Austrian Mystery

Books with a certain patina aren’t always the worst ones to read. If you are going on a holiday to Austria (or if you never considered doing that), Airs Above The Ground by Mary Stewart should be part of the reading stuff to take along. Consider it a guidebook extraordinary when you do so. 

The Founder of Abbottabad

Abbottabad has been all over the news for all the wrong reasons, thanks to someone called Ossama Bin Laden. The town on the Indian subcontinent is a British invention. These days, it forms part of Pakistan. 

Graffiti in the Church

When a relatively new church built in 1961 fell into disrepair, the diocese of Freiburg (Germany) decided to sell it for profane uses in 2005. The parishioners had other ideas and collected enough money for a thorough renovation. All that was missing was some artwork. 

Switzerland Doesn’t Exist

La Suisse n’existe pas (French for Switzerland doesn’t exist) was once used as the title for the Swiss exhibit at a World Exhibition. It set the Swiss media aflame with outraged indignation; despite that, it was nothing but a statement of fact. 

World’s Smallest Art Museum Reopened

The world’s smallest art museum has reopened after extensive restoration and conservation work to itself and its contents. The curators used the restoration period to produce a detailed video documentary which allows the visitor to take a virtual tour through the museum.