TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE DIARIES

Did I mention in my previous Luxembourg blog entries that it is pretty much dead on a Sunday in the city? Shops are closed and very few cafes and restaurants are open. Before coming to Luxembourg, I’ve searched online high and low for a café or restaurant that is open for breakfast or brunch on a Sunday. My search led me to the ‘ Chocolate House by Natalie Bonn ’ located strategically in front of the Grand Ducal Palace. The Chocolate House is one of the very few cafes and restaurants that is open for breakfast on a Sunday. They open their doors at 10AM. I didn’t want to have my brunch at my hotel— Hotel Place d’Armes because I wanted somewhere more interesting and entertaining, such as watching the guard of the Grand Ducal Palace pacing up and down the lane. You can be lucky also and witness the changing of the guard/s. I’m not a sweet tooth lady as well so obviously I did not come here for the chocolate. However, if you are, I suggest you take a look at this Youtube video ....

I mentioned awhile back that I have stopped running because I hated this sport . I really do hate it but it seems that this is the only sport that I can do and tolerate in order to keep myself in shape. Plus you get some fresh air, which is a bonus. I am 42 years old and my metabolism has slowed down in the last 10 years and it has only become worse as I enter into serious middle age. No makeup on. Just curious, would you wear make up when running? I do watch what I eat, not religiously though and sometimes I cannot help but indulge. It helps that I am not a big meat eater and I am not into sweets, bread and baked goods. I love fruits and vegetables! Anyway, I have since went back to running and I do this during the weekends. I am also alternating it with dancercise at home. It is a combination of dancing + exercising with music on headphones for proper concentration. These two types of physical activity are the only ones that I can endure. The gym is not for me really. I am too...

Luxemburg (or Luxembourg) City is a very small cosmopolitan city. It is a trilingual city, locals speak French, German and Luxemburgisch. I guess it should be quadringual if you throw in English into the equation which most people speak anyway. The country has a reputation of being a tax haven which is the reason why it is rich in the first place. Now, many people who come to visit the Grand Duchy find themselves wondering where to go, what to see and what to do here other than shopping. Shopping in Luxembourg is definitely better than PC Hooftstraat in Amsterdam, and that is if you are into signature labels. But other than that, in order to enjoy this city, you really need to know where to go. The easiest resource in order to get to know the city would be Luxemburg Tourism’s website and of course some intensive googling, which is the reason why I blog my travels in detail; experience by experience and bit by bit. It is my way of giving back to the travel world for all the grea...

This is not my first time in the Grund (a quarter in Luxemburg Ville), but it’s my first time to really explore the area and even visit it’s most popular resident pub. Here in the Grund you can find some of the postcard perfect sceneries and ideal picture-taking opportunities along the Alzette River. That’s one of the reasons why I came here. The other reason is to book my dinner reservation at 2-Michelin stars Mosconi Restaurant. I was so excited; I was really in the mood for some haute culinaire evening. However, when I arrived at the Grund, I saw a somber looking Mosconi. There were no lights and nothing is moving inside the restaurant. Why, the restaurant is closed! This is one thing that is really strange in Luxemburg—most of its fine dining restaurants (in fact all Michelin-starred and GaultMillau restaurants) are closed in the weekend, even on a Saturday. It is quite maddening if you come here during the weekend and expect to dine haute cuisine. I did checked thei...