Time to Storm Luxembourg

What Time is it? Time for Luxembourg

I originally planned a road trip to the Trappist monk breweries in Belgium, enjoy that sweet nector of God, and visit The abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren. Due to exorbiant prices for train tickets to Belgium from eastern France, I chose the alternative, the clock and watch capital of Europe, Luxembourg.

Steady as She Goes

In life and in travel, you learn. One thing you learn is the true nature of your balance and in which circumstances does it excel or falter. That leads to public transport and European trains. Europe is full of trains. Fast and modern ones. Some are a little slower and a few are decrepit. For my trip, three trains carried me north to Luxembourg. The first and third were smooth, modern, and comfortable. The second one followed a different route. It shook and swayed with each small turn in the gray tracks. This train provided a good sense of my balance. Visiting the loo combined the ability to “go” and trying not to fall down, hit my head against the open window, pee on myself, and while still aiming at the toilet. If the aim is accurate, where does that pee end up? Feet below on the passing train track. Yes, I learned that I do indeed have better balance than a drunk New Mexican (synonyms?)

Sir, What is that on your Arm?

Once in Luxembourg, I noticed a well-organized city replete with huge bridges extending long drops over deep valley in the old city, a sense of safety, and copious amounts of quality chocolate. Yet one aspect really jumped out. Clocks were everywhere and abnormally large! Wristwatches on people’s arms were just about as large as the clocks hanging on churches and government buildings themselves. Either Luxies (people from Luxembourg) have really poor eyesight, or have a really keen interest in knowing what time it is. Flavor Flav would feel right at home in Luxembourg.

Doctor, is that a Castle I see?

For a sense of adventure, I left the confines of the capital towards Vianden, home to old castles dotting the countryside. As impressive and beautiful as those were, and it truly was, was what I found in a convenience store in search of rare busses actually heading towards Luxembourg. Sitting in the freezer were dozens of Dr. Peppers just wanting someone to notice them. Thus I completed my Texas and Luxie civic duty, I drank one and brought several others for the road.

Now let me tell you what’s great about Dr. Pepper outside the U.S. They are made with real sugar, and that single ingredient makes a big difference in taste. But there is still something quizzical about this situation. Dr. Pepper is predominately found in the Midwest, and hard to find along the East Coast of the United States. Yet in my travels, I have stumbled upon Dr. Pepper in some of the most random places. Once while riding my bicycle around the ruins of Angkor Wat, as I rode back to my hostel and stopped at a random gas station for some cool refreshment, there in front of me stood an entire freezer full of Dr. Pepper. Similar to here in Luxembourg, I bought a dozen and enjoyed them back in my room . . . that night. Where will be the next random spot to find Dr. Pepper?

Is This an Open Relationship Germany?

In the northeastern region of Luxembourg, I figured I would make the best of my time being skirting a border, and score a couple of passport stamps crossing into Germany and back into Luxembourg. So I skipped the rarest of busses heading directly back to Luxembourg City. Under the pouring rain besieging the village of Bettel, I finally arrived to the tiny town soaked, but excited about some fresh ink in the passport. As I approached the bridge connecting two vital countries in the European Union, instead of immigration officials greeting me with a “Guten Morgen. Es scheint zu viele Dosen von Dr. Pepper in Ihrem Rucksack zu geben, um diese Grenze legal zu überschreiten”, a message board hoped that I have a good time in Luxembourg.

What?!?!?

Where are the guards, dogs, body scanners, inappropriate pat downs?

A simple, practical message board like you’d find at an elementary school.

I can only imagine this message board encouraged people to have their Wiener schnitzels sprayed and neutered.

There wasn’t even a short note on the best things to do in Berlin on a budget.

Slightly defeated to the anticlimactic situation, I continued on the short walk over the bridge, another message board welcomed me to the tiny collection of houses called Roth an der Oar, Germany. Just as easily that I “illegally?” entered German territory, I returned to Luxembourg so I could wait an additional hour for a bus going back to the city of watches.

Here is a bit of sage advice, if you ever need a safe route to smuggle watches into Germany and beer steins into Luxembourg, I know just the place.