Luxembourg, a week-end in my birth place...

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The story started end of 1973...in Luxembourg. That is my story...and I would be resident of the tiny Grand Duchy till I left for Asia in 1996. I may have lived there for 23 years, but most of my education has happened in Belgium. I was crossing the border at first every day till later it became once a week (boarding school and university). Most of my teenagers years in Luxembourg were actually spent at or around the golf course next to the airport. Summer time, you would find me there most days from 8am to pretty often very close to sunset! As you may guess, Luxembourg is not what you call a big country. Belgium border was 2kms from home, France is 15kms and Germany a mere 40kms away!



I believe my last visit was back in 2016! So it was fun to visit and be welcome by friends I haven't seen for years. Luxembourg is a small city, and thanks to facebook, I have been able to keep in touch with many even if we haven't had the chance to meet for 30 years with some! Good news, country is a little less covid crazy than Belgium. Interesting that with my 2 doses in South Africa...and the last one back late August, I'm left in peace due to the fact that I have been able to registered those in Belgium. Tanya has had four doses of vaccine in 2021...last Pfizzer one in South Africa just 6 weeks ago (second shot)....but still...she is asked for a rapid test to enter most restaurants. Slightly crazy!



So we stopped for many drinks and meals with friends. Told her we would even maybe meet the prime minister. It's a joke with my golfing friends, as Xavier, the current prime minister used to be one of us on the golf course in the late 1980s'. Well....we met in town, he introduced his husband, I introduced him to Tanya. They were in a rush, and something new, he even had his bodyguards. Told Tanya she could introduce me to Putin next time we visit St Petersburg or Moscow! Or maybe not! Crazy how the world has changed since the end of January 2022!



I used to spend most of my time in the country at the golf club. We were a solid group of fun juniors...there were the "Europeans"...and the locals. Must have been a balance of half/half in the last 15 years of the last century. It was an adventure for me just to get there. My parents would have to drive me 30kms one way if there was no decent public transfer connections. If not, for most days for me, it was a 2km bike ride, 17 minutes train ride, plus 30 minutes on a bus before walking the last 2 kms....that's one way. During summer holidays I would leave home at 6.45am, and be back home most days just after 9pm...yes, I loved it! So most of my friends in the country are related to the golf...and few more back to my University years!



The number of inhabitants in the country is in a constant growth, and the majority today are forgeigners. It is also the only country that has free public transport throughout the country. We did ride the tram that didn't exist on my last visit! No idea when are we coming back next time. Hope it won't be in winter so I'll be able to play some golf at the Golf Club Grand Ducal....even if they are completely mad when it come to the price of green fees....don't forget, we live in South Africa, and it's a golf paradise here!!

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