Looking back at looking over...

As we waited in line to enter the 7 person sized lift up St. Stephandom cathedral in Vienna, I thought back over all the cities we have visited since getting married in June. In almost every one, we have found our way up and out of the traffic of the sights themselves, and into a quiet upper deck of the city - the views of the sights. Does every city have a lookout? Somewhere people go just to see where their lives take place? Duluth, MN, my home town, has a lot: Enger Tower, Hawk's Ridge, Skyline Road, Brighton Beach. Brett took me to the one in Marietta, Ohio last year and we looked over Marietta College and the Ohio river until we were too cold to feel peaceful any more. Looking over my pictures, Oxford, Paris, Belgrade, Sofia, Sozopol, Istanbul, Vienna, Boyana, Belogradchik, Melnik, and Rila have these spots too. So relax for a few minutes, and take in the view...

Edinburgh, from a local park

Inverness, from Inverness Castle

Bath, from a primary school at the top of a very long hill

Oxford, from St. Mary's Church

Paris, from the steps of Sacre Coeur

Sozopol, from the bluff by our hotel

Istanbul, from a rooftop restaurant

Rila, from a tower in the Monastery

Old Town Plovdiv, from its Roman Ruins

Belgrade, from the yard of an abandoned church

Melnik, from the top of a nearby hill

Boyana, from Mount Vitosha

Bulgarian countryside, from Mount Vitosha

Sofia, from Mount Vitosha

Belogradchik, from Aleko Fortress

Vienna, from St. Stephansdom's Cathedral Tower

Vienna, from St. Stephandom's Cathedral Tower