Chinese tourists flock to Europe's capital of music

BEIJING - Shao Yu became fascinated by Austria when she was a little girl after hearing melodies echo in the Musikverein Golden Hall during a television broadcast of Vienna's New Year Concert.

As a student of the piano and a symphony orchestra fan, the 23-year-old made a journey to Vienna, the European capital of classical music, five years ago.

"The garden of Schonbrunn Palace is as beautiful as a painting," she recalled. "I was also thrilled to see swans on the Danube, which I remember seeing on TV."