Canton de Luxembourg

From a beautifully clear and warm day yesterday, the sky clouded over and delivered torrential rain and lightening overnight. The storm actually came so close that the peals of thunder physically shook the van.

The clouds persisted for our visit to Luxembourg's capital city and we were caught in downpours early on. We approached through a series of woodlands and it didn't take long after leaving the rural surrounds to find the large car park we'd programmed in. We knew from the guidebook that on-street parking was free at weekends but it was a nice surprise to find that this easily accessible car park was too.

We walked in to the pedestrianised centre through a green, wooded park with our brollies and waterproof coats, closely watched by the CCTV cameras. The first place we stopped at was a square with a corridor of health stands. It had been World Heart Day the previous day so charities and other organisations were doing their bit to share good advice. We felt a bit sorry for them as not many people were minded to stop in the wet and cold. There was a traditional band in a bandstand who played a catchy tune. As we watched a couple came and danced together under their umbrella. It was lovely to watch but Vicky was too shy to join them when when Will asked.

The tall stately buildings that lined the main shopping street didn't do much to protect us from the cloudbursts but after a while we came across the Maison de l'Union européenne. Call us 'remoaners' if you like but just two of the many things we love about the EU is the freedom it gives us to travel and the assurance of having health care anywhere within the EU. We went in and Will asked a slightly bemused assistant whether there was any way we could retain our membership of the European Union after Brexit. She assured us there wasn't. Oh well, it was worth a try!

Our next port of call was the Musee National d'Histoire et d'Art, that advertised a free exhibition of Edward Steichen's photographs. This was the photographer behind 'The Family of Man' exhibit we'd been unable to see in Clervaux a few days previously so we went in to the modern and quite spacious building in search of it. We're afraid to say that we probably spent more time looking for the photos than at them, but after asking 2 attendants we finally entered a small white painted room displaying the black and white portraits at eye level around the outside. Photography has come a long way since the early 1900s and while we are sure he was very good in his time, most of the prints didn't engage us.

Back outside, although still dull, the day was beginning to dry up. We wandered downhill, past old yellow sandstone buildings and came to a bridge that spanned a precipitous ravine. This was the Chemin de la Corniche area. We looked over the sudden cliff edge and were presented with a view of the river meandering around white, cream and light coloured buildings, old castle ramparts and a church with wide open courtyard down in the valley far below. It was an unusual and stunning sight within a capital city.

On the way back we took in an external view of the Cathédrale Notre Dame before stumbling upon a flower and food market. Since entering Luxembourg we couldn't have failed to notice the political boards posted all around displaying headshots of election candidates. Today, all the parties had gazebos set up in the market, including Déi Gréng, the Luxembourgeois Green Party! We are still members so said hello and met some of the candidates, as well as Claude Adam, a Green Minister for Education. We discussed with despair the UKs undemocratic first past the post system and found that in Luxembourg people had the choice whether to vote for individual candidates or for a Party list. Instead of just one cross in a box, they are able to give their numbered preference. The system isn't perfect, especially with the personality politics involved in the ability to choose individuals, but it is a lot more proportional than our system. We wished the Greens well and after buying some bread and a piece of nut cake from one of the market stalls we returned to the van.

Although we mostly enjoy them, visits to big cities are often stressful for us. Trying to find somewhere to park the van then navigate in to the centre and around with a high density of people, aren't elements we enjoy. Parking was easy and there was a spacious feel about this relatively small capital that meant we didn't get stressed. Despite the rain, or perhaps due to it, we really enjoyed our time in Luxembourg City.Read more