Luxembourg!

Luxembourg is absolutely gorgeous. One of the best ever. I really want to return here again and stay longer and explore the country. It feels like Germany but with French speakers along with German. The buildings and landscape are awesome. When we arrived last night we exited the train station to another busy city. Stressful energy. Oh no, I thought, a stressful city. We find the bus and get on. I asked the bus driver if he could tell us where our stop was. He says No and then smiles. Oh good, he’s nice. Thank goodness. We drive through the town which looks a lot like downtown San Francisco, turn the corner and head down a cobblestone hill. Wow! Our jaws dropped. Deep valleys with castle ruins, high bridges and lots of trees. We get to our stop and our hostel is down the hill in those trees and castle like buildings. All four of us fall in love while we walk down the hill. All four of use declare we will come back to visit this beautiful place.

Our hostel is very nice, better than most hotels, nothing like the ones I stayed at in the states. It was recently renovated so it is very modern. We eat, wander a round and go to bed excited to see this town.

Today we explored the area. We walked up the hill and the kids sketched a turret. Byron did a really nice job and got creative with his sketching adding the big red bridge and the stone train bridges. While they were sketching I sat back and enjoyed the land. We were on top overlooking the castle ruins, trees, river and churches. It is like a storybook. The weather was cool and sunny.

We walked further to downtown which was busier. I needed to find a bank to get some money exchanged for Norway. I went to 4 banks and no. One said I should have called 2 days ahead so they could get some Krone. All were very nice. The banks are different than at home. Much more formal and rarely an ATM. Big buildings with gates. We walk back to the hostel and see a castle. It was much like Sighisoara. We walk up and look around and go back.

Earlier Byron had found a ping pong table at the hostel and was playing with the kids. He wanted me to play. That was fun. As always I play ping pong like tennis and hit too hard. The kids were the ball collectors. Liam took that job very seriously and watched every moment ready to hop and run to get it. Reminded me of the ballboys at Wimbledon hunched over ready to go.

We foraged for dinner hoping to get rid of stuff out of our luggage. We did that. I sure hope we can find food in Norway because it’s dates, vegan pate and raisins now. I repacked the bags and redistributed some weight around. Liam’s bag was too heavy for him so I took some of his stuff. The luggage is so much work.

We leave tonight at 3am to catch a bus to Germany and fly to Oslo. I am looking forward to the scenery. While I spent the last week stressed and depressed, being here really changed things for me. I feel like I am really traveling now or at least traveling in Hansel and Gretel land. A new adventure everyday. And we are out of the big city for a while. Most of Norway will be the same with two days in a tiny town in nature. Very sweet.