Dragging Chris out of bed is a mammoth task, and we had an early bus to catch. I wanted to walk to our departure point, so I left lazy Chris at the hotel wondering if he'd be able to make the bus on time.
I crossed a walking bridge suspended beneath the road. The walking bridge had not been there when I was in school; it was pretty new judging from the looks of it. I enjoyed the walk and snapped some photos along the way.
One thing I neglected to mention yesterday was that I broke my finger the night before. It seems as if that is the thing I do in the Benelux countries, as two years earlier I broke a bone in my hand tripping over the medieval cobblestones of Antwerp, Belgium. Then, I was trying to save my camera as I fell. This time, I was just climbing into bed. Yes, climbing into bed. In both cases, I did not go to the doctor because I did not want to waste vacation time. I should have this time, however, because it would have cost me next to nothing in Luxembourg instead of the $600 I paid to a hand specialist in Washington to tell me it was mostly healed. That included a $150 "facility fee." They charged me $150 just for being in the damn hospital building. The American health care system is IMMORAL. It's high time to go to Medicare for All. STOP CATERING TO THE CORRUPT INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
Anyway...Chris DID make the bus on time, and we were off to the Mosel Valley. The grape harvest was finished; the leaves on the vines were golden and shined in the uncharacteristic sun over the rolling hills of wine country. Our whole trip was like this - sunshine and warm during a usually gray time of year. We remarked on it every day in appreciation and disbelief.
I don't think I had ever been to a winery. Caves St. Martin is built into a hillside - this helped keep temperatures cool before the advent of air conditioning, as the construction of the winery began in 1919 as World War I ended.
The winery is in a town called Remich. As every excursion was rushed, this was no exception. We saw none of the town except by bus window, but it was ok. I enjoyed the tour in the caves and the ample tasting afterwards. They laid out quite a food spread, too. Caves St. Martin is known for its cremant, which is champagne by another name. The Mosel Valley produces mostly white wine, but we did pick up a couple of bottles of red in addition to a bottle of cremant to take home. (Forgetting that we'd be in France next.)
This was the only afternoon we'd have free during our four days in Luxembourg, but instead of napping, we headed down to the Grund and sat outside by the river at Scott's, which is one of the few places I frequented in school that still exists. We were supposed to meet up with my classmates a little later in an area that had not existed when I was there. All of the nineties classes met up in one place.
I was disappointed to discover how few of us there were on the trip. I realize we are at an age where people still have young children, but they could have brought the like my old MUDEC housemate did. The four of us from my class had all been year students, which speaks volumes about the value and impact spending a whole year abroad has on people.
On the idea of bringing children - there is not a child on the planet who would not benefit from foreign travel. Indeed, if more children were exposed to foreign cultures (if you consider Western Europe as "foreign"), the world would be less combative. Fear of the other is the main reason for conflict; all the wealthy and powerful do is use that as a weapon.
As far as cost is concerned, I doubt that is anything more than an excuse for some people. We had ample time to save enough money for the trip, and I know people take vacations elsewhere. A trip for four to Europe can cost less than a trip to Disneyworld if you get a good deal on flights like I did ($600 RT to Paris on Air France.)
Maybe some people waited too long and got shut out from registration. We had well over 700 people, and they had to change the venues for events to accommodate the overwhelming response. That's why we only went to the school once during the week. All I know is that I must have been one of the first people to register, because there was no way I would miss it. I saw so much regret on the MUDEC Facebook page when they saw what a fabulous time we were having.
Shoot, we'll be retired when the 75th comes around. The professors we loved will no longer be around. I'm trying not to think about Chris. Too often, people throw around "once in a lifetime experience" for things they can do whenever they want. A trip to Europe is not a once in a lifetime experience. Studying at MUDEC was a once in a lifetime experience. The 50th anniversary celebration was, too.
I crossed a walking bridge suspended beneath the road. The walking bridge had not been there when I was in school; it was pretty new judging from the looks of it. I enjoyed the walk and snapped some photos along the way.
One thing I neglected to mention yesterday was that I broke my finger the night before. It seems as if that is the thing I do in the Benelux countries, as two years earlier I broke a bone in my hand tripping over the medieval cobblestones of Antwerp, Belgium. Then, I was trying to save my camera as I fell. This time, I was just climbing into bed. Yes, climbing into bed. In both cases, I did not go to the doctor because I did not want to waste vacation time. I should have this time, however, because it would have cost me next to nothing in Luxembourg instead of the $600 I paid to a hand specialist in Washington to tell me it was mostly healed. That included a $150 "facility fee." They charged me $150 just for being in the damn hospital building. The American health care system is IMMORAL. It's high time to go to Medicare for All. STOP CATERING TO THE CORRUPT INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
Anyway...Chris DID make the bus on time, and we were off to the Mosel Valley. The grape harvest was finished; the leaves on the vines were golden and shined in the uncharacteristic sun over the rolling hills of wine country. Our whole trip was like this - sunshine and warm during a usually gray time of year. We remarked on it every day in appreciation and disbelief.
I don't think I had ever been to a winery. Caves St. Martin is built into a hillside - this helped keep temperatures cool before the advent of air conditioning, as the construction of the winery began in 1919 as World War I ended.
 |
| Two of these made it into our bags that day. They made it over the ocean, too. |
The winery is in a town called Remich. As every excursion was rushed, this was no exception. We saw none of the town except by bus window, but it was ok. I enjoyed the tour in the caves and the ample tasting afterwards. They laid out quite a food spread, too. Caves St. Martin is known for its cremant, which is champagne by another name. The Mosel Valley produces mostly white wine, but we did pick up a couple of bottles of red in addition to a bottle of cremant to take home. (Forgetting that we'd be in France next.)
 |
| Panorama from the bus |
 |
| The Mosel River |
This was the only afternoon we'd have free during our four days in Luxembourg, but instead of napping, we headed down to the Grund and sat outside by the river at Scott's, which is one of the few places I frequented in school that still exists. We were supposed to meet up with my classmates a little later in an area that had not existed when I was there. All of the nineties classes met up in one place.
 |
| Scott's |
 |
| Yeah, the MLB playoffs are on in the corner. Another thing that didn't happen when I was in school. |
On the idea of bringing children - there is not a child on the planet who would not benefit from foreign travel. Indeed, if more children were exposed to foreign cultures (if you consider Western Europe as "foreign"), the world would be less combative. Fear of the other is the main reason for conflict; all the wealthy and powerful do is use that as a weapon.
As far as cost is concerned, I doubt that is anything more than an excuse for some people. We had ample time to save enough money for the trip, and I know people take vacations elsewhere. A trip for four to Europe can cost less than a trip to Disneyworld if you get a good deal on flights like I did ($600 RT to Paris on Air France.)
Maybe some people waited too long and got shut out from registration. We had well over 700 people, and they had to change the venues for events to accommodate the overwhelming response. That's why we only went to the school once during the week. All I know is that I must have been one of the first people to register, because there was no way I would miss it. I saw so much regret on the MUDEC Facebook page when they saw what a fabulous time we were having.
Shoot, we'll be retired when the 75th comes around. The professors we loved will no longer be around. I'm trying not to think about Chris. Too often, people throw around "once in a lifetime experience" for things they can do whenever they want. A trip to Europe is not a once in a lifetime experience. Studying at MUDEC was a once in a lifetime experience. The 50th anniversary celebration was, too.
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