WHAT AND WHERE IS MELK; AND WHY DID WE STOP THERE ????

MELK

It's an abbey the next stop up the Danube from Vienna.

---by the way -----about Vienna ( written "Wien", and pronounced "Veen" by the locals) --- All of which causes me to wonder if a clog of traffic in that fair city would be called a "Wien-ous thrombosis?"

Sorry about that. If there's anything worse than a pun, it's a bilingual one......But I digress..........

MELK

They might have been on this site that long, but NOT in these palatial digs.

We didn't know what was there either, but it's a fantabulous abbey, with a library that makes you feel like you are in a little Vatican.






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Any thoughts you may be having about an austere and ascetic monastic life can end right here.

This place takes Baroque to a whole new level !

Chapel pulpit

Chapel ceiling




STAIRWELL

It looks twice as grand as it actually is, due to the mirror at the bottom

But I couldn't stop taking pictures of it anyway.

FROM THE LIBRARY

Even though they lived in elegant surroundings, these Benedictines did all the things one expects monks to do.

These monks were also WAY ahead of their time.........

BEHOLD!!
A totally 21st century green, ecologically correct, reusable coffin.

Close the top.

Have your beautiful Requiem Mass.

Place over grave.

Release lever which opens bottom.

And Brother Transitorius and his winding sheet go off to return to their native earth... "Earth to earth, ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection...unto eternal life."

........NEXT



There is still a school at the abbey; and, of course, Monks also garden. And the Stiftkeller produced for sale bottles of distillates of their vegetables. There were many varieties, but we chose a brandy made from turnips and other veggies and herbs. I'm sure it is quite medicinal and full of antioxidants. Not to mention, there is surely a blessing in every bottle. We saved it for Christmas to enjoy it with our gathered family. It was quite good, although it had a quite herbal tea sort of taste. I'm not sure why I should be surprised. It's just that it is such a whole new concept in brandy.

Christmas Felicitations from the
Kloster!


















Lastly, on the way out, we passed this advert posted in the courtyard. I guess Monks just gotta have their recreation too.

SET: SPIKE:
KILL!
Pax Vobiscum, Y'all!!