The Ham Nomads

8 Oct 2015. <LU> Luxembourg —

Today we went into Luxembourg, an easy bus trip from just outside the campsite. We got off a stop too soon, and had to walk the temporary bridge across the valley, constructed in just a couple of months, and will stay in place until the refurbishment is complete of the Pont Adolphe, the old bridge across the Pétrusse valley that divides the city.

Bridge-workers' break time

Every lawn needs to be mowed!

We walked into the Place Guillaume III, where we found the Hôtel de Ville (the Town Hall), and also the Luxembourg Visitor Centre.

We decided to take a hop on-hop off bus tour to start the day. This took us round some interesting places, including the new Kirchberg area, the home of all the European Union activities, with modern buildings that date back only as far as the 1950s and 60s. But that's not really our thing.

We left the bus, and wandered into the older parts of the city. Nothing specific to report, although there are some really great views.

We did visit the Villa Vauban, the Luxembourg City Art Museum. Only part of it was open, during a period of refurbishment, but what was on show was delightful. Before we went in, we were sitting peacefully outside in its beautiful grounds, thinking of Mum, and we caught our first sight of red squirrels actually romping through the grounds — it's only taken about 20 months for this to happen!

Idel Ianchelevici (1909-1994)
Young girl

Jan Breugel the younger (1601-1678)
Landscape with mill and carriage

David Teniers the younger
A smoker by the fireside. (Painting, 1660)
(Jacques-Nicholas Tardieu engraving, 1780-1800)

But back in the town, we did happen on a fountain that really took our fancy — whimsical, humourous, quirky — Hämmelsmarsch sortège folklorique formé le jour de kermesse.

After wandering the town virtually the whole day, going past the Chamber of Deputies with its guards (who look too young to carry weapons), and past the main railway station, near which we did a little shopping, we bussed back to the campsite for a quiet night in.

Distance driven — today, nil; to date, 29,528 miles ( 47,521 km )