and visible from the Presbyterian Church. One can conclude that Douglas is a very devout community.

We walked around the older part of town and saw some of the historic old buildings with their fancy facades and charm.

The VFW we visited a couple of days ago was haunted.  Tombstone Cemetery had several  wrongful deaths. Many people were hanged in this part of the country.

The Gadsden Hotel is haunted.  Hmmm!  We must be getting close to meeting a ghost.