Luxembourg is tiny. Even by the small scale of European countries it’s small. It may not be the smallest country in Europe, ranking well above such waifs as Monaco and The Vatican, but in that favorite game of comparing U.S. states to countries, it would fall below Rhode Island in area and a bit behind Wyoming in population. The capital city,  also Luxembourg (making it easy for you geographically challenged to remember) is home to just slightly more people than Duluth, MN and is three time bigger than the next most populous urban(if you can call it that) area.

Despite the don’t blink or you’ll miss it stature, Luxembourg has much to offer. We recently spent a few days there because of Katie’s track meet. (Here’s where I should insert something about back in my day…having to walk uphill  both ways to school through yards of snow.) The first thing you notice about the city is all the trees. A huge park literally cuts through the middle of town. Located in a steep valley with a castle on one side and a grand cathedral on the other, the green space has a distinctly fairy tail quality.  A small stream, perfect for racing pine cones, winds through the center of the park.

The only thing big about the country is the portions piled on your dinner plate.  Lizzie’s wiener schnitzel and my ham leg with sauerkraut would put the platters at The Cheesecake Factory to shame.  Katie’s quiche lorraine was more reasonably sized, but was accompanies by a huge bowl of fries and a side salad.  I’ve done my eating for the week! Linguistically, the country borrows from it’s two biggest neighbors with most people speaking French and German in addition to the native Luxembourgish which is apparently a mix between the two. I must have missed the options for Luxembourgish studies at University.

A half hour of winding country roads north of the capital is the picturesque village of Vianden. Located in the Ardennes, the area is even more wooded than Luxembourg City.  Home of Victor Hugo during his exile from France, Vianden also contains one of the most beautiful castles in Northern Europe and more than it’s fair share of motorcycles–the girls got bored with counting after hitting one hundred.

Here’s a few snaps to take the place of a couple thousand more words…

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