Showing posts with label Luxembourg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luxembourg. Show all posts

15 July 2012

3 Days - 4 Countries

Departure: Bonn, Germany
Destination: Luxembourg 
Stops: Maastricht, The Netherlands and Liège, Belgium

@ Liège, Belgium
 Impressive how in only 3 days we can easily reach 4 countries and explore border cities.
Doing this you soon understand why some countries are safe away from the European crisis.
Portugal is kind of stuck between Spain and the Atlantic Ocean.
Besides having huge potential with beautiful locations, food and people full of talent, it's clear that being at the far west side of Europe has it's problems.
Exportation of goods, exchange with other countries and cultures and good land transportation for all this to be more efficient has made Portuguese and it's culture pay the price.
Of course you are able to fly from the Portuguese capital to some places at cheap rates... but the ease of being in the centre of Europe and taking the van to just wonder between countries is not a reality for people in Lisbon.
I remember my road trips to anywhere else but Spain or France... you have always to cross this 2 giant countries!

Being in Bonn has this huge advantage, just take the van and change countries!

Germany has borders with 9 countries.
Starting in the north and moving clockwise we have: Denmark; Poland; Czech Republic; Austria; Switzerland; France; Luxembourg; Belgium; The Netherlands.
Bonn is part of the North Rhine-Westphalia, therefore very close to the last 4 countries. 
@ Liège, Belgium
In about 1 hour you are in Maastricht in The Netherlands, from there only 30 minutes more and you are in Liège, Belgium and continuing to Luxembourg city is less than 2 hours.

 @ Maastricht, The Netherlands
@ Liège, Belgium
@ Liège, Belgium

11 June 2012

Luxemburg, Sardines on Carvon and Minis!

It's good to drive only 2 hours and already be changing countries. 

With the main goal of rock climbing in Nature Reserve area of Berdorf, we made a small roadtrip from Germany to Luxembourg... and we could almost believe thet we were back in Portugal!
 
As a great coincidence, the day we went there it was the commemorative day of the cooperation between Portugal and Luxembourg.
Besides hearing portuguese all over the streets and local bussiness (like any other day in Luxembourg), we had the pleasure of finding a wonderfull portuguese get together with Sagres minis, sardines on carvon and pregos!
We could smell the St. António Fest in Lisbon!! =)


Luxembourg is a very small and lovely country, measuring around 82 km long and 57 km wide!
After driving through the countryside and walking in the city of Luxembourg we can understand why a lot of portuguese emmigrants stayed.


Even though it's a city with some hills we could see that a lot of people go around by bike, and we found this awesome custom made bike! They even have veló city bikes like in Paris but maybe due to geography, they were not being put to use remaining in almost brand new conditions...


Last but not least, the Berdorf Nature Reserve and the top of climbing routes showed us this beautifull landscape! 
Almost like a magical country (due to being so small and of course, a tax haven!) all surroundings are treated like our very special backyards... seems no area is forgotten or neglected... simply amazing!