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Europe 2016
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Europe 2016

A 53-day adventure by We are Living the Dream Read more
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  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Engelhartzell

    June 25, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We docked at Engelhartzell for about an hour. Earlier some of the guests went for a bike tour along the Danube and this was the stop that we picked them up.

    Rather than stay on the boat we went for a walk, this town only has a few residents but they have the creepiest church I have ever seen.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Engelhartzell- Creepy Church

    June 25, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    The original Abbey was founded in 1293 by a Bishop of Passau, as a Cistercian monastery. It was settled in 1295 by monks from Wilhering Abbey. It suffered a considerable decline, both spiritual and financial, in the period of the Protestant Reformation, and for a time passed into private ownership. From 1618 onwards the intervention and support of Wilhering Abbey gradually restored it.

    On Easter Sunday 1699, a disastrous fire plunged the abbey once again into financial difficulties and from 1720 it was in the hands of administrators. In 1746, the last of Engelszell's abbots of the Common Observance, was appointed and soon rebuilt the financials. Between 1754 and 1764 the Abbey was rebuilt as the present day abbey church. In 1925, Engelhartszell was occupied and re-founded as a Trappist monastery by refugee German monks expelled after World War I. (Trappist monks are a branch of the Cistercian order of monks founded in 1664 and noted for an austere rule that includes remaining silent for much of the time.)

    On 2 December 1939, the abbey was confiscated by the Gestapo and the 73 community members were evicted. Four monks were sent to Dachau Concentration Camp, while others were imprisoned elsewhere or drafted into the Wehrmacht. At the end of the war in 1945, only about a third of the previous community returned. As at 2012, the number of monks in the community was 7.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Engelhartzell - Creepy Church

    June 25, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The outside is very pretty and even the painted frescos on the ceiling are beautiful. Then inside you take in more of the detail and it is just creepy. There are 6 glass coffins with the skeletons dressed in luxurious robes and jewels . Also weird statues of Jesus adorn the walls and floor space.

    We left the Abbey feeling like we had been in a horror movie, certainly not a church that you would like to sit and reflect.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Melk Abbey

    June 26, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today we are visiting Melk Abbey which was originally a palace and located on the bank of the Danube River between Salzburg and Vienna.

    The impressive Baroque Melk Abbey was built in 1702-1736 by architect Jakob Prandtauer. The church has magnificent frescoes and a library containing countless medieval manuscripts.

    The monastic community of Melk is over 900 years old and black-robed Benedictine monks still stroll amidst the marble sculptures and frescoed walls.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Melk Abbey

    June 26, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    The design of the present abbey ensemble 1702-36 is primarily the work of architect Jakob Prandtauer. The Marble Hall contains plaster coated pillars painted to look like red marble and an allegorical painted ceiling by Paul Troger.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Melk Abbey Library

    June 26, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    The centrepiece of this complex is the library, its main hall boasting 16,000 volumes and graced with a ceiling fresco by Paul Troger. A spiral staircase leads to another set of 12 library rooms not open to the public but containing more than 100,000 volumes, some of which are extremely valuable.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Nibelungen Fountain

    June 26, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Docked in Tulin for a technical stop.

    The Monument Nibelung Fountain is dedicated to a scene from the great medieval German epos: the meeting of Kriemhild, Queen of Burgundy, and Etzel, King of the Huns, in Tulln. It is depicted in a set of bronze sculptures by sculpture Michail Nogin.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Klosterneuburg Abbey

    June 26, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Tonight was incredible, we had a tour of Klosterneuburg Abbey followed by a concert.

    The Klosterneuburg Monastery, or Stift Klosterneuburg in Austria, is an Augustinian abbey founded in 1114. The baroque structure, notable for housing men’s and women’s religious orders until 1568, has undergone several facelifts over the years, most recently in 1892.

    The historic abbey dominates the skyline of Klosterneuburg, and the treasures housed within are just as impressive. Among the most valuable and impressive pieces is the enameled altar of Nikolaus of Verdun, one of the most exquisite examples of medieval enamel work. The altar which was made in 1181, depicts a variety of biblical scenes on its 51 panels. Other highlights include a seventeenth century organ, a twelfth century Romanesque candelabra and fourteenth century stained-glass windows.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Mozart and Strauss Concert

    June 26, 2016 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    All dressed up for a special occasion. Sipping bubbles and chatting in the grounds waiting for the Mozart and Strauss Concert. The musicains and the childrens choir were incredbile and one of the many highlights whilst in Vienna.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Belvedere Palace

    June 27, 2016 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    We are only in Vienna for a day so it is going to be a busy day.

    First stop Belvedere Palace, Prince Eugene of Savoy 1663-1736 was a general and an art connoisseur, he built the Belvedere palace as his summer residence. Today, the Belvedere, one of the most important baroque buildings in Austria.

    The palace consists of two separate buildings, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, which are connected by a stunning baroque garden. Today it houses not only Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present day, but also the world's largest Klimt collection, with the golden paintings "The Kiss" and "Judith" as the highlights. Masterpieces by Schiele and Kokoschka, as well as works of French Impressionism and the Vienna Biedermeier era round out the exhibition.

    Prince Eugene’s apartments and staterooms are located at the Lower Belvedere. The feudal splendor of the palace’s aristocratic original owner is reflected in the Hall of Grotesques, the Marble Gallery, and the Golden Room. The Lower Belvedere and the Orangery are used mainly for temporary exhibitions, while the Palace Stables are now home to some 150 objects of sacred medieval art that blend with the Baroque ambiance in a compelling fashion. The Palace Gardens are unfolding in strict symmetry along a central axis to the prestige building of the Upper Belvedere and features beautiful sculptures, fountains and cascades.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Belvedere Palace - Gustav Klimt

    June 27, 2016 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Nineteenth century Gustav Klimt is known for the highly decorative style of his works, his most famous being The Kiss. Gustav Klimt became known for the highly decorative style and erotic nature of his works, which were seen as a rebellion against the traditional academic art of his time.

    His most famous paintings are The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    City Tour

    June 27, 2016 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Vienna’s history dates back to the first post-Christian century when the Romans established the military camp Vindobona.

    Today’s cityscape is characterised by the abundance of baroque buildings created mostly under the rule of Empress Maria Theresia and Emperor Franz Joseph who was largely responsible for the monumental architecture round the Ringstrasse.

    The Ringstrasse is Vienna′s 19th century representative of a boulevard. The "Ring Road" was built after the demolition of the old city walls in the 1860's.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    City Tour

    June 27, 2016 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Vienna owes much of its fame to some incredible composers like Strauss, Mozart and Beethoven. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world’s best and the Vienna Boys’ Choir one the world’s most famous.

    We loved this city we will be back and stay for a lot longer than a day. Maybe even over New Years as the stories go in the town centre everyone comes out at midnight to dance the Viennese Waltz.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Afternoon Tea in a Palace Apartment

    June 27, 2016 in Austria ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    This afternon was so much fun we went to an apartment building which has been converted from a palace to have afternoon tea.

    We visited a lovley husband and wife who entertained us with stories about their lives in Vienna over cups of coffee and homemade apple strudel.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Cruising The Danube to Budapest

    June 27, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    On our way to Budapest for a few days.

    Budapest is the capital of Hungary, and one of the largest cities in the Europe. Budapest is also one of the most densely populated major cities in the EU. Budapest is both a city and county, and forms the centre of the Budapest metropolitan area.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Budapest

    June 28, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Budapest began as a Celtic settlement that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Hungarians arrived in the territory in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241. The re-established town became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, the region entered a new age of prosperity, and Budapest became a global city with the unification of Buda and on the west bank with Pest on the east bank on November 17, 1873. Budapest also became the co-capital of Hungary.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Budapest home for the next 3 days

    June 28, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We are in Budapest for 3 days and The River Duchess is our Luxury Hotel on the water. It will be lovely to be able to explore such a beautiful place on our own but also with a few tours so we get the full appreciation of Buda and Pest.

    Buda and Pest are joined by 8 bridges.

    Easy way to remember Buda is on the hill and Pest on the flat side.

    Today we took the Uniworld bus tour around the city to get a feel of what Budapest has to offer. The bus tour went around Pest for a while passing by some of the striking architectural buildings including the stunning Parliament Building and St Stephens Basilica before crossing one of the 8 bridges and continuing our tour in Buda.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Heroes’ Square

    June 28, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We passed by Heroes’ Square which is the largest and most symbolic square in Budapest. It is dominated by the Millenary Monument a 36m-high pillar topped by a golden Archangel Gabriel, holding the Hungarian crown and a cross. At the column's base are Prince Árpád and six other Magyar chieftains who occupied the Carpathian Basin in the late 9th century. It was designed in 1896 to mark the 1000th anniversary of the Magyar conquest of the Carpathian Basin.Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Castle Hill - Fishermans Bastion

    June 28, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Winding cobblestone streets and leafy promenades of Castle Hill lead past baroque houses, attractions include Buda Castle, a palace which has been razed and rebuilt over centuries, now home to the Hungarian National Gallery and Budapest History Museum. The turrets and terraces of Fisherman’s Bastion offer views over the Danube and Matthias Church.

    Fisherman's Bastion has seven towers representing the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 895. The panoramic view of Danube, Margaret Island, Pest to the east and Gellert Hill can be seen from the terraces and towers.

    The Buda side castle wall was protected by the fishermen's guild and this is the reason why it was called fishermen's Bastion. Other people say, it got the name from the part of the city, which lies beneath the tower. The guild of fishermen was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls in the Middle Ages.

    A bronze statue of Stephen I of Hungary mounted on a horse, erected in 1906, can be seen between the Bastion and the Matthias Church. The pedestal was made by Alajos Stróbl, based on the plans of Frigyes Schulek, in Neo-Romanesque style, with episodes illustrating the King's life.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Matthias Church

    June 28, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Matthias Church is over 700 years old. The church was the scene of several coronations, including that of Charles IV in 1916, the last Habsburg king. It was also the venue for the great Hungarian King Matthias' two weddings, hence its name.

    The history of the church serves as a symbol of the city’s rich past. The eastern gate of the church was built in the 13th century, when Buda was founded following the Mongolian invasion. The central part of the church was built around 1400, and from the 14th century, monarchs were crowned here as kings. In the 15th century, King Matthias’ royal wedding was also held here. During the Turkish conquest, soon after Buda was captured, the church became the city’s main mosque. The walls were whitewashed and covered with carpets. After the Turkish occupation, Buda lay in ruins. In the 17th century, an attempt was made to restore the church in Baroque style.

    Towards the end of the 19th century, a major reconstruction took place, and the building was restored using many original parts and regained much of its former splendour. The roof is covered with the famous ceramic tiles, making the building even more beautiful. Today, Matthias Church remains one of the city’s most prominent buildings.    Read more

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Sensational View

    June 28, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    The view from Fisherman's Bastion Pest is incredible you can see the whole city of Buda.

    We are leaving this beautiful place and heading back down to Buda and will do some sightseeing on our own.

  • We are Living the DreamEurope 2016Traveler

    Out and About

    June 28, 2016 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    After completing the tours for the day we walked around Budapest on our own just to get a feel for the City. We walked to the Local Markets. I wish we had markets like this back home, so much variety.

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