The hills are alive at the Von Trapp Family Estate (Stowe, Vermont)

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One of the first movies I saw as a child was the Sound of Music, the theme of which was based on the true story of the Von Trapp family from Austria who escaped the Nazis and fled to the USA. The movie slightly altered the real story but the core is about the musically talented family. 

The historical value of the musical is fascinating and even made more appealing by the lovely songs sang by the characters. For an impressionable kid, that memory lingered on. And up to this day, I would watch it if I catch it on cable or tv. 

A couple of years ago, together with my parents, I even went to see the 4th generation Von Trapp children when they visited Cebu for a concert. And that reinforced our fascination with this family so much that I bought and read the autobiography of Maria Von Trapp. Perhaps this was the only digital book my mother, another fan, read from start to finish. :) 

So when the trip to Canada was planned for this summer, my brother, our host, included in our itinerary a visit to the Von Trapp family estate in Stowe, Vermont (USA) where the latter finally settled. Maria Von Trapp and her husband chose this estate for its close resemblance to the one they left in Austria.  Captain George Von Trapp called this his sunny slope.

It was a long drive away from Toronto to Montreal and to Vermont.  The weather started out gloomy but, to our delight, became better when we got there.  The view of the mountain range from the hill was spectacular that I could hum "the hills are alive with the sound of music" just like in Maria's scene.  My brother's family and my family stayed for a bit to take pictures, to run and to play frisbee as I soaked in the moment.   It was slightly overcast and chilly, but being there is just magical.  This is definitely one of the many highlights of this vacation.


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the Von Trapp Family estate, now converted to a lodge DSC02806
selfie stick
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by the lodge while playing frisbee
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my brother's family
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