Lovely Ladies in Luxembourg

One of the great joys of living in northeast France is its proximity to several countries, which are easily reached by train in less than an hour.  Saturday, Michelle and I took a day trip to Luxembourg, which is less than 4o minutes from Metz on the high speed train.  Despite getting hit on by a toothless train controller, we arrived in good spirits, armed with our cameras, a guidebook (which would go unused), and a tiny umbrella.  

Often overshadowed by neighboring France, Germany, and Belgium, Luxembourg is a tiny (999 square miles) but gorgeous country.  One of the founding members of the European Union, it's also one of the wealthiest countries in the world.  I've met a number of people in Metz who actually work in Luxembourg for the higher wages. Luxembourg is trilingual, speaking French, German, and Luxembourgeois (a German dialect with French influence.)  Michelle and I got by quite well using French, and we noticed that it was the written language of choice for signs, menus, and advertisements.  

We had no set schedule, and instead wandered the city with a map, stopping at places that caught our fancy.  Highlights included a breakfast of pastries and café au lait, exploring the Cathedral of Notre Dame, enjoying the breathtaking views of the Petrusse Valley from the Adolphe Bridge (New Bridge), stumbling upon a rehearsal for Handel's Messiah in the lovely church of Saint-Michel, laughing as we noticed that a certain group of street performers played nothing but Hava Nagila all day long, wandering through open air markets where our senses were inundated with the fragrance of fresh flowers, various cheeses, raisin bread, and sausages.  We were spellbound by the dramatic valleys and high bridges that connect the various levels of the city. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before, and I fell in love with the charm.  We even found the time to do some shopping in the chic boutiques that line the city center (thanks to the rain in the middle of the day.) Luxembourg is more than a cute fusion of France and Germany.  I can't quite describe it, other than it's... itself!

After a full day of exploring, we hopped back on a train to Metz, making it back with ample time to attend a birthday party for one of the other language assistants, which was a lovely way to end an already lovely day!  

 

View of Adolphe Bridge (New Bridge)

Michelle and I enjoying the view of Adolphe Bridge (New Bridge)

Constitution Square and the Petrusse Valley

The Gëlle Fra monument honors volunteer forces for 

the Allies in World War I.

Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Interior of Notre Dame.

Clairefontaine Square near Notre Dame.

Place de Metz (Luxembourg City and Metz are 'sister cities,' so the naming of this square makes perfect sense!)

This interesting street division is a perfect example of the 

multiple levels of the city.

Michelle browsing through the delicious cheese selection at an 

open air market in Place Guillaume.

Open air market held on Saturdays in Place Guillaume.

Beautiful street.

View from Bock promontory 

(photo credit: Michelle Blair) I couldn't resist using this gorgeous photo she took!

Michelle posing on the Foundation walls

Ruins of Wenzel Wall