6 Aug 08

The Donauinselfest (Danube Island Festival) is an annual open air music festival held at the grounds surrounding the Danube. It takes place towards the end of June (Friday through Sunday) - except for this year, which was held since Sept. 5 until today. The change is due to Austria (& Switzerland) hosting the European Football Championship. Despite the season being school beginning, a huge crowd was still present.

The festival is free and, some 1500 volunteer assistants plus a reasonable presence of police make the Danube Island Festival one of the most secure big events. To ensure this, "rules of the house" were successfully established by 2007. They disallow for instance to bring glass bottles and liquor to the festival area. There are big plastic glasses that one can use for 1 euro.

Families and friends enjoy this event which includes fun rides for kids and wild rides for adult as well as grilled food, ice cream, free balloons and great music performed by different artists and bands. Last night, there was also a little plaza provided for ballroom dancing.

(photo by hubby)

The Donauturm (tower) is one of the more frequented attraction in Vienna. It is situated in the middle of the Donaupark, which was built to host the horticultural fair in Vienna's 22nd District, near the northern bank of the Danube.

Two high-speed elevators or 776 steps can be taken up to the tower's viewing platform at 150 metres. Each lift takes only 35 seconds to reach the platform, which also bears a bungee site used at times during summer.

Two revolving restaurants (at a height of 160 and 170 metres) offer a varied view over the Austrian capital. It takes the platform either 26, 39 or 52 minutes per revolution.

The Donauturm also carries antennas of cellular phone networks, private VHF radio stations and several other radio communication services.

(photo by hubby)

One of the Carnival attractions at the fest.