Luxembourg

Clervaux and some rest

We had a day of supposedly doing nothing in Vianden, but we did do a bike ride which was a bit strenuous for me – biking up the hills and I ended up being very fatigued.

Wednesday we went to leave Vianden and and as we were packing up I thought it was raining, but Scot said it was hailing. I said no way was it hailing, but then I realised that indeed there were really small hail pieces hitting the car. I couldn’t believe it – how strange. Anyway we hit the road and decided to back track and visit Beaufort as there was supposed to be a lovely castle there too and the area looked lovely. When we got to Beaufort though it wasn’t as we had expected and the castle was in quite a ruin so after seeing the one in Vianden it wouldn’t have seemed the same so we didn’t bother going through it. We did the 4km walk in the rainforest instead. It was lovely and peaceful but on our way back Scot again said it was hailing. I really didn’t believe it, but it wasn’t raining at all, it was hailing very small pieces and lasted only a few minutes and stopped. I have never been in a rainforest and been hailed on before!

We decided to continue on as Beaufort wasn’t quite what we had expected so drove on to Clervaux. We stopped at a small supermarket on the way as we hadn’t enough supplies and had a German man join our table as we had coffee and told us about the nature preservation work he was doing in Luxembourg preserving Arnica as it was now quite rare to find it in Luxembourg. Interesting meeting strangers like that and discovering their story in life.

We headed off into Clervaux and what a beautiful little village we decended upon. We found a camping ground – well the only one actually in Clervaux and it is a delight. Unfortunately for me, and for Scot who has to put up with me and deal with it, the strenuous exercise we did in Vianden has set off my adrenal fatigue in a big way and I am feeling very unwell, fatigued and unable to do very much. We have decided to stay in Clervaux for 5 nights to give me some rest before we head off to Netherlands in the hope that I will still be able to walk a bit when there. At the moment it is taking a huge toll on me just walking a couple of kms and I need to rest up because i am so tired. We did walk up to the abbey today and I even lit a candle and said a prayer hoping it will ease off so i/we can enjoy the rest of the holiday. Obviously buying the bikes may not have been a good idea so i will avoid hills and any really further strenuous exercise in future. I have to say though that it is nice to stay in one spot for more than a couple of days. We are camped beside the river Our which we can hear flowing at night and there is a good size swimming pool that Scot had a swim in yesterday. The temp in the pool is about 22o so not too bad really. I did get told off for wearing my jandals into the pool surrounds yesterday, which i found a bit strange.

Scot here while V is doing the laundry-yes someone has to do it- sipping mulled wine, crackers & chips and having a read.

Must admit we are getting into a lovely habit of sleeping in, having a cuppa in the morning reading then showering and walking into town-about 5 minutes- and having coffee and cake, a different one every day. I am starting to feel like a local where the café owner says ‘oh you are still here then’. I had a haircut yesterday and when I said I have a number three for the sides she shaved off the side whoops it is number 9 here but all looked good and wont need another one for a while.

I always feel I want to go for a run or bike in the morning but it is a bit cold and it is so cosy tucked up in bed and not having to get up and go to work. Oh well some decisions are difficult right?

We are deciding whether to go and eat out tonite(pizza?) which we really haven’t done or baked beans but so conscious that the cost to eat out is like buying groceries for 4 days but still feel we need to treat ourselves once in a while.

Vicki is right it is so beautiful here surrounded by hills in a valley and with the hotels here it must be busy in the height of summer which is really around the corner but still very quiet here. We may go on the train tomorrow. It stops right here and for 4 euro it goes to Luxemborg(45 minutes) and back, so even though we have been there should be cool to see the countryside and stop off for a coffee(and cake!) on one of the stops. Something different and will see some of the areas not seen by van.

Not sure what we will do Monday whether we stay one more nite somewhere on the way to N’Lands or Belgium but that is the great thing no real plans except moving along.

Our van in the camping ground from the Abbey above

An attached building being knocked down and rebuilt

On the border in Luxembourg

Friday 15th: We took the bus into Luxembourg city. Another couple on the bus told us where we should get off – the older part of the city. Although the older part isn’t that old as Luxembourg city was bombed to pieces during the war. We wandered around for a bit – a bit aimlessly actually – without a real plan of where to go. We did make our way to the edge of the city perimeter where it looks over a valley. There are some very old stone wall parts left that weren’t destroyed in the war. We wanted a coffee and maybe some lunch, but there seemed to be very few cafes anywhere. Scot suggested we go into the Paris Café which did look a bit posh but we went in regardless. Then sitting there looking at the people around us and then at the menu – it was indeed a bit posh. A cup of coffee was about the equivalent of about $7. The food was exorbitant and the people all were dressed in what I would call more evening wear. We looked at each other and decided we would leave as the trip isn’t about hobnobbing especially at lunch when all we wanted was a coffee and a baguette. It felt a little weird walking out when there were so many people there, but they don’t know us and we found a little place that sold much cheaper coffee and bought a baguette down the road for a good price. We did buy some lovely little taster cakes from this patisserie whose window was so beautiful I had to have something from there…see photo above.

We walked along the top looking down at the valley and then walked down towards the river as Scot had spied a pub which turned out to be named after him (see the photo)….although he didn’t know that at the time. We had a beer there before having a look at the local Munster Abbey. We walked up out of the valley into what we thought was the modern part of the city but it turned out to be the ‘Fortitude Valley’ of Luxembourg city which didn’t appear to be a very inviting part of the town. There were strip clubs and trashy clothes joints and some quite undesirable people. We hadn’t realised at the time that it wasn’t the main part of the city at all. We decided to catch a bus back to the camping ground, but got on the bus going away from the campsite (eventually it did go in the right direction) so it took about 1.5 hours to get back when it should have taken about half an hour. I was left feeling quite disappointed with Luxembourg city itself, as it was not quite what I had expected after seeing the surrounding countryside which is immaculately kept and quite lovely. I guess it’s just another city after all.

We met some lovely people in the campground and on the bus – all pommies apart from a couple of their wives – one from Mauritius and one from Sweden. We hope to catch up with the lovely couple who live in Doncaster once we return to England and who gave us information about places to go in Sweden. Strangely enough Richard had joined an outreach mission that had started in – of all places – Wanganui!! Small world indeed.

Yesterday – we really needed to do some van maintenance and checks (making sure all screws inside the van were screwed in and tight etc) plus washing so it was a day we stayed in the camp – but that was after a 10-12km walk to buy a pump for the bikes (Di it would have been better if you had lent us your pump). My tires had been completely let down by a rogue pump a fellow camper lent us to try to pump them up so we couldn’t even bike that short distance to the shop and it wasn’t really worth taking the van. It was funny though as we walked to the adventure store we walked past major highways, train bridges, roadworks and a farmers property. We must have looked hilarious trying to walk alongside roads in the grass by motorways in what looked like the middle of nowhere. And a good thing we didn’t take the bikes – we couldn’t have ridden them anyway!

Today we drove down to Schengen (the very bottom of Luxembourg) where the famous Schengen agreement was drawn up in 1985, that as Kiwis (well Kiwaussies) we are very grateful as it allows us 3 months in each and every European country. We had a coffee there and made baguettes (again) for lunch. Every road we have travelled on going north from Schengen towards Netherlands has the Moselle river running alongside it and on the other side of the river is Germany. This region of Luxembourg is the Moselle wine region where there are vineyards everywhere and the countryside is really lovely. We stopped at a Papillion (butterfly) house after lunch. They had approx. 60 different types of butterflies – just lovely. We saw large river barges and huge lunch cruise boats travelling along the very large river. We have stopped for the night in a little place called Wasserhillig (or we think that is what it is called). We spied a camping sign so decided to stop. Strange campsite with mostly fixed little prefabs, where the toilets not only have no paper, but nowhere to put any?? I have heard in Greece you put used paper in bins, but in these loos there isn’t any and I get a feeling the signs say you can’t use any. You’d have to hope we’ll be doing snappy toms whilst here then :-). Actually inside the loos it is hilarious – the sign has been translated into English and says ‘Water ist included in the price, you can push the flushing’. Went for our first pushbike ride – yay finally, but my gears aren’t the best so will have to find a bike shop to have them altered – I am wondering if we will be able to find one in Netherlands?? On the way to the camp we stopped at a supermarket and Scot bought 500ml cans of German beer for 0.39 Eurocents each ($0.60 Aus), a six pack for 1.99 euros and Cans of Cherry beer for 0.79 eurocents each. I think he wants to stay here a long time 🙂

Tomorrow off to Diekirch on the way to Vianden where apparently there is an awesome castle we can walk up to see. It is right on the border with Germany. Then up to Clervaux or wherever we decide to stay for the night. Wild camping looks like it might be on for tomorrow.

Oh and I have to mention the dinner tonight – another magnificent meal cooked by Scot – salmon, with asparagus, broccoli, cauli with French cheese sauce with sautéed potato and mushrooms. I was so impressed I even helped with the dishes tonight.

I have to say to those who think I write all the blogs – we actually write them together which is why you hear about the magnificent meals Scot makes….haha.

In the middle of no where walking to the shop

That’s Germany on the other side of the river

Yesterday we walked into town, the tyres need to be pumped up on our bikes before we can ride them 🙁 so we had to use our legs again. But that was good as it worked off the croissants with jam and brie we had for breakfast – to die for – fresh as. First stop was the local museum dedicated to the 101 Airborne Squadron who defended Bastogne against the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge, and stopped the Nazis counter attacking the allies push towards Berlin. What an awesome museum, lots of memorabilia, great scenes with authentic mannequins dressed as the time and very graphic. They had a bomb shelter setup where you sat in darkness and they simulated a bombing raid all around you, with all the noises you would have expected to hear. I had to put my fingers in my ears as the noise was horrific and frightening, you could be forgiven for thinking it was real. What all those who have experienced this type of hell during any of the cities raids during world war two doesn’t bear thinking about.

Afterwards we bought some fresh baguettes and made our lunch sitting on a bench in the middle of town. We had taken our brie, tomato, ham and avocado to put in it and then sat and ate them (saves money so we can spend it on beer).

We walked the town doing a bit of shopping and I made a fool of myself trying to print a couple of photos out on a machine where I ignored the sign that (in French) said I had to wait 3 days for the photos and then had to try to explain to them that they needed to try and cancel it because I wanted them immediately….oh duh! All good in the end though.

Off this morning to Luxembourg. Its funny how you get to different parts of countries and in some parts the roads are faultless and amazing and the equivalent status of road in another part is full of pot holes and just dreadful to drive on. And we saw this in England as well as in Belgium. The highway this morning was in a dreadful state of disrepair – which I find so strange as most of the roads in Belgium are really well kept. On one part of the border where I felt one side of the road was probably in Luxembourg and the other in Belgium we passed a stretch of road not even 500m long where there were at least 12 fuel stations – probably more. I have never seen more than maybe two within a kilometre let alone that amount – how strange.

As we travelled over the border into Luxembourg there was a distinct difference in style – quite amazing. It was also strange as in Belgium it was busy, but in Luxembourg the streets were quiet. It took us a while to realise that no one was open and it looked like baguettes were off for the days lunch. Then suddenly we spotted a whole lot of people parking and going into this place, where it looked like a mini fete with food, so we decided it was a good idea to go and check it out. We pulled into the carpark and then I realised that maybe it was a school function. A lady walked past and we asked her what it was. It was a local scout fund raising luncheon and she said to come join them. We looked so conspicuous and out of place, but we toddled in anyway, paid for some food, a beer and a bubbly and ate them. I am sure people were wondering what we were doing there especially since our campervan stuck out in the carpark and we did with our language difference. But hey we were contributing to the local economy. One guy told us it was a Catholic public holiday for the second death of Christ.

We took off and found our camping ground just on the outskirts of Luxembourg City where we were directed to another local sporting fete type event near the camping ground by some other campers. We enjoyed another beer, bubbly and frites whilst having a look around. It looked like an event to get kids interested in Olympic style sports. One thing we have really noticed in our travels are two major differences from Australia is that the majority of the populations here do not have weight problems and no one is constantly on their phone. It is difficult to spot a phone even in a huge crowd.

Early to rise in the morning as we are off into Luxembourg city to have a look around for the day. Unfortunately it is too far to bike and with major highways in between us and the city biking isn’t really appropriate, so it will be the bus.