EuroTrip - Day 29

The Tiny Little Fairyland called Luxembourg

The 'country' of Luxembourg is like a land from the fairy-tells like the Far Far Away Land. In one city there is so much natural beauty that it's hard not to believe that you are in your dreams. LP says the journey to Luxembourg is as scenic as the city itself but somehow none of us had the energy to keep ourselves awake to see the most of part of the countryside. After a chilling night's sleep, it is the least you could have done to get some rest.

The city welcomes everyone - sleepy eyes or otherwise. One cup of hot coffee, a few slices of bread and you are all set to start your tour of this city. The tourist information gives a nice brochure which can act as a good guide for a walking tour of the city. Our beloved map-man/guide/planner/consultant Mr. HotTiii took the lead as usual and before we could even take breath, we were in front of the registered office of Mittal Arcelor. It's a grand mansion, more like a small palace but alas we did not see anything Indian from the outside at least.

As you walk further down, you see a long old bridge called Adolphe Bridge that is used to road traffic. On the other side of the bridge, the Gëlle Fra monument is distinctly visible with its golden shine. This monument commemorates those who volunteered for service in the armed forces of the Allies in World War I. While you get the view of the valley below standing near this place, on your back you can also see the Notre Dame Cathedral. Further down the road, you reach the central square and the Grand Ducal Palace (the official residence of Grand Duke). The town is centered around these buildings. Further down you reach a long gallery overlooking the valley below. They claim that it is one of the most beautiful gallerias in the world. And I don't refute that claim as of now. It is really very beautiful and gives a good panoramic view of the town. There is a river (or actually just a canal) flowing below, a couple of churches on the bank of the canal, a big theater and some other historic building that you can capture in a single shot. The houses are like stacked on the small hills across the valley. Green and yellow, the tall trees are a treat to watch. Winter might offer the opportunity to play in snow but it is autumn when the real beauty of Europe blossoms.

Our next stop was going to be the world famous sites of Casemates. These are underground passages hewn from the solid rock or in simple terms caves in the mountains. These tunnels were built over a long time and at one time they spanned a total of 37km. Today around 21 km stretch still exists and out of that around 1.6km stretch is open for public visit. They were capable of sheltering thousands of defenders during their time, as well as equipment, horses, workshops for artillery, kitchens, bakeries and slaughterhouses. A must visit place. It is really interesting to see the way various sections of the casemates were built overseeing different things and acting different roles. It's pretty cold inside so be prepared for it in advance. The sites are very well developed for tourist viewing with their well put directions and aesthetically fitting lighting. The views from the caves is superb and is worth every effort to visit them.

The walk around the city takes you through many more such attractions. The magic of this place works depending on how much of the history you are able to absorb. There are a couple of museum but somehow I felt that the real beauty was out in the open. The valley tells you stories that you otherwise would have ignored. It is treating you with a glimpse of a glorious past. A dream that has taken form of a city.

I will highly recommend this city for everyone who is visiting this part of the world. BeNeLux is the place to be (I finally heard this term from other too, at the railway station, and also saw it in wiki too) at this point of time.