Tosca - Bregenz Seebuhne

Better later than never, isn't it? Sorry that we are late with this post but a lot has been going on since.

So, my parents have visited us in July and my Mother's birthday present from us were tickets to Puccini's Tosca on the lake stage at Bregenz.
Puccini's beautiful music was anyway given, the setting, the surroundings and the atmosphere were great too.
Throughout the opera, the main setting, its focal point being an eye, has changed dramatically from a grand painting in the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle

into symbolical representations of the Palazzo Farnese


and finally transforming


into the execution place of Cavaradossi, i.e. the Castel Sant' Angelo


The entire performance was an extraordinary experience and we all (all+7000+ other spectators) enjoyed it very much.
All pics:http://picasaweb.google.com/emese.gyenge/2008ToscaBregenzSeebuhne

Innsbruck and the Swarovski Crystal World

We spent the last weekend in Tirol, in the city of Innsbruck, surrounded by the beautiful Austrian Alps (the snow at the Arlberg Pass is still at least 3 meters high).

Innsbruck is well known for its sporting opportunities, especially alpine sports, as it is located in the Alps and surrounded by mountains, one of these being the Olympia ski-jump. The so called “Bergiselschanze” facility was constructed on the hill known as Bergisel - where two Winter Olympic Games took place - for jumps up to 104 m, from the top of which there is a splendid view on the whole city. Because of its design and prominent location it is considered a new city landmark.
We have also visited the Ambras-Castle, as well as the Old Town with its tyrolean style buildings , ending the day at the swimming pool on the top floor of our hotel.To visit our album, click on the picture below:

EUROPE - Austria - Innsbruck

Next day we stepped by Wattens, the home of the Swarovski cut-crystal empire, where we explored the Crystal World, that has become one of Tirol's most popular attractions. This three-dimensional adventure museum includes the famous Swarovski crystals, mixed with light and sound offering a real multimedia show.

(The entrance to the Swarovski Crystal World) Click here, to visit the full Swarovski-Album