A Day in Luxembourg

Once again I got up early and headed up to the train station to catch the train to Luxembourg - a 3 hour train journey away from Antwerp.  I got to Brussels Nord where I had to change trains.  Ate the breakfast the hostel had packed for me while I waited.  Then the train arrived.  A man got on before me, then... the doors closed, and even though I pressed the button, the doors wouldn't open again and the train went without me.  I was sooooooooooo pissed off.  Fortunately there was another one an hour later, so I wandered around the train station for a while then headed back to wait.  When it finally came, there was some capital letters around Arlon-Luxembourg - so texted Anne to check if I had to change trains at Arlon.  Turns out it did - so I am getting the hang of things.

I was so terrified I was going to miss that connection too, that I atached myself to this wonderful girl who lives in Luxembourg but studies in Berlin.  She was on the way home for a few days to catch up with family and friends.  It was so nice talking to her on the way down, and also gave me the confidence I wouldn't get 'lost'!!  The trip went fast because of this.

My first impressions of Luxembourg was of beauty.  I walked up from the train station towards the old town.  On the bridge this is the view...

There was a market in the main square in the upper town, but I did find the Palace and in fact the Prince drove past me with his police escorts...  That is about as close to any royal family member I've ever been to.

I started walking towards the start of the Wendel Walk - a walk that takes you to the lower part of Luxembourg.  To get there I had to go by the palace - this is the back of it.  I wouldn't mind living in a house like that.

As I went down - I passed my friend from the train having a coffee.  They invited me to join them, and I would have loved to.  However, I was very very aware of time constraints seeing I had an hour less as I had missed the first train, which left me with only 3 hours in Luxembourg in total.  However I took a photo.  That's my friend on the left, and her sister.  I never thought to ask her name - so hoping she'll see this and contact me and let me know :)

The houses were old with lovely cobblestone pathways and little arches.   I love the architecture of Europe.

The Wendel Walk  is a walk that takes you from the Upper town, to the Lower town which dates back to medieval times.  The upper town is on a cliff face, and to get to the lower town you either have to walk down in zig zag paths to get to the bottom, or go through tunnels that were carved into the cliffs centuries ago.  I decided to go through the tunnels for a mere 3 euros.

This is from the top of the cliffs looking down to the lower town at the Cathedral and at the town square.

To the left of the main square was this beautiful park...

Cathedral and main square again....

Starting to go through the tunnels...

A bit lower now, you can see the fort on the left from where the tunnels started...

Looking down on the town in another direction, this time the focus on residential dwellings...

I'm half way down now - and his is looking to the cliff face with the buildings of the upper town on its edge...

The pathways weren't too steep, or so I thought on the way down.  I found out later when I had to go back up that they were deceptive!

At the bottom of the lower town, this beautiful canal runs throught it.  My day was perfect blue sky - which made for perfect reflections...

Looking up at the cliff face where all the tunnels are - and they are beautifully reflected in the canal below.  I tried to use the word 'river' to the person at the tourist office, but she said it's not really a river, so I have avoided using that word here.

One beautiful medieval Bridge spanning the 'canal'.

The main square...

Luxembourg town from bottom to top...

I was now headed towards the train station to catch the train back to Antwerp.  To do this I had to walk along the old town wall, then head up the hill.  It took ages as it was so steep, and I wondered if I had been wise to walk to the lower town.  I have to say I'm much fitter now I've been in Europe for a week..

One last image of Luxembourg, the country I had dreamed of visiting when I was a child, now realised.  Despite the missed train, it was worth it, as it's such a beautiful country.