Elisa's Daily Scoop Lux, Lux, LuxembourgNew Week!!! I love Mondays and today is an extra special one since we are NOT starting off the day driving out east to the barn. This week, the girls will be riding Tuesday and Thursday, so we’ll be breaking up the week and the driving. Although, it’s not the driving that gets to me, it’s the hanging out throughout the day while they are riding that can get challenging.  (c)travelincousins.com Anyhoo, Tanya made her way yesterday to Luxembourg and will have lots to tell today! I’ll be complementing her first-hand account with more historic and fun facts!! For those of you who do not know, Luxembourg is a tiny European country, bordered by Belgium, France and Germany.  16 Fun Facts about Luxembourg 1. Although the recorded history of Luxembourg can be traced back to Roman times, the history of Luxembourg proper is considered to begin in 963. 2. In the territory now covered by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, there is evidence of primitive inhabitants dating back to the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age over 35,000 years ago. The oldest artifacts from this period are decorated bones found at Oetrange. 3. The Old City of Luxembourg is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers. 4. Luxembourg City, the country’s capital, is famed for its fortified medieval old town perched on sheer cliffs and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994. 5. Due to its exceptional strategic position the City of Luxembourg was one of the largest fortresses of modern Europe. 6. Most of Luxembourg is rural, with dense Ardennes forest and nature parks in the north, and the Moselle river valley in the southeast.  The Old Quarter, Luxembourg (credit: planetware.com) 7. The rocky gorges of the eastern Mullerthal region earned it the nickname “Little Switzerland.” 8. It comprises two principal regions: the Oesling in the north as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland ("Good Land") in the south. 9. With an area of 998 square miles, it is one of the smallest sovereign states in Europe (about the same size as the state of Rhode Island. 10. Luxembourg had a population of 524,853 in October 2012, ranking it the 8th least-populous country in Europe  The Bock & Casemates, Luxembourg City (credit: Fodors.com) 11. As a representative democracy with a constitutional monarch, it is headed by a grand duke, Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and is the world's only remaining grand duchy. 12. The city of Luxembourg, which is the country's capital and largest city, is the seat of several institutions and agencies of the EU. 13. The Bock and Casemates is the massive rock outcropping that forms the east side of the haute ville and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. First fortified during the Roman Empire, it is excavated with a vast network of tour-able tunnels (casemates) in which the populace could hide during wars and sieges.  Le Chemin de la Corniche - Europe's "most beautiful balcony" (credit: tripadvisor.co.uk) 14. The vast Bock Casemates tunnel network encompasses a dungeon, prison and the Archaeological Crypt, considered the city’s birthplace. 15. Luxembourg is characterised by the practice and the recognition of three official languages: French, German, and the national language Luxembourgish, established in law in 1984. 16. Le Chemin de la Corniche is a pedestrian walkway was built on the ramparts along the east side of the fortress-city. La Corniche is nicknamed "Europe’s most beautiful balcony." I feel bad about the Internet issues my Cuz, Tanya has been having overseas this week. Hopefully, it will prove better today to see the pictures she is taking in this lovely country! Off to my day. Relatively easy-going day, until tomorrow when we have another barn day. This weather has been crazy - rain, sunshine, rain, sunshine. But, I'm really loving the rain!! That's it for today! Happy Monday!! -E xoxo  | Tanya's Daily Scoop |
