Luxembourg -- running and concertizing

Our next stop was Luxembourg. It has a wonderful, modern concert hall -- the Philharmonie. A good acoustic and a feeling of comfort on stage made for a good concert. We have played here often. Here is a good rundown of my experience there in 2011.

Running in Luxembourg is a pleasure. In the center city there is a series of parks that are great for shorter runs. For longer runs with lots of hills, there is the gorge or Grund.

This extremely picturesque area is full of lush greenery, cool streams and medieval ruins. It's easy to get lost down there but, if you're not running for time, it can be stimulating and adventurous.

I used some precious spare time in Luxembourg to get caught up on reed making. As many hotel rooms have poor lighting for this purpose, I try to bring along my Ikea LED lamp. It's flexible and has a USB connection. The adaptor for European outlets is separate.

Brussels -- Beer, chocolate and mussels

The Orchestra's first stop was in Brussels, where we played a concert in the Palais des Beaux Arts -- a beautiful Art Deco temple with rather poor acoustics.

I tried to find a good place for a long run, to continue to battle jet lag. I hit upon the canal that runs through the city, thinking it might be scenic. Perhaps the 45 degree weather and the drizzling rain influenced my impression, but I found the area along the canal to be drab and industrial.

You can't go wrong in Brussels if you like beer, chocolate or food in general, however, so my free time was not a total loss.

I also managed to find a great place for coffee. Aksum is run by two Ethiopians who roast, sell and brew single origin Ethiopian coffee exclusively. I had a really memorable espresso and a good macchiato there.

Running in Geneva

The Jet d'Eau in Geneva

I'm writing this from the cafeteria at CERN in Geneva. If my prose is a little lacking in self-confidence, it's because the IQ level in this room may be higher than in any other cafeteria I've ever been in!

I'm at the beginning of a 3-week European tour with the Orchestra, spending the first free days with my daughter and son-in-law in Geneva. He works at CERN.

Earlier today I went for a beautiful run along the shore of Lac Leman. There is nothing like good, vigorous exercise for getting over jet lag.

Like many Swiss cities located on lakes, there are very fine paths for bikes, hikers and runners to follow along the shore. My route followed the western shore of the lake, going out of the city, past the World Trade Organization headquarters, by the Botanical Garden, turning around after about 3 1/2 miles and going back.

Yesterday, I visited the church at which John Calvin preached in the 1500's. St. Pierre's is notable for its lack of decoration or ornamentation, undoubtedly removed or destroyed during the iconoclasm of the Reformation

There were are few remnants, however, including a beautifully carved 15th century choir stall.

Here is a Flower Clock that Francaix would have liked!

Tomorrow I will train to Brussels to be reunited with my bassoon and start the hard work of this tour. I now routinely pack my bassoon in the instrument trunk, due to its ivory bell. Our orchestra management has been successful in navigating through the shoals of re-entering the US with the Fisheries and Wildlife people. Traveling with it by myself, I would be tempting fate.

 

 

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