In the blink of the eye, my time in Luxembourg has come to past.
It has been a captivating two days in this city. Despite its tiny size and small population, Luxembourg packs a punch when it comes history, culture and arts. It was once the land of the Frenchs, and the Germans, and the Belgians. The mix of influences left its mark on the city, and the people of Luxembourg struggles to find its own identity.
Though desperate not to be involved in the various world wars, Luxembourg was dragged into some of the worst fights this region has experienced, and this was apparent from the multitude of fortresses, underground tunnels and military towers dotting the city. Amazing, bearing in mind that only 10% of what was once built to protect Luxembourg from invading army.
And yet… amongst these military structures, lie some natural beauty and rich culture that are almost untouched. The medieval castles, the many churches (some with almost unimaginable icons ever, a total Dan Brown moment), the languages… Luxembourg was determined to stand tall among other European giants.
And stand tall it it did. Luxembourg is the second richest country in the world, only after Qatar, and slightly ahead of Singapore. The country economy was first built on the steel industry, and now banking.
With such a diverse and complicated background, Luxembourg came out very much differentiated from many other European countries I have visited. Apart from its rich culture, there are many modern developments, most notably the EU quarter and the amazing Mudam Museum (one of the many, many museums here). Yet the people seem relaxed and enjoying life here, immersing them daily in good food, great wine (the vineyard we visited served one of the best champagnes I ever tasted) and arts-on-the-road.
I grew to love this city; Luxembourg is one of the few places I have visited which I want to live and work at. Apart from Santorini, Essaouria and Illulisat, this will be another place which I would love to visit again.