Baloon Trophy Echternach

Saturday evening in Echternach - the baloon trophy was at conclusion, with some light and sound display at the lake.

Journeyman

Photo: Wikipedia

While taking with us the unusually (but pretty neatly) dressed hitch-hiker from Belgium to Luxembourg, I was not aware that he is one of the not so many travellers called wandergesellen. There were times that they were just an usual part of everyday life in large parts of Europe (at least in Germany, France, UK, Austria and Switzerland). In English there is an appropriate word 'journeyman', used for a specialist craftsman after completing of his apprenticeship, before reaching the status of a master. But it is not really remembered that such 'journeyman' was really travelling in the past.

The one which was with us, for a short distance from around Arlon to Mamer, came originally from Zurich, Switzerland. He explained a bit, that according to tradition, after his apprenticeship was completed he went for a three year trip around the world, working and changing the place of stay at least once every three months. In his travels he reached even Mexico and now he was headed for France and maybe still further to reach Zurich in a year while maintaining at least 50km distance from it during his travels.

Photo: Wikipedia

Borderland

Landscape shots from the border of Luxembourg and Luxembourg (the country and the Belgian province)



No traffic sign means only that if you do not have a reason (to access your house for example) then do not enter. Five years ago the country sign was still blue and the other sign was only a speed limit of 40 kph.

Tram - The return

There was once a tram in Luxembourg but now there is only a tram museum. But in a couple of years there will be a return of this people moving solution. After debating, tenders, choosing between the offers and even some protests it will be after all a tram and not a metro for example.

Supposedly during rush hour the buses are crowded and often stuck in jams (despite bus lanes). Trams are supposed to help solve this problem by having more capacity and a more separated lane.

I have big doubts about trams having a really significant posotive impact on the traffic and commuting in the city. OK, the passengers will have more personal space in trams than in busus which is great, but the the people in cars will face even more congested traffic, as there will be less space for those cars. I do not see that many people switching from cars to trams even in the worsened (on purpose?) conditions. The effect will be that the jams will be longer and slower meaning more smog from stationary traffic (how many people turn off engines when standing in traffic?).

The metro lost probably due to higher costs and insufficient foreseen utilisation. So we will have to see how the city transport will be when the tramway comes out from the museum.

Family car vs. sports car

Which car is bigger - a family Citroen Picasso or Ferrari Fiorano sports car? If you say it's a silly question as it's obvious, then look:

Or did you know that already? Anyway - Picasso is more roomy but looks like a small bug next to the muscular Ferrari ;)

Picasso: 4470 x 1830 mm
Ferrari: 4665 x 1962 mm

Shipping

Internet shopping from Luxembourg (electronics, photo, computers etc.) is possible despite very limited local offer. OK, some of the street retailers here sell via Internet: HIFI.lu, Exell.lu (branch of Belgian company), Auchan.lu (French by origin) but thier offer is not really up to expectations. [Edit: check Darty.lu...]

To have more choice you have to count on shops shipping goods from other EU countries (or else), but you need to verify if they actually send stuff to Luxembourg. From my observation I have composed a small list (updated slightly):

• Amazon.co.uk - DVD, books OK. Electronics too! I guess most of other stuff as well (including affiliated sellers). No DVD rental by mail.
  
• Amazon.de - worth a try :) I will have to check French Amazon as well.
• Pixmania.lu - OK (ordering a gift to other country was possible but not really straightforward). There were website problems (early 2009), but maybe I was unlucky.
  
• Beamer24.de - OK but payment only by bank transfer.
• LDLC.com - OK - also only bank transfer. Shipping significantly more expensive than e.g. Pixmania.
  
• Dell - possible. Currently I do not know the details but you can start with Dell.lu, Dell.be or .nl and as soon as you have ordered a PC it's worth calling them to work out the details that were not possible on the website (change parts, extras and price).
  

On the other hand, you won't get anything shipped to Lux from: LDLC.be, Grossbill.fr, Materiel.fr, FCC-informatique.com, and many others ;) Which actually could. So far the free movement of goods and services in EU is not the same as free trade within US - from the Internet shopping point of view.

Iechternach

Echternach - a city by the sour river. Oldest city in the country. Good for walks as opposed to Ettelbruck. Although you can go there once too.