26 - North Shore News — Sunday, June 4, 2000 ——-— TRAVEL David Wishart Contributing Writer LUXEMBOURG — There are many reasons for visiting this 1,000-year-old Grand Duchy, what with a rich array of castles, churches, museums, delightful and quiet countryside, hillsides of grapes along the River Moselle and not least cheap gas, a rarity in Europe. The French, Belgians and Germans who drive over the bor- der to fill their tanks joke thar at home the wine is cheaper. These days most people are in good humour. Europe is _thriving, the gypsies are leaving for Canada and there is peace across the lands. But it was not always like this. Luxembourg has seen a war on average every 40 years of its 10 centuries of existence. The last one is a vivid, horrible memory for many Luxembourgers, who saw their tiny state overwhelmed by the German military machine, young men pressed into Hitler's army and others | transported to factories and concentration camps. Political offi- cers bullied schools into cutting out French and English and ordered people with French or Anglo-sounding names to Germanize them. After four years of being pushed around, help arrived in the formidable shape of the American army, which later had to endure the Battle of the Bulge when Hider launched a final assault to try to turn the tide of the war. It is this battle, in December 1944, and the memorials left behind, that provide another reason to visit Luxembourg. There are four museums, plus another in Bastogne in Belgium, two of which — at Diekirch and Bastogne —~ are among the best you'll find anywhere in the world. Both have huge collections of American and German tanks, guns, uniforms plus maps showing the campaign, photographs, bits of aircraft shot from the sky and mock-ups of command posts, field kitchens and so on. There is no glorifying of war here; rather you get a taste if not a stomachful, Private Ryan-style, of the - brutality of this desperate conflict, of men incinerated in tanks and stalked in freezing forests. There are other reminders. Many towns have memorials, such as-Clervaux’s GI monument, and it’s not uncommon to see a well-preserved Sherman tank in a town square. At Bastogne, where General McAuliffe answered the besieging Germans’ surrender demand by famously saying “Nuts!” the _town’s central plaza is named after him, there is a shiny tank and even a “Le Nuts” café. Achurch in Escheiler has a memorial to Private George Mergenthaler, grandson of the inventor of the linotype machine, who died in the Battle of the Bulge. Another young GI! died close to the Village § from which his grandfather had emigrated to : Ettelbruck: Here is a rugged; bronze, and as you'd erect larg- er than life statue of General George Patton in a GI helm sheepskin flying jacket, pant legs stuck in his boots, and a ‘pair of revolvers hanging from his waist. “Bis blood an and guts leadership was credited with saving the day when Hitler’s dattle-hardened troops stormed into Luxembourg and initially ran over scattered units of American troops fresh from training camps. He rallied the men, who in curn Showed incredible bravery and fortitude in ap g weath- “er conditions, finally driving the Germans back and making vic- tory certait > T Rappened on he park ji just after Patton's statue had been with paint by a protester of some kind, but it was a tri-: “Patton and his men went ‘through. Take urg city for example: “Sir, this is Patton talking. ‘The last 14 days fi have been straight h hell. Rain, ; “Last Sand story on Turkey stated that visas were’ not requir ; for Canadians travelling to Turkey. That is no longer the case ; Canadians are required to obeain a visa for up to > three months. : TANIS AT T THE AIRPORT “ASK for'us upon arriva for ALASKA CRUISES CALL NOW 926-4344 f : WITH YOUR FAMILY 2G @wareoerfroupnoays# Vancouver - Los Angeles retum airtare from ‘279 Pp.p. nlus tax §-12 June : : 9 PER ADULT. HOWARD JORNSEN PLAZA HOTEL 31/2 STAR Air & Hotels Kids & teens 2-1 7 stay tres when sharing roam with 2 aduts Mads 12 and under receive a “fun pack” at check-m, Vancouver Departures: 3 nights {rors $549 pet adult 4 ni Hs trom $599 7 nights from $798 péc adult oa owe sags 5 “kya FAOISSON HOTEL MAINGATE 2 STAR : Vancouver Depastures: 3 nights trom $519 per adult 4 nights fro from $559 per adutt a 7 aights from S18 per aul “pres sh efleed dep. dn 13 ba bal . Howard Johnson Maingate Resort 3 St2r Al, etal dar rent (or transtes} © , ids & teens 2-18 stay tren whoa sberieg a room with 2 odvits.” Photo David Wishart Kids 2-1 212 eat fee whan ding ik Delt arants (1 chit per ada) . General George Patton, here wearing a splash of paini, looks out over Luxembourg. snow, more rain, more snow — now I’m beginning to wonder what’s going on in your headquarters. Whose side are you on, anyway?” Patton is buried at Hamin, near Luxembourg city, along with 5,075 other Americans. Gtherwise Luxembourg has much to offer, such as pretty towns in the rolling Ardennes countryside such as Clervaux, where the Hotel International has comfortable beds and an excellent restaurant. Golf is available nearby. And I enjoyed the drive along the River Moselle to Remich, the waterfront Hotel Saint Nicholas there and its lively bar next door. As for the cheap gas, drive round the corner and there's almost 20 gas stations to choose from. eee i@ For more information check . 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