We took a long weekend from Friday, September 18th through Monday, September 21st to enjoy our last travel experience outside the Netherlands...sniff, sniff. Where has the time gone? But, we definitely made the most of it and enjoyed our road trip to Luxembourg. And now, our BeNeLux travels are complete! (Be for Belgium, Ne for Netherlands, Lux for Luxembourg.)
Greg left home around 7:20 a.m. on the 18th to pick up our rental car. This was new for us already; normally we are on a train schedule. But, since Luxembourg is so close, we thought we'd be adventurous and travel a bit more on "our" schedule for once. Greg got home with the car around 8:30, and we were packed up and on our way around 8:45 - with borrowed GPS (HUGE thanks to the Kincaids!!). Luxembourg, here we come!!
Well, not so fast. We had barely made it down the street when we noticed the car stalling a bit and smoking. That's never good! We pulled over and called the rental place. They sent a repair man who had to come from Schipol airport. Oh brother! He finally arrived at 9:45, took one look under the hood, and said, "I'm not even going to try". In his defense, it was one of those "push the button" diesel fuel cars, so I can't really blame him, but couldn't we have figured this out an hour ago? So, we loaded suitcases, groceries, stroller, car seat, Ben, and more into the repair van, and he kindly drove us to the rental shop to get a replacement car. Finally, at 10:30 a.m., we were finally - really - on our way to Luxembourg. (Really, could I make these stories up? I swear, the blog just writes itself!!)Greg really enjoyed driving our new blue beauty, and we were already super grateful for the GPS. Ben loved jamming to his music, and we saw lots of cows and corn on the way (could have been in the Midwest, huh?). We stopped around 12:30 for potty break, lunch, and stretching our legs. There was a lot of traffic, so we were not making great time, but it was fun to be on an "international" road trip. We drove through picturesque Liege in Belgium, and then on into Luxembourg to Luxembourg City. Only a couple of wrong turns along the way, and we arrived in Lux City around 4:30 p.m. We checked into our teeny tiny hotel room and then made our way into the city for the sights and dinner! (And, speaking of hotel room, anyone else find the last photo in this section funny? Why would they provide an ashtray with a no-smoking sign in it? Weird!)
From our hotel, we walked across the Viaduc bridge towards the city center. Crossing the bridge was so beautiful with all the trees that were just starting to change colors for fall. We wondered what the magnificent tower was off in the distance...perhaps a castle? We walked by the Notre Dame Cathedral (more on that later) and into the Place de la Constitution square. In the center of the square is the Gelle Fra monument, which commemorates those who volunteered for service in the armed forces of the Allies in World War I. By now, our little man was quite grumpy, probably hungry. So, we found the Place d'Armes square with lots of cafes and restaurants. We started walking around to consider our options, and Ben was in such a foul mood that we settled on McDonald's - for the sanity of the other diners (because we could eat outside) and because we knew it would be quick. Sad choice for me, but after some chicken nuggets and ice cream, Ben was like a whole new boy! Whew! Took a few pretty photos on the walk back to the hotel...the Cathedral at sunset and the train station. It almost felt funny not knowing what the train station looked like inside...
After a good night's rest and some yummy breakfast, I got my chance on Saturday morning to peek inside the train station. There was supposedly an information center (that we never found) inside the station, and what a magnificent stained-glass window! With no new information, we took our trusty hotel map and headed towards the Pont Adolphe (Adolphe Bridge) to connect us to the city center. On the way, we found out what the "magnificent tower" from yesterday was...the State Savings Bank. Seriously?? It was hard to get a good photo given where the sun was at, and I didn't think to ask any local if it may have been something of more "importance" before it was a bank. Oh well, very beautiful nonetheless. And, beautiful views from the bridge, which was built between 1900 and 1903 and takes road and pedestrian traffic across the Petrusse River. It has become one of Luxembourg City's main tourist attractions. (Photo of Greg is from yesterday with Adophe Bridge in the background...)
We walked again through the Place d'Armes square where we ate the night before; there was now an open air antique market in full swing. Nearby is the Place Guillaume II, see the statue of William II in the center of the square. This square was also preparing for market activity - gotta love Saturdays in Europe! We made our way behind the Notre Dame Cathedral and walked towards the entrance for a peek inside.
The Notre Dame Cathedral is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Luxembourg City. It was originally a Jesuit church, and its cornerstone was laid in 1613. It is mainly late gothic architecture, with stunning windows and an impressive organ. While Greg and I took our turns admiring its beauty, Ben passed the time by laughing at the fountain. What could be funnier to a 2 year old than silly faces spitting water at you? :)
Next, we walked by the Grand Ducal Palace - the official residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. This is where he performs most of his duties as head of state of the Grand Duchy. It has been used as the Grand residence since 1817 and renovated many times to match modern tastes and standards of comfort. (Although, I imagine that "standards of comfort" are much different for Royal families than they are for you and me, huh?). From 1966 through today, soldiers of the military of Luxembourg perform guard duties.
At this point, we wanted to visit the Bock Casemates to give Ben a chance to get out and explore. On the way, we walked by another church, St. Michael's. A very different experience than our visit inside Notre Dame a few minutes ago. Very quiet, very simple, and still very beautiful. It is the oldest holy building of the city, but its present appearance (was destroyed several times) goes back to 1688.
At this point, we wanted to visit the Bock Casemates to give Ben a chance to get out and explore. On the way, we walked by another church, St. Michael's. A very different experience than our visit inside Notre Dame a few minutes ago. Very quiet, very simple, and still very beautiful. It is the oldest holy building of the city, but its present appearance (was destroyed several times) goes back to 1688. The view from above the casemates was breathtaking. Luxembourg is a bit of a hard city to explore with all of its hills and valleys. But, when you are above everything like this, it is stunning.
The Bock Casemates have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage sight since 1994. These undergroud defensive tunnels were first built in 1644 during an era of Spanish domination. Originally 14 miles long, some as deep as 131 feet! After the dismantling of the fortress in 1867, some of the casemates were spared and opened to the public. Ben was quite thankful for this, because he absolutely adored being able to explore these dark passages. He is quite a brave one - running down dark tunnels on uneven stones. He took a few spills...could have cared less! It was really interesting and there were more great views of the valley areas. We explored for over an hour, once dead-ending down deep in a tunnel with no air. I'm normally not a claustrophobic person, but I was ready to see daylight again after that.
The Bock Casemates have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage sight since 1994. These undergroud defensive tunnels were first built in 1644 during an era of Spanish domination. Originally 14 miles long, some as deep as 131 feet! After the dismantling of the fortress in 1867, some of the casemates were spared and opened to the public. Ben was quite thankful for this, because he absolutely adored being able to explore these dark passages. He is quite a brave one - running down dark tunnels on uneven stones. He took a few spills...could have cared less! It was really interesting and there were more great views of the valley areas. We explored for over an hour, once dead-ending down deep in a tunnel with no air. I'm normally not a claustrophobic person, but I was ready to see daylight again after that. 
After a small snack, we were ready to head back into the city center for some lunch. Before that, we walked by the Spanish Turrets, large fortifications initiated by the Spaniards in the middle of the 17th century. Actual purpose? No one knows. Hee hee! Fun to look at, more beautiful scenery, and a view across the valley to what we believe is the financial district of the city.
Had some tostis (grilled sandwiches) for lunch, then we walked around the Place d'Armes and shopping streets while Ben napped. It was about 2 p.m., and Greg and I were ready for a break to sit and chat. We found a spot outside at Oberweis, a cute little French cafe where we treated ourselves to some decadent cakes and coffee. We have to splurge a bit when Ben is napping...after all, we had McD's last night for dinner, remember? ;)
After naptime, we ventured off for more casemate activity. This time on the south of the city, the Petrusse Casemates. These were built in 1746 by the Austrians to improve the plateau's defenses on the south flank. We ended up skipping the casemates themselves, and just walked around and played in the Petrusse valley for a few hours. The weather was gorgeous, and we were all ready for some down time. Greg and Ben ran up and down a steep hill - probably a million times. And, once again, Ben will make an Asian scrapbook somewhere...note the gentlemen taking photos of him enjoying his hill time.
Around 6 p.m., we walked under the Viaduc bridge toward the Grund area of Luxembourg City. This is an older valley area of the city, with the Alzette river running through it. Lots of pubs down here that were packed with people enjoying dinner and the nice weather. We took some photos and then wanted to make our way back to the Center to find some dinner of our own. As I said, this is a valley area, and we were not looking forward to the climb up and out. Thankfully, we happened to spot a 'lift' sign - hurray! So, we rode the elevator up, which dropped us near Notre Dame church. We walked into the Center and ate dinner at...Pizza Hut. I know, we should be seriously ashamed for having eaten at McDonald's last night and now Pizza Hut, but Ben had been such a trooper all day, we thought it best to find someplace that would be "kid-friendly". And, it really did work out great - we sat outside (it was a gorgeous evening) and listened to live music playing in the Place d'Armes square. Well worth it. On the walk back to the hotel over the Viaduc bridge, we had a beautiful evening view of the "castle" (aka State Savings Bank).
On Sunday, September 20th, we checked out of our hotel around 9 a.m., gassed up the car, and drove to the World War II Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Hamm - about 10 minutes from Lux City. It was a wet morning, but Ben didn't mind. He rather enjoyed getting all geared up to splash in the puddles. The Cemetery is the final resting place for 5,076 American military men and women, most of them lost during the Battle of the Bulge. It is also the final resting place for General George S. Patton. The Cemetery reminded us of our visit to Normandy, with so many white crosses and stars. Such a place of sadness, but also it was quite beautiful (even in the rain) with the tall trees and flowers in bloom.
From the Cemetery, we left for a drive through the Valley of the Seven Castles. This is the informal name given to the Eisch valley in central Luxembourg, with a group of seven castles that line its route. Most of the castles cannot be visited (not open to the public), but the drive was really pretty. I admit that I know very little about each of our stops, so this section will be brief.
Castle #1, Koerich. A medieval castle and probably our most enjoyable stop. There was a medieval festival going on, and so everyone was dressed up in their medieval best. We felt very out of place in our "2009" jeans and sneakers. Had a blast walking around and watching all the activity, and our little "knight" left with a shield to remember the day. :)
Castle #2, Septfontaines. Had to drive up a very steep and narrow hill to get to the top for a closer view of this 13th century castle. Below the castle are the seven springs (sept fontaines) that give the village its name.
Castles #3 and #4, Ansembourg. There are two castles in Ansembourg - 12th century medieval versus 17th century modern. It is quite a hike up to the older castle, so we simply took some photos of the newer castle and gardens that were located near the road and then kept on truckin'.
Castle #5, Hollenfels. 14th century castle that is now a youth hostel.
Castle #6, Schoenfels. Located in the Mamer Valley and is the tallest castle in Luxembourg?? 19th century renovations have greatly altered the castle's original condition.
Castles #3 and #4, Ansembourg. There are two castles in Ansembourg - 12th century medieval versus 17th century modern. It is quite a hike up to the older castle, so we simply took some photos of the newer castle and gardens that were located near the road and then kept on truckin'. Castle #5, Hollenfels. 14th century castle that is now a youth hostel.
Castle #6, Schoenfels. Located in the Mamer Valley and is the tallest castle in Luxembourg?? 19th century renovations have greatly altered the castle's original condition.
Castle #7, Mersch. In trying to find some more information about this castle online, I came to find out that my pictures below are not of the castle in Mersch, but apparently of some other "ruined" thing in Luxembourg. Turns out to be the Pettingen Castle, just north of the town of Mersch. Apparently, we had a miscommunication with the GPS. :) So, alas - enjoy these pictures of the newest "8th" castle in the Valley of the Seven Castles.
Greg was quite ready to be done with chasing down these castles, and I commend him very much for his impressive driving skills (and his patience, as this experience took far longer than anticipated). It was nearly 2 p.m. and time to arrive at our next destination, Vianden. After checking into our hotel and taking a quick peek at the church next door, we began to make our way through the rain towards the Vianden Castle. Yep, another castle...
Back to Main Street around 5 p.m. to look for dinner. Lots of places were closed since it was Sunday evening, but we did find a little ice cream spot that also sold crepes and omelettes. Not very tasty, but at least we were out of the rain to fill our bellies. Back to the hotel around 6:30 p.m. for a relaxing evening of playing trains, reading books, and playing in the shower.
As we walked up to the castle, Ben fell asleep in his stroller. We must have been quite a sight...Greg pushing the stroller up a very steep, uneven road and then through gravel with a pregnant wife huffing slowly behind him. But look at this castle, doesn't it look worth it??
Vianden Castle was constructed from the 11th century to the 14th century on the foundations of a roman fort and a carolingian refuge. In 1820, under the reign of King William I of Holland, the castle was sold piece by piece and fell into a state of ruin. It was a pile of rubble until the family of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg transferred it to State's ownership in 1977 and was then restored to its former glory...
Arms Hall, White Walkway with view and surrounding the Upper Chapel.
Bedroom Hall, Banqueting Hall, and Grand Kitchen.
We had started our visit at the Castle by viewing a room or floor individually, since Ben was sleeping in his stroller and the castle was not stroller accessible. We eventually woke our sleeping giant because this strategy was not very easy with so many rooms and floors. He was a little grumpy at first, but soon got into the castle spirit. Actually, he just liked dancing around in the rain and splashing in puddles. Whatever works.
Back to Main Street around 5 p.m. to look for dinner. Lots of places were closed since it was Sunday evening, but we did find a little ice cream spot that also sold crepes and omelettes. Not very tasty, but at least we were out of the rain to fill our bellies. Back to the hotel around 6:30 p.m. for a relaxing evening of playing trains, reading books, and playing in the shower. Monday was "head for home" day, but not without a quick walk around Vianden since it was dry and we really hadn't seen the little town itself yet. Stadhous (Town Hall), the quaint streets, views of the Castle, the chairlift, and a photo op by the "Benni the Train" sign with our little Benni. Left for Clervaux...
Clervaux was another little town about 20 minutes from Vianden. We had debated about whether or not to visit, but it was such a beautiful day that we decided to stop. More quaint streets as we walked towards the tall church. The Church of Clervaux was magnificent, and Ben enjoyed looking up to the big clock and counting the 11 chimes when the clock struck 11 a.m.
Also during our short visit, we saw the Clervaux Castle. It was reduced to ruins during the Battle of the Bulge, but the Luxembourg State acquired and restored the Castle. The tank shown is the only known surviving combat vehicle from the 9th armored division (U.S.). It was put out of action on December 17, 1944 while defending Clervaux. And, there was a plaque on the Castle wall honoring the infantry division who held the castle against German forces from December 16th through 18th.
And now, at about noon, it was time for home. After exhausting all music options, Ben finally relented to sleep around 1 p.m., surrounded by all things he holds dear...Thomas the Train, books, his blanket, and Mr. Elephant. What a trooper this kid has been! The drive home was very scenic, and we were so glad we decided on this road trip. Well worth it and another great adventure!
