Luxembourg

14 January. We hit Luxembourg City around mid-day, but acquainted ourselves with it fairly well. It is small and very historic. Thanks to Kevin our nominated French tour guide it was a very successful day!

We first arrived at the Train Station in Luxembourg;

Art is everywhere.

We made our way through the center of town looking for a good place to eat, and stopping to see the scenery along the way.

The trees were cut so nobbely.

We didn't even have to hike to see views like these!

Myself, Joseph, Jamie, and Fabien

Food options are bar food, or fancy restaurant food. And today we indulged in the later option. Luckily the food did taste like its expense. And this my friends is steak tartar. Hard to take the first bite, it was cold, topped with an egg yoke, but quite delightful to finish. I enjoyed the new experience.

Buildings are massive! 

There was no way to get this to be a straight picture. Time to accept Inception-like deformities

Luxembourgish is an official language that they speak in this Romance and Germanic mix of culture. Like many European countries Roman Catholic is still predominant.

Court Yards

 Luxembourg is a border country in between France and Germany, not far at all from Metz. Though it maintained neutrality and its self government during WWI, it was too strategic of a location for Nazi Germany to pass up during WWII and was unofficially annexed until it was freed in 1944.

 Fortress Wall Ruins and Views:

The Majority of the Group

The rest of us

Supporting the Bridge

Dear Chris and Danny, does this not remind you of something you would climb up in Zelda?

Wouldn't Trust Those Stairs Anymore

That door was my height :)

 Through a small tunnel...

...across the street...

 ...overlooking the ridges...

 ...back into history...

...through the Notre Dame Cathedral of Luxembourg...

There were powerful low hymns murmured just as one would imagine entering temples.

And into the plaza...

When it rains tears seem to stream down this intricately cut out face.

 But you know what is funny?

The opportunity to imitate these guards.

We traveled pretty far crossed bridges, a long ways down the river that split the city. 

The sun, clouds (which are always here) and old fashioned skyline.

But then construction going on through our route off. Our sense of direction was still there but the best way to get there before the sun set?

 Alas a way was found! 

And new light once we were on the other side of the hill

 So down some steps as we scaled the landscape...

 

And goofed around in triumph;

For no good reason; 

Brian, Tony, Jerome, Jamie

"The Man"

And we finally had time for another break at a restaurant bar. All I know is they had warm apple pie and yummy chocky (hot chocalate) :)

Exiting the restaurant, and time to go back up! (we had been down by the river at this time)

Kevin led us through a secret passage to an elevator that was a nice ride up the side of the mountain

One last view

Need I say more? Amazing!