Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Gigi's Visit -- Part 2

In the second half of Gigi's visit, we spent some time in Luxembourg, visiting the annual Schueberfouer festival which runs for 20 days at the end of each summer.  If you can believe it, this year was its 670th celebration.  Really!  670 years!!!  I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that one...

It's basically a huge carnival with rides, games and fantastic food.  They started setting it up weeks before it opened, bringing in dozens of entire restaurants.  Not just fast-food carts at this fair!

The massive ferris wheel was visible from all over the city:


And from the top, the view was incredible:


The kids had to test out the other rides, of course.  The bumper cars were a big hit.  No pun intended.

Kate managed to hold onto her sunglasses despite getting bumped all over the ring.

Gigi gave both kids some money to spend on rides.  Kate used hers wisely but poor Will--despite plenty of parental warnings--was suckered into one of those claw games (where you attempt to grab some prize with a claw and never do) and of course lost every cent.  So no more rides for him.  A tough but important lesson.  He consoled himself with an enormous waffle...

...while Kate tried out this Native American canoe ride.

To complete Gigi's four-country tour, we headed over to Manderen, France, to visit Malbrouck Castle.




In and of itself, the castle is worth a visit but there was also an exhibition by a popular sculptor, Niki de Saint Phalle, the artist responsible for Luxembourg's famous "Blue Lady," official name "La Tempérance."  The bright, colorful sculptures were gorgeous in the castle gardens but, unfortunately, no photography was allowed.  They were adamant.  I didn't even dare sneak a photo.  But the view of the countryside from the top of the castle was pretty gorgeous too.


I think the kids liked these wavy mirrors outside the castle best anyway:


They could've spent hours in front of these things!

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