“The Kiss” by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna, Austria. Photos of the original painting are not allowed even though there are stores that sell vases, plates, notebooks, notecards, magnets, etc. with this painting. I found this version on the Internet…hope copyright infringement doesn’t apply. But there was a side room with a large poster of the painting available for those who wanted to do selfies however the coloring of the poster looked nothing like the original. Honestly, no copy I’ve seen, including this one, can duplicate the intensity of the original. The yellows are so bright, they sparkle. The spirals have depth. The colored circles look like Venetian glass and the kiss itself is warm, loving and eternal. June 14, 2016

Street signal lights in Vienna, Austria, showing two women holding hands, in celebration of Gay Pride. June 15, 2016

Street signal lights in Vienna, Austria, showing two men holding hands with a heart between them, in celebration of Gay Pride. June 15, 2016

Maria-Theresien-Platz

The St. Michael’s Square or Archangel Michael Square in Vienna.In the center of the square, there is the archaeological site of ancient Roman ruins. This is the remains of the ramparts of the ancient settlement. June 14, 2016

Hofburg Neue Burg section, seen from Heldenplatz. The statue of Archduke Charles is also pictured. June 14, 2016

Hofburg Palace is the former imperial palace in the centre of Vienna, Austria. Part of the palace forms the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. The palace started small with the oldest parts dating back to the 13th century. It has housed some of the most powerful people in European and Austrian history, including monarchs of the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was the principal imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was their summer residence. June 14, 2016

A bronze monument of Emperor Franz I in the Amalienburg wing of the Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna. June 14, 2016

Maria-Theresien-Platz is a large public square in Vienna, Austria, that joins the Ringstraße with the Museumsquartier, a museum of modern arts located in the former Imperial Stables. Facing each other from the sides of the square are two near identical buildings, the Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum).At the center of the square is a large statue depicting Empress Maria Theresa, namesake of the square. June 14, 2016

Lush vineyards shape the landscape of the small village of Spitz along the banks of the Danube just outside of Vienna in Austria. June 15, 2016

This more than 500-year-old Gothic winged altar piece was created by Jörg Breu for the Melk Abbey in Austria, and can be seen in the museum. June 15, 2016

Leaving the museum portion of the Melk Abbey, we entered the library, with countless medieval manuscripts, which led to the church. June 15, 2016