Day 5 - Bruges to Luxembourg

Wednesday 31st August 2016
Sunrise 6:59am – Sunset 8:20pm

Weather Forecast:   24 and sunny

Steps: 10,148           7.0 kl.

I woke up with the alarm this morning and was organised by the time the wake up call came in at 6:15.

Today we are travelling to Luxembourg and visiting the neo-gothic Maredsous Abbey along the way.  We are also having a short stop in Dinant and visiting the grave of General George Patton Junior.

Luxembourg is a tiny European country, bordered by Belgium, France and Germany. It’s mostly rural, with dense Ardennes forest and nature parks in the north, and the Moselle river valley in the southeast. The rocky gorges of the eastern Mullerthal region earned it the nickname “Little Switzerland.” Its capital, Luxembourg City, is famed for its fortified medieval old town perched on sheer cliffs.

We were away on time and on the highway by 7:55am.  The countryside is flat farming land, for most of the trip.  Comfort stop around 9:20 and on the road again at 9:40.

The further north we head, the hillier the countryside is becoming. Some more wind farms around today. Those that I have seen over the past few days are not big farms. Usually a max of about 9 windmills.

We arrived at the Abbey at 10:30. 

Founded in 1872 in Molignée Valley by Benedictine monks, Maredsous Abbey is built in neo-gothic style that fits perfectly in with the wooded, undulating terrain of the region.

Marked by spirituality, the buildings of Maredsous Abbey exude a feeling of fulfilment and the absolute, that will leave no one indifferent.  The church that dominates the cloister, the monastery and the library, the various outbuildings, including the trade school, and the Saint Joseph Visitors Centre, create a harmonious whole that beckons the visitor to stroll and meditate.

We did a tour through the Abbey for about an hour and then had an included light lunch, sampling their cheese and beer. Trappist beer is still made by the monks but Abbey beer is now commercial and no longer made at the Abbey’s.

We departed there at 12:15 and then had a quick visit to Dinant, which is on the River Meuse.  

The fortified Citadel in Dinant 

was first built in the 11th century to protect the Meuse valley below. The Prince-Bishops of Liege rebuilt and enlarged it in 1530, the French destroyed it in 1703 and it was later rebuilt in 1821. In its final transformation, the Citadel is now home to Dinant's Arms Museum. If we had had the time, it might have been interesting to visit. There is a cable car to the top, or you can walk the 408 steps to the top.

Dinant is also the birth place of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone.

We departed there at 2pm and then visited the military cemetery where General George Patton Junior, is buried.

From there we continued onto our hotel, which is on the golf course in the village of Canach.   Lovely room 

and lovely surroundings.  

Dinner was included at the hotel tonight and prior to dinner, Insight hosted pre-dinner drinks.  We were in a private room just off one of the terraces and the food was delicious.

I was back in my room by about 10 and after some hand washing etc, finally put the light our around 11pm.