Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Monday, 21st May 2018
What a thrilling experience ! The chair-lift at Vianden, a petite, charming hamlet close to the German border, in the grand Duchy of Luxembourg, was mind-blowing! Both of us were sitting in a chair-lift for the first time and the first five minutes while going up were scary! We kept staring ahead, sitting still. However, the journey down was nothing short of awesome! We were treated to a brilliant view of Vianden village, the river Our and the castle, not to forget the enchanting Luxembourg countryside! I kept clicking away like mad! Was constantly reminded of two movies - Bollywood's 1973 release 'Joshila' and Hollywood's 1968 masterpiece 'Where Eagles Dare'. Crossing the river on the chair-lift on our downhill journey was almost like what Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton had done in a cable car, in the Hollywood epic.
The trip to Vianden would have been worth only for this chair-lift experience. The million dollar view of the castle and the Luxembourg countryside from the top; and the charms of Vianden - clean, curving, sloping roads with impeccably maintained houses on either side, the gently flowing river and the abundant greenery - were a bonus!
We had started from our hotel at Luxembourg City at 09:30 and made our way to the central station, just a 5-minute walk away. The train to a village called Ettelbruck was to depart from platform no. 3, which was actually the first platform, right next to the concourse. As we were waiting on no.3, I saw that the two-bogie EMU on the adjacent track (platform no. 4) was bound for Diekerck, via Ettelbruck and its departure was scheduled for 09:55, 21 minutes before the train we had planned to catch. Using the foot overbridge to cross
over, we boarded that EMU. It turned out to be a passenger train, stopping at all stations! However, it proved to be a blessing in disguise as I could click photos at a few of the halts. The scene outside each halt was so serene - a road leading away from the station, identical, pastel coloured homes with well trimmed hedges on either side, a car parked outside the gate; and not a soul in sight!
Only at one halt did we spot some human activity - there was probably a school just adjacent to the station and we spotted kids enjoying their sports with their teacher. All the halts were extremely charming. We reached Ettelbruck at 10:38 and exited the station. The bus stop was just outside the station - so typical of European small towns. We were instantly reminded of Herrenberg in Germany, visited in May 2016. We waited patiently for bus no. 570 that would take us to Vianden. The bus - a sleek, swanky, red coloured one - left a couple of minutes late, at 11:50. The Luxembourg countryside came close to the Austrian one that we had admired at Salzburg and Mondsee, on our trip the last year. Huge pastures spread out on either side of the smooth, broad, tree-lined road; a row of pine and other trees on the outer edges of the pastures; horses, cows and at times sheep grazing lazily and
contentedly! It was too good to be true. Every village that the bus passed through had its share of uniform, grey-roofed houses, curving roads- spic and span - with the odd parked car; and the necessary church conspicuous by its tall steeple. Simply delightful! Light years ahead of India! We alighted at our stop at approximately 11:25 and had our first views of the Vianden castle, amidst thick greenery, perched on a hill high above the hamlet as if standing sentinel. Took the help of GPRS and a couple of tourists to locate the boarding point of the chair-lift, stopping at virtually every step to admire the lovely homes with their neatly and lovingly maintained gardens. Many of the homes had toy animals on their doorstep, spreading out into the verandah, on the window sills; and even into the garden. Flowers grew in abundance, decorating the garden, the window sills; and the front door made of solid wood. We wished that we were the owners of one of these homes!! Anyway, we consider it a matter of good fortune that we could at least visit the place.
The chair-lift experience has been described earlier, so I will not repeat. At the topmost point, we spent approximately half an hour - admiring and shooting the incredible view; and sipping beer/coffee at the only restaurant there. We had experienced something similar at Harder Kulm at Interlaken, Switzerland; during our 2016 trip. However, one thing was missing here - snow clad peaks! After thoroughly enjoying our downward journey on the chair-lift, we strolled in the direction of the river Our and stopped for lunch at a restaurant on its right bank. Chicken Pizza, French fries and bottled beer. We then explored the village
in an unhurried manner, strolling on the banks of the river to the sweet music of flowing water and the occasional chirping of birds; walking up a slope; entering nooks and corners of this gem set in the grand duchy of Luxembourg. Returned to the bus stop at 15:35 and noted that the next departure for Ettelbruck was scheduled for 15:44. Not bad ! Conversed with a British family that included twin girls aged eight each. The bus duly arrived and within seconds we were admiring the gorgeous, green and serene countryside yet again! The road was so smooth and the bus was in such top condition that we felt we were riding a sled or a toboggan. The fantastic infrastructure in Europe contributes handsomely to the mind-blowing experience and the whole feeling pulls us to this awesome continent year after year. Though pretty expensive, it gives true value for money -'Paisa Vasool', to use a crude Indian term. Alighted at Ettelbruck, having passed through the cute village of Diekirch on the way - How do they maintain it so meticulously?
A sleek Intercity Express (ICE) arrived within five minutes of our reaching the platform and we were back in our Hotel at Luxembourg City at 17=00. A very good time to arrive at; and rest. What a mind-blowing day !
'Ville of wonder' - My review of Vianden, published by the magazine 'Lonely Planet India', in its July 2018 issue.