Luxembourg City

Of all the places we visited on our Luxembourg trip in July, celebrating our two birthdays, Luxembourg City was at the top of the list.  I had wanted to visit that wee country and its capital since...well, since about forever.

So, we did it on our second full day, after Trier, Germany (which is yet to come here)!  I had already Googled it beforehand and discovered it is a city of bridges.  Who would have known.

It so happens that where we parked for the day, near the Gëlla Fra monument (upper-right),

was the absolute luckiest of all places to start our day:  right above the Chemin de la Corniche,

lovingly referred to as "Europe's most beautiful balcony."

 Actually, we parked at Judiciary City, where all the judicial buildings/offices are consolidated.

But it was a balcony of its own.  What a way to start our day!

 The Aldophe Bridge from 1900 is the most famous of Luxembourg City, its unofficial symbol.

 But though it was a beautiful, sunny day, I never got it in good light.

The Passerelle bridge from 1859, however, was cooperative, 

as was the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge (right-center) from 1966.

Sadly, the Grand Duchess is known as the suicide bridge, with 100 jumping-deaths since it opened.

How can you not love views like this.  We were not disappointed!

You know me and towers...

...and spires!

The Notre Dame Cathedral nearby, from 1613 (Luxembourg's only cathedral), had plenty of them.

But first, just outside the church walls we entered this courtyard with statue, bell and sundials.

I have no clue about any of them and am still Googling....

But as we walked around the church, we found this entrance...

one of two, which we later found out.

Across the street from this apparent side entrance was consrtruction with hanging murals on the fence.

Worth the entire trip!  I just wish I had checked on who the artist was of this one.

One of the artists was Joris van der Haagen, a Dutch Golden Age painter.

What is it they say...we're never far from home!

Inside the cathedral.

As Notre-Dame cathedrals go, I 'spect this ranks high on the list.

Later in the day, after we had done other things, returning to our car,

we discovered this entrance to the cathedral, which appears to be the main/front entrance.

We didn't realize it was the same church till we went inside!

Then we started wandering around to get impressions, you know....

See the elephants?  I just Googled and see there's an Elephant Parade until October 18,
attracting public awareness and support for Asian elephant conservation.

We came upon a military band performing out on the plaza that Sunday

(letting the sleeping dog lie!)

We kept walking, through the Place du Théâtre, heading towards those steeples...

...to the St. Alphonse Church, founded in 1856, where services are held in
English, French, German, and Portugese.

Look at that floor!  We were mesmerized.

And speaking of St. Alphonse, there he is, bottom-right.

At that point we headed back to our car, where we found the other/main entrance to the Notre Dame Cathedral (remember?) and decided we had seen enough.  We always smile because at a certain point in our photo hunts, we both say to each other "I'm done for now!"  And we were.  :)

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For those of you who pay attention to Vision & Verb, it was my turn there this past Monday:

 It was on The Language of Windmills, following the recent death

of the Dutch Prince Friso....

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One day is left of the Luxembourg trip, which happens to be Trier...Germany's oldest city.  But first, I'll be making a quick 3-day, 2-night trip to Dubin this Sunday-Tuesday, to hook up with 2 Vision & Verb friends, while Astrid holds down the fort at home (no free vacation days to join me, sadly). 

How is it possible that Life never stops...and is so Good?!