National day cycling trip Winseler (L) - Bastogne (B) - Houffalize

There are couple of nice cycling tracks in the border area between Luxembourg and Belgium. Most of them are built on railways that used to serve the forest industry and passenger transport, but became unprofitable when the road network developed. This time we did what used to be railway number 164 from Wiltz to Bastogne, but starting in Winseler, Luxembourg, where we parked the car and took bicycles down. You can also take train to Wiltz and start riding from there. Railway 164 was in use from 1888 to 1967.

The track follows this little ravine called "Wiltz". I am sure there are trouts here.

Off the beaten track - cycling trip Mertzig - Lac de la Haute Sure - Heiderscheid - Mertzig

For some reason there are no official cycling routes in the hilly area south of Esch-sur-Sur. In the Lëtzebuerger Vëlos-Initiative map that area is empty what comes to cycling paths. Off the beaten track usually means to "be in a place where few people go, far from any main roads and towns" (Cambridge Dictionary). I am sure the real sportsmen, those who ride expensive road bikes and wear cycling team clothes, go there, but we foreigners who see bicycle more as a means of transport, do not, probably because of loooong uphills. I wanted to try, starting at Mertzig. I climbed up to the high plateau of Eschdorf and then down to the Lac de la Haute Sure to Lultzhausen. From there to Esch-sur-Sure - Heiderscheidergrund and back up to the plateau at Heiderscheid. From there to Kehmen and down to Feulen and back to Mertzig.

After the ride Bofferding beer refresh the muscular body of the cyclist. Here in Niederfeulen.



Don't miss Lada Niva in the background. Lada Niva is the legendary Russian 4x4 off-road vehicle (VAZ 2121) described by its designers as a "Renault 5 put on a Land Rover chassis." The production of Lada Niva started in 1977 and became an off-road bestseller in many countries, especially in Brazil.

Good Friday cycling in Prümtal

If you have done all wonderful Luxembourg bicycle roads, go across the border to Germany. Prüm is a good starting point for bike trips in Bitburg-Prüm district. Just like last time, I took bus number 407 from Ettelbruck to Prüm. As usual, the day start with coffee and schnecken at Fischer bakery located at Ettelbruck railway station.

Cycling trip Prüm - Burg-Reuland - Troisvierges

For some time I have been planning a cycling trip to the north. Train will easily bring me to Troisvierges where I can take Vennbahn, the newly published cycling track from Luxembourg to the historic city of Aachen, Germany. Vennbahn is 125 km long. I cannot do it in one day and come back. Instead of taking train to Troisvierges, I decided to take bus number 407 from Ettelbruck to Prüm, Germany, and ride through Belgium to Troisvierges, Luxembourg, and take train back home.

(UPDATE: Vennbahn people told me this:

 "For the return you can either take the regional train from Aachen to Liège-Guillemins and Liège via Gouvy to Troisvierges or you look for a train to Trier from where you can get easily back to Luxemburg-City and Troisvierges. 

Last alternative is a Taxi-Shuttle: http://www.vennbahn.eu/en/service/shuttle/".)

The trip starts at Fischer bakery at Ettelbruck railway station

Piste cyclable 16 Ettelbruck - Bettendorf

Little Sunday afternoon cycling trip. Starting at Ettelbruck railway station and following the PS 16 to Bettendorf. Then up hill to Härebierg, where important military center of the Luxembourgish army is located, Caserne Grand-Duc Jean, and down to Diekirch, where I couldn't resist the call of the Military Museum.

Spring time is here!

Spring time has started in Luxembourg. Little bit earlier than normally. Here are the first photos.

Parc Municipal, Luxembourg Ville

Bicycle trip in tripoint, place where three countries, Germany, France and Luxembourg, meet

One of the advantages of living in Luxembourg is that you can visit several countries in one afternoon.
This is my bicycle trip that covered 3 countries within 3 hours. See the track in Sportstracker.
I wanted to start at Wormeldange, small town close to river Mosel, but couldn't find parking. Across the bridge, on the German side, there is spacious "Mitfahrerparkplatz" of Wincheringen. First I pedalled on the German side of the river to south, towards France. In France I crossed the river and rode back on the Luxembourgish side.
This is Wormeldange

Luxembourg cycling - SES Uplink Station Betzdorf

November has been rainy. Only occasionally the weather has been good enough for a bicycle ride. Last Sunday the rain stopped for few hours, and I could go to see something that I have been planning for long time. It was this:
SES Uplink Station!

Cycling trip Vianden - Hosingen - River Our

Early in the morning, I put my bicycle in the car and drove to Vianden, to Niklosbierg or Mont Saint-Nicolas. It is 497 meters high hill above the old Vianden. The day was misty until noon. Like this:

Mam Vëlo vu Miersch an d’Stad / From Mersch to Luxembourg City by Bicycle

European Mobility Week 2013 is on now! Every year, third week of September cities all over Europe organize activities trying to promote sustainable mobility. That is: cycling, walking, roller skating and other environmental friendly and healthy ways to move from one place to another. 

This photo is not from the Mobility Week, but from Maastricht two weeks ago. It's  only purpose is to make you see the rest of the photos in this article.

“ALLES OP DE VËLO” Bicycle ride from Mersch to Mamer and beyond - UPDATED!

This morning was wonderful. It is a sign that the day will be hot.

That is exactly what happened. Luxembourg is basking in heat wave. The thermometer show 31,5 in the shade this afternoon. Mac computer started to slow down. Ice bricks under it help a lot.

Urban knitting in Lorentzweiler

Urban knitting is a new thing for me, but nice one! It is also called "yarn bombing" or "guerilla knitting". It is a form of street art or graffiti that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn rather than paint. 
Here is some exemples of urban knitting in Lorentzweiler and Blaschette, Luxembourg.

Luxembourg Belair Church

This extraordinary Church was built in the 1950's It carries the name of Pope Pius X, who was the head of the Roman Catholic Church just before the first world war, The Great War. He was traditional in views and criticized relativism. He was canonized probably because of the miracles connected to him

"On one occasion, during a papal audience, Pius X was holding a paralyzed child who wriggled free from his arms and then ran around the room. On another occasion, a couple (who had made confession to him while he was bishop of Mantua) with a two-year-old child with meningitis wrote to the Pope and the Pope then wrote back to them to hope and pray. Two days later, the child was cured."




The sharp Church tower is visible over the whole Luxembourg City. Thät makes it an easy to find meeting point.

Skoda Tour de Luxembourg 2013

Tour de Luxembourg is a professional road bicycle race held yearly in Luxembourg. It is highly ranked race that many riders us as a preparation for the Tour de France. Todays race was the stage 2 out of 4. It started from Schifflange and arrived in Walferdange, 173 km. Winner was Giacomo Nizzolo who rode for the Radioshack-Leopard team. I don't know exactly what that means, I took it from the race website.


This cyclist was my favourite. It appeared in the Walferdange round about just recently.

"See Me Here" (不见不散) LV520 sound stick

One year ago when in Taiwan I paid a visit to Taoyuan Weekend Flower market. "Weekend" because it is open only on Saturday. It is located between Taoyuan City and Gueishan Township, close to Nankan creek. It is a bit hidden, under a main road that cross the river, but also on a "pedestrian" bridge, that is in fact a scooter lane decorated with vegetable sales tables. The best attraction in the flower market is of course the most wonderful orchids, all colours and sizes.

 This is Nankan creek or river. The flower market is to the right from this view.

The Flower Market is located UNDER this road. On the little bridge you can see vegetable vendors, but the orchids are under the big bridge.

Don Esaias is my faithful travel buddy. One of his soft spots is the exaggerated attraction to flowers. An other one you will learn shortly when we talk about the "See Me Here portable sound system".