Friends were in town both socially and for work a couple of weeks ago, and with one of the days being a UN holiday, the four of us enjoyed a day outing to the Wachau Valley. The day was beautiful, albeit still in summer’s stronghold of high temperatures.

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Passing through cornfields en route to Melk Abbey. You can take the guys out of the Midwest, but you can’t take the Midwest out of the guys!

Two years ago we as a family toured Melk Abbey and were permitted to take photos of the monastic library. Such was not the case (any longer?) on this visit, so I’ve included a couple of those photos from the earlier visit.

Leaving Melk we followed the customary, worthy-of-its-UNESCO-heritage-rating scenic drive along the Danube, stopping whenever for photos. We all agreed that visitors who putter along the Danube on the tour cruises are missing out.

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And how better to finish a lovely outing than with a Backhendlsalat lunch at a Weinschenke along the Danube, complete with Sturm?

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