Luxembourg - simply luxuriant

I can still remember the first time I visited this small but very progressive country; it was in the fall of 1999 and the thought of me visiting it again on the spring of 2012 made me really excited. 

They say that there’s nothing much to see in Luxembourg and that you can see the entire city in a day. I strongly disagree to this belief because Luxembourg has so much to offer. It has interesting castles in its countryside like the one we visited in the Ardennes called the Bourscheid castle, one of the seven castles in the Valley. It was just a tough luck that the castle was closed for renovation during our visit, but the trip there was all worth it. The rolling hills that are dotted with lush green forests and villages offer a panoramic view of a typical European village that one can expect in fairy tale movies. And since it was closed, we found ourselves wanting to explore its perimeter and observe its beauty from the outside. The castle was built on a slope of a hill overlooking the Moselle River.  However, the parking area on country road leading to the castle offers the best view of this remarkable structure from a distance.

Moving southwards, the roads led us to the capital city, Luxembourg, which is pretty much like other old cities in Europe consisting of old and new sites. Luxembourg has a tumultuous history as shown in the remnants of its past – the ruins of what used to be city of Luxembourg. 

The old city is situated in a deep valley and can be appreciated from the walls surrounding it. I can’t tell which area is the best because each one has its own character and bids a different story to tell. The aesthetically designed and built bridges connecting one cliff to another add to the panoramic view of the city. From the walls, the buildings together with the streets and other structures located on the valley look like miniature village. Frankly, one day will definitely not be enough to explore the old city in the valley. Outside the wall, the upper town provides an equally exciting trip through its narrow streets and alleys.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Eastern Europe has been an object of my curiosity since I studied World History in high school. For me, the countries in Eastern Europe represent the rustic and culturally diverse old Europe. I was quite fortunate that this year, I visited two Eastern European countries: Slovakia and Budapest, but in this entry I will be describing my trip to the capital city of Slovakia, Bratislava.

From Germany, we drove southwest traversing Austria where we passed by at some

interesting man-made structures like giant turbines which were scattered all over the fields like humongous space electric fans and wine storage cellars which looked very much like houses of Hobbits (in case you are familiar with the movie).

Bratislava, I would say, has not reached the grandeur and popularity of its “sister city”, Prague. It’s a small city and the choices of what to see are rather few. Historically and culturally speaking, I would say that Bratislava is very rich and has so much to offer.

The city’s main square contains most of the important offices like embassies, shops, cafes and restaurants. Several churches, mostly new architecture, and a very few antique ones frequent the entire city square. I think Slovaks are quite religious.

The most interesting view for me are the very old rugged-looking buildings that look abandoned. Those remind me of the communist time in this country though I am sure they have nothing to do with it, but it’s just my impression.

One thing that is really good about Bratislava is that the prices of food and services are rather low compared to other European countries.

 

For example, Hotel Mercure, a 4-star hotel, was fantastic. It was very affordable for its category. The staff were friendly and the whole hotel I would say was very clean. The shower was spacious, but water can flood the room so we had to use our towels to prevent that. The hotel is very strategically located and from there you can walk a few minutes to the centre which was a breeze for me. For tourists who have cars, they can use the free parking spaces along the street where the hotel is located, so it's pretty convenient.  

So, what did I find interesting in Bratislava?  They are the main square, the restaurants at the basement, the opera house, the old churches and the old buildings. The palace, I didn’t find so interesting because it’s very new and it doesn’t have the touch of the old Europe which I like.

Taunus - am enchanted hilly region north of Frankfurt

I have heard of Taunus since the time I first came to Germany, more specifically in Moerfelden-Walldorf, but it’s only in 2012 that I finally got the chance to explore some of its greatest treasures – Ober-Reifenberg, Feldberg, Saalburg and Bad Homburg v.d.H.

So, what finally made me decide to see Taunus? It was short stint of research on carbon dioxide emission which first took me to this place. I saw a what-I-thought-to-be-a castle, but because I had a specific task to accomplish, there was no time for sight-seeing. Then finally, the following I set forth for an expedition.

It was a short drive from Wallldorf to Taunus. On our way to our first destination, Ober-Reifenberg, we passed through some interesting and plush villages and lush-green forest. Ober-Reifenberg was our first stop because the what-I-thought-to-be-a castle was located there as Google said. The navigation system which is a popular thing now in every European car proved really helpful in tracing this place. Then, the tower greeted us from afar. After finding a parking space which was really easy, we started walking. Then, I learned that it was not a castle, but a ruin of a fort. The two centre towers were amazingly built on top of a hill. I can’t really provide any historical importance of this ruin because there was no written description provided at the entrance or anywhere else, but a local told me that this ruin served as a toll house for the local knights for the landlord during the medieval period. Luckily, there were no tourists on site except us so picture-taking was not a problem at all!

Our next stop was the highest point in the Taunus – Feldberg. The long winding road traversing through lush green forest took us to a plateau – the peak of the hill. From there, one has a 360 degree view of the towns around Taunus. On a bright clear daylight, a not-so-distant Frankfurt City can also be observed from the tower, but unfortunately, the weather that day was uncooperative. The temperature at the peak was totally different from the plain so we had to grab our jackets and caps. I started thinking how this place would look like in the winter? I was really curious.

Descending from the peak was an enjoyable ride; it’s as if you’re gliding. Then, we headed to Saalburg to see another historically important structure - the Limes Wall. It’s one of the fortresses built during the Roman Empire. The entrance was 5 euros, but because I had my student ID I had to pay only 3.50 euros. Inside the walls are a museum featuring artefacts during the Roman invasion in Germany and other buildings showing how life was that time. The place, I would say, is well-maintained as evident in condition of the buildings and the appearance of the garden.

From Saalburg, we slowly headed to Bad Homburg which is known for its castle and other recreational and health centres. This old city also showcases other antique buildings and houses which could vicariously take you back in time. Aside from the castle and its garden where tourists guide would normally direct his clients, the other two structures which caught my attention were a Protestant Church just outside the gate of the castle and a Catholic Church. Unfortunately, both churches where closed during our visit so I can’t provide any photos of their interiors.