Luxembourg: Who Knew.

So, as well as dabbling in the Mini Quilt Swap, I also joined a fabric and chocolate swap (who wouldn't?) that seemed like a lot of fun. My first swap partner was from Luxembourg, a place I had never heard of. I assumed it was a province of Germany, becuase it sounds kind of Germanish, but never the less sent my package to the address I was given with just Luxembourg on the bottom.

Imagine my surprise when my lovely swap partner, Lil, informed me that it was an actual independent dutchy! Of course I was fascinated and I had to go and check it out. It is a lovely little country (size-wise. as far as culture and history they kick Canada's butt). According to Wikki it is prosperous, beautiful, historically interesting, and a founding memeber in the UN, Nato, and all kinds of other important things. The best description, though, is the one from the Catholic encyclopedia the New Advent. An excerpt I am rather partial to runs as follows:

. . . it is situated at an elevation of about 1000 feet above the sea level, is mountainous and possesses a temperate healthy climate. The arable lands, including almost half the country, yield abundant crops of grain, and splendid pastures feed numerous herds of cattle and horses. The vine produces annually more than 1,300,000 gallons of wine and the fruit harvest is no less generous

It also has some cool, fairy tale like castles, towns and stoneworks , as you can see if you click on the photos there. Sure beats any archetecture you can find around here (rural decay, anyone? we've got plenty!).

So, all in all, my journey to discover Luxembourg was most pleasurable. Descriptions online were found easily, and the photos were no less generous to my opinion of the country.

I think I'm going to look everything up in the Catholic encyclopedia from now on.

I think I should start writing like that. "The fabric I discovered in this store was most generous, with the friendly staff abundantly at my disposal."

ETA: Lil just gave me a link to her virtual blog tour of the capital. Find it here:
http://whatidobesidework.blogspot.com/2008/04/this-will-be-long-post-lol.html