The Streets of Melk, Lower Austria, Austria

Eiskaffee on a hot day!

Melk Garden, Melk, Austria

Melk Abbey Benedictine Monastery, Melk, Austria

The Melk Abbey sits on some sort of a hill above the town of Melk.  It is a world-famous monastic site housing an extensive manuscript collection.

The library

Conch-like staircase

New Tools of the Trade, Diana F+

Thanks, Ariane, for my new camera!

Venezia, Italia

The pastel walls in contrast with the wind-swept sky in the summer; the cruise ships and yachts lining up at the docks; the buildings adorned with artworks of paint, glass or metal-- these things make Venice easy to fall in love with. But what I appreciated most was the smell of the sea, waking up to a sun rising from behind the clouds over a hazy horizon, and knowing this: though man can make beautiful works of art, God's handiwork in nature remains unmatched.

Supper in the Sky, Donauturm, Vienna, Austria

Donauturm, also known as the Danube Tower, is the tallest structure in Austria.  Two high-speed elevators transport visitors to the observation deck where there is a revolving restaurant and a cafe.  The elevator ride takes only a little over 30 seconds from the ground to the viewing deck.

I got a ticket to ride...

Beef gulasch for supper.

Yup, we were there until after the sunset.

Walking Around, Karlsplatz, Vienna, Austria

A Wiener Eiskaffee (Viennese iced coffee) to start the day!

Karlskirche (St. Charles' Church), a baroque structure famous for its elongated ellipsoid dome and bas-relief columns.  This design is the result of an architectural competition sponsored by Roman emperor Charles VI.

Karlskirche from afar.  If you will notice, the columns look something like Trajan's column in Rome because they were really modeled after it.

Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)