Barbara and I were back in Luxembourg early this month, our second visit this year to see Jon and family. Not unusually, our rail journey to Heathrow was disrupted (and the return journey was even worse), so it is always a real pleasure to travel in Luxembourg, where public transport is free for both locals and tourists and the trains run on time and are spotlessly clean.
Luxembourg is known as the "Land of Castles." Situated at the crossroads of Europe, between France, Germany and Belgium, it was, in the Middle Ages, a contested territory and a vital passageway for trade and armies. Building castles was essential for defence and control. The land was divided into many small lordships, and each noble family sought to protect its territory and assert its power by constructing fortified residences.
A good example of a feudal castle is that at Esch-sur-Sûre, first built in 927, making it one of the oldest in Luxembourg. The castle stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the village, above the River Sûre. The river itself flows from southeastern Belgium, through northern Luxembourg, and eventually joins the Moselle.
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| The castle at Esch-sur-Sûre, overlooking the village |
During our brief stay, we also visited the Roman amphitheatre at Trier, Germany’s oldest city, just across the Luxembourg border on the Moselle. Trier was established as a Roman metropolis after their arrival in 17 BC. On our first visit (posting of March 1st, 2023), we explored the Porta Nigra, a 2nd-century city gate and the largest Roman gate north of the Alps.
The amphitheatre, built around 100 CE, could hold about 18,000 spectators for gladiatorial games, animal hunts, and public spectacles. It was interesting to explore the underground chambers and passages beneath the arena, where animals and gladiators once waited before their appearance.
Ten days ago, Amanda was in London for the Great River Race, a spectacular boat race covering 21.6 miles from Millwall in the East to Richmond in the West, passing under London’s famous bridges over the Thames. The event began in 1988 with 61 boats and now attracts around 300 crews. It has become an international competition, drawing participants from the United States, Australia, and many European countries.
It was a very gruelling three hours, said Amanda, who competed with the "Helford Sea Sisters" in their beautiful traditional Cornish gig, Helford. As an all-women crew, they were eager to support a charity close to their hearts: First Light, a local organisation aiding victims of domestic abuse.
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| The Cornish flag attracted many cries of "Oggy Oggy Oggy" from spectators |
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| A very choppy Thames, with Helford left foreground |
Three years ago I was in Melbourne to give a guest lecture at the IMPC Asia-Pacific 2022 conference. After the lecture I relaxed in the bar with a few mineral processors from the audience. One of them was Ron Goodman, and I was sorry to hear that Ron died earlier this month. Ron was a renowned tin expert and helped commission the Wheal Jane tin concentrator in Cornwall in 1971. Originally from Dudley in the UK, he spent most of his working life in Australia and at the time of his death was an independent mining and metallurgical consultant. Many regarded him as one of the great practical mineral processors. Our condolences to his daughters Hana and Gemma.
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Melbourne 2022, with Ron Goodman (right), Graeme Jameson,
Lachlan Bartsch and Martin Rudolph
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Finally, the big news this month has been the State Visit of the US President to the UK. Everyone has their own views on this! And, talking of USA, many congratulations to the European Ryder Cup golf team for their narrow away victory over America. Despite the egregious abuse hurled at them by the partisan local crowd the Europeans led by a record 7 points after the first two days, and the final day should have been a formality. But the Americans fought back, the visitors just hanging on for a 15-13 victory.
Huge congratulations also to the England Women's Rugby Team for their decisive victory over Canada in the final of the Women's Rugby World Cup. Two great sporting achievements to lighten the gloom of a month in which the wars in Gaza and Ukraine have escalated and Putin has tested the nerves of NATO countries.
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