An entry in the TFS Travel Journal.
Always interesting to see what each new hotel serves up for its breakfast, but this one was the lamest. Hours-old plain rolls, two cheese slices and some packaged spreads. Fortunately, we had bought fruit in Dinant yesterday. (note: the fruit shops we’ve encountered all won’t let you pick out your own fruit, even though it’s out on display; you tell them what you want, they pick the individual pieces)
We boarded the Benz and set off for Luxembourg on our first cloudy, drizzly day in a while. (but it brought the temp. down nicely, so it was probably worth it) Arrived in Clervaux, a sleepy, mountain town known for its chateau (long history, but it was basically destroyed in the war, and rebuilt since) containing a reknown photo exhibition “The Family of Man” put together by the photographer Edward Steichen who is from Luxembourg. The exhibit was indeed a work of art. Hundreds of black and white photos from all ages and all places on earth showing all facets of human emotion, activity, families, etc. Some we had seen previously, but all were interesting and the presentation as a whole was quite memorable.
Then off to Vianden for lunch and the castle. As we approached the city through the thick woods we’d been in all day, we came to a clearing and saw a most imposing castle and ruins dominating the whole hillside. We parked in town, which is set on a river in the base of the verdant Our valley, and walked toward the recommended lunch spots.
The walk ended up being at about a 45-degree angle up a cobblestone street, but we were amply rewarded when we arrived at the Hotel Oranienberg, where we lunched on the front terrace with a view of the city funnelling down the hillside. We started with a salad gourmand, which turned out to be the best salad of the trip — various greens, three kinds of duck, some warm salmon, and a smoked salmon starter which was almost as good as in Scandanavia. Entrees were magret of canard (in a light broth) with a potato tart, and chicken in a reisling sauce w/mushrooms; all accompanied by a Kasteel blond beer (11% alcohol!) that was robust yet refined, and just really damn good. ( Belgian beers are always served in their own labeled steins) Dessert was a coffee glace that was so good we finished it before the too-harried waiter could bring us the second spoon we’d requested.
Turns out we had climbed so much, we were basically at the castle (thus not needing the 2-person chairlift that goes from the river to the castle - really). What a place! Parts were built in the 4th century and it was added to in almost every century since; most of it is built of the greyish rock so prevalent around here, giving its already massive size even more power. Still undergoing excavation and renovation, so only a few rooms were with furniture, but one can walk through much of the structure, and can see phenominal views down the valley, as well as the foot-thick walls, old giant halls, and old carved adornments. Great place for a party. . .
We then drove on to Luxembourg City, arriving there around 6pm. Big, modern city with a few medieval structures here and there, set high above a river, and containing about 3,000 banks. Reminded me somewhat of Zurich. We drove around (and around) a few times, then, having seen enough, we headed home, where we took another one-handed, drench-the-bathroom shower and relaxed.