Postcards from the Past: Luxembourg

January 20, 2023

The Grand Duchy

When and Where: 11/1997 – Luxembourg City

09/2022 – Luxembourg City, Ecternach, Ettelbruck, Vianden

10^th Country Visited; 5^th European Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

· Luxembourg is the smallest country in the European Union; it’s smaller than Rhode Island.

· Luxembourg has the second highest GDP per capita in the world.

· Luxembourg City is the first city to be named the European Cultural Capital twice.

It all started in Mr. Olivo’s history class during my junior year at Paul VI High School. Each classmate chose a European country for a book report. I was the last student to pick a country, and therefore my options were limited. I gleefully chose Luxembourg; a country I knew little about. My mind began to wander. Although I had new flown on a plane, I knew that someday I wanted to travel to Luxembourg. As I prepared to write my report, I convinced my parents to take me to Manhattan to do research. Once there, I went to Luxair’s US headquarters. I picked up airline and travel brochures stocked with pictures of Luxembourg. Upon returning home, I began to assemble my report. And thus began my journey to discover this small wonder.

Fast forward to 1997, my friend George asked me to go with him on a vacation to Belgium and the Netherlands. I jumped at the opportunity and asked if we could also visit Luxembourg. He agreed. On a cold and damp late fall day, we took Eurail from Amsterdam to Brussels and onto Luxembourg City. We arrived at night and promptly checked into our hotel in the city center. The next morning, we woke up early and began to explore. I found the city quaint and charming. We stopped for warm croissants and proceeded from the upper part of the city to the lower part known as Grund. Grund is a fortified medieval town with stone walls and is jam packed with timeworn row homes, pristine modern buildings and diverse restaurants. The enchanting Alzette River meanders through Grund. Back in the upper part of the city, we explored the capital area and learned about the German occupation during World War II. It was a short, yet memorable visit.

Having just scratched the surface of the country, I planned a repeat visit during my 2022 solo tour of Europe. During my second stay, I toured much of the upper city. It still has the same charm I recalled from my previous trip. I visited the gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Grand Ducal Palace, the seat of government. Feeling adventurous the second day, I opted to take a trip to Vianden: a small town in the northeast region of the country which boasts a spectacular castle high above the mountains overlooking the town. The castle dates back to 275 AD. Opting for public transportation which is free throughout the country, I inadvertently took the wrong bus and headed to Ecternach instead of Ettelbruck. As usual, the miscalculation turned into an adventure. From Ecternach, I was able to catch a bus to Ettelbruck and finally onto Vianden. Upon arrival, I hiked a steep narrow cobblestone street up to the castle. The view at the top was amazing. I took some pictures before heading back down the incline. An hour later, I was back on a bus taking in the scenic countryside all the way back to Luxembourg City. The next morning, I left for Paris via high speed train.

Back to junior year of high school – I got an A+ on my report about Luxembourg: one of my proudest achievements of high school. As I look back on all my journeys, I fell in love with Luxembourg. It will always have a special place in my heart.