If and when you think about fairy tales, do you imagine it to look like Vianden (Veianen)?
Actually, my fairy tale looks more like 31 rue cambon, but for today let’s just say it should be this charming commune in northeastern Luxembourg.
As I amble through this cobblestoned town that dates back to the medieval ages,
there’s some sort of pre-festivities buzz going on from the Veinen voll Musik (music festival) and every so often I’d spot someone breaking out in song–in this case this gentleman is singing a melodic, traditional song in Luxembourgish:
There are signs of musical performances everywhere…
In the middle of the town center there’s also a mini food fest,
accompanied by this ensemble that’s playing You Are My Sunshine…
while I order frites from these ladies who stand ready to make customers fresh batches:
By the time I sit down to eat my fries, the band breaks into some Louis Armstrong song. But let’s get back to this business of fairy tales, shall we?
Certainly the Vianden Castle is one of the most impressive castles I’ve seen,
but c’mon now, do fairy tales exist? The jury’s still out on that, but on this warm afternoon, as a commoner I have to say my happily ever after is found right here:
Pretty soon my pants won’t fit me if I eat my way through Europe at this rate 
Tags: 31 rue cambon, frites, Luxembourg, Veianen, Veinen voll Musik, Vianden, Vianden Castle
Up next is Clervaux (Klierf in Luxembourgish), another place swept up during WWII as the Battle of the Bulge was raging. It is about half an hour or so away from Wiltz.
Today it is a postcard pretty town that, for a few American tanks displayed almost as a war memorial, spills over hills in a very sleepy sort of way, making it hard to imagine that its heart, this medieval castle, was once in flames in December of 1944:
On another hilltop is the Clervaux Church that provides both sanctuary for the mind and eye:
Up and down the hills of this commune, there are charming houses wrapped around its slopes…
But I’ve been reading about the abbey that’s on yet another hill outside of the city center:
Unfortunately it is closed for renovation so exterior shots are all I have…
You know how after you’ve spent a few hours enjoying something, such as a fun dinner party or concert, and before you leave you take a slow look to review what you’ve just experienced–like a last mental snapshot to store the event in your head? That’s exactly what I’m talking about in these last two photos I take of Clervaux as the town disappears behind me…
Tags: abbey, Clervaux, Luxembourg
Early this morning I cross the border into Luxembourg and am greeted by patches of fog…
that slowly yield to wonderful vistas of my first stop in the town of Wiltz (or Wolz in Luxembourgish):
I’m happy to get out and stretch my legs while checking out the surrounding real estate. On this cute street,
I find a sweet little house with a bridge and blooming apple trees in its garden:
I reach the town center just before 10am and human activity is barely stirring:
Lucky for me a patisserie is in full swing and I grab a schnecken, a German raisin pastry with bits of apples inside (can I hear a yummy please!):
Can you imagine how well the schnecken goes with views like these:
One of my favorite buildings is the city hall:
The tourist information center is inside this chateau that also houses a museum…did you know that Wiltz is quite well known for the scouting movement and campsites?
Just at the foot of the chateau is a small, hillside, outdoors music hall where they are presenting the musical Evita. I wish I had enough time to hang around for the evening show. All in all I wander around this sleepy yet seemingly efficient commune for about an hour and a half before moving to the next stop. And from what I do get to see, Wolz, ech hun dech gaer (Wiltz, I love you–at least I think that’s what I just wrote)!
Tags: Add new tag, Luxembourg, schnecken, scouting, Wiltz
When in Anvers, get dim sum. I had some really fabulous Thai food in Namur my first weekend at a restaurant called Sawasdee, but Anvers is really the best Belgian town for first-rate dim sum. Don’t ask me why, c’est comme ça!
Chinatown is mere steps away from the central train station so there’s no excuse to not go there. Afterwards, I like dropping by the Asian grocery stores next door just to check out the merchandise. There are always some funny signs to behold and sure enough, I spot something lost in translation:
Anyway, I head back out to the streets and by now an open-air market has sprung up in front of the train station:
With all the sights and sounds going on, it’s tricky to mind the cars, bikes, trams, buses, and pedestrians…
with my head in the air looking at cool street names tricky to pronounce…can you say Schrijnwerkersstraat 3 times really fast?
These religious figurines are also what I find throughout the Benelux region when I look up:
Speaking of Benelux, tomorrow I’ll see you in one of the other two countries that make up this union.
Why is everyone so tall?!? I’m definitely feeling Lilliputian walking among the Dutch. I knew I should have brought those skyscraper sandals with me, though I suspect I’d still get dwarfed standing next to some of these people. But never mind that, there is plenty of diversity in this fair city and before long I am at eye-level with a few Asian and Italian people as we jostle through the busy Antwerpen streets on a weekend afternoon.
One of the most significant landmarks in Antwerp is the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (simply, De Kathedraal),
a gothic Roman Catholic church whose architects were a father-son team of Jan and Pieter Appelmans. With a total capacity of 25,000 people, it also has one of the tallest spires in the world and therefore dominates the city’s landscape:
There are significant works by Rubens in this cathedral, but I find the nave to be its masterpiece:
On an exterior side wall you will find a bronze sculpture immortalizing the architects of the church. Look closely and you can see a marker stone with the Appelmans name on it:
Just around the corner from the church is a brasserie taking its name from this bouwmeester family:
In fact, there are tons of dining choices all around this area…
But one of my favorites has got to be this dive that takes the word to a new low (haha):
Actually it’s definitely not a dive. It’s a restaurant in a super adorable, hidden courtyard and if you go around that blind corner to the right, this is what you’d see:
When I come out of this mini-maze, I realize that there are apartments here and I really, really want to choose mystery door number 3, push in on its shell doorknob, and see what’s inside:
Tired yet? We’ve only scratched the surface. More photos from the street tomorrow and then we’re leaving Belgium.
Tags: Antwerpen, Appelmans, De Kathedraal, Dutch, Lilliputian, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Rubens
