Moien!

"moien": "Hallo" ("Guten Morgen"), auf Deutsch; "Hello", in English; "Bonjour", en français.

"wéi geet et?": "wie geht es?", auf Deutsch; "comment ça va?", en français; "how are you?", in English.

"merci": "merci", en français; "danke", auf Deutsch; "thanks", in English.

"äddi": "au revoir" ("adieu"), en français; "bye", in English; "Auf Wiedersehen", auf Deutsch.

3xBoléro

3xBoléro, by the Göteborg Ballet, this is what I attended to, last Saturday, at the Grand Théâtre of Luxembourg.

But let's come back a bit before that...

In September, when the cultural calendar was finally launched, I browsed through it with delight and curiousity. I put 3xBoléro on my list of things to attend to. Be aware, guys: when there is only one perfomance night, you'd better book your ticket in advance...which I had not done...

And that's how you find yourself queuing, on the very day. Worse, you are told to come back10 minutes before the show "just in case". You tell yourself that being on a third position on the waiting list is not so bad...so, there were 45 minutes to kill before the show...

Hopefully, there is the "Brasserie Théâtre" which may soften your waiting. After one glass of white Porto or white wine, it felt a lot easier to beg for a last minute ticket. Standing back, the uncertainty added to the excitation of the evening. When, at last, some places were finally sold to the last minutes spectators, electricity was in the air...and that's how I got tickets, in a burst of enthusiasm!

As states the website, 3xBoléro "is a collection of three dance and musical variations based on Maurice Ravel's classic work Boléro". "Walking mad", "Orelob" and "Episod17" are three distinct pieces, though all with a similar nucleus that is the Boléro. Each could have its own qualification; "Walking mad": philosophical, "Orelob": hypnotic (and also maybe the most impenatrable), and "Episod17": definitely amusing. The first and the third were my favorite.

That was an interesting evening and am sure there'll be some other, at the Grand Théâtre...

in Autumn / im Herbst (II)

KUSMI

While I was in Paris, I discovered Kusmi tea. Have to admit that am a big fan: love both the spicy blends and the colorful boxes. One fear when moving to Luxembourg was not to find any retailer...

..but hopefully there is Body Veda, in Luxembourg...

Bodyveda, 7 avenue de la Liberté, L-1931 Luxembourg

Nana / The Great Temperance

What a good surprise to see that one of the major public places in Luxembourg was placed under a "Nana" motherly protection. What is a Nana? A Nana is a massive and colourful woman statute, one of the Niki de Saint Phalle's creatures.
Quelle bonne surprise que de voir l'un des lieux publics majeurs de Luxembourg était placé sous la protection maternelle d'une "Nana". Qu'est-ce qu'une Nana? Une Nana est une stutue d'une femme imposante et colorée, une des créatures de Niki de Saint Phalle.


This one sculpture, from 1992, is entitled "La Grande Tempérance", i.e., "The Great Temperance". How come that "she" settled at Place d'Hamilus, in Luxembourg? In 1995, while Luxembourg city was then the "European Capital of Culture", eleven works by Niki de Saint Phalle were exhibited in Luxembourg public places. "La Grande Tempérance" was ultimately bought by the City of Luxembourg, the "Entreprise de Poste et Télécommunications" (Luxembourg Post) and the bank now-called BGL-BNP Paribas.
Cette sculpture-là, de 1992, est intitulée "La Grande Tempérance". Comment se fait-il qu'"elle" ait pris racine Place d'Hamilius, à Luxembourg? En 1995, alors que la ville de Luxembourg était alors Capitale Européenne de la Culture, onze travaux de Niki de Saint Phalle étaient exposés dans les lieux publics de Luxembourg. "La Grande Tempérance" a finalement été acquise par la Ville de Luxembourg, l' Entreprise de Poste et Télécommunications et la banque maintenant dénommée BGL-BNP Paribas.


I literally love her: "she" cheers you up, with her bright colours and her graceful bonhomie, on the morning, while you are still sleepy, on winter, while you shivering waiting for your bus...
Je l'aime vraiment: "elle" vous remonte le moral, avec ses couleurs éclatantes et sa gracieuse bonhomie, le matin, lorsque vous êtes encore endormi, l'hiver, lorsque vous frissonnez en attendant le bus...

Mannele / Boxermännercher

Yeah, yeah, it is still Autumn but some signs let you think that Winter is not far: temperature dropping..and the Boxermännercher (*)..
ouais, ouais, nous sommes encore en Automne mais certains signes vous laissent à penser que l'hiver n'est pas loin: la baisse soudaine du thermostat..et les Boxermännercher (*)..



Boxermännercher are usually prepared for St Nicolas' day (December 6th), where children who well behaved throughout the year are rewarded by Saint Nicolas, whereas the other will only have to face the terrible Housecker's anger (**). Those breads in the shape of little men were supposed to chase away demons...wasn't it rather to chase away the Housecker?!
Les Boxermännercher sont généralement préparés en vue de la St Nicolas (6 décembre), où les gentils enfants qui se sont bien comportés durant l'année sont récompensés par Saint Nicolas, alors que les autres doivent affronter la terrible colère du Père Fouettard (**). Ces pains en forme de petits bonhommes étaient censés chasser les démons...n'était-ce pas plutôt pour chasser le Père Fouettard?!




So, Boxermännercher are there, perhaps a bit early, but they are there. Wouldn't you like to bake one or two? (just in case the Housecker would be around..)
Les Boxermännercher sont là donc, peut-être un peu en avance, mais ils sont là. Ne voudriez-vous pas en faire un ou deux? (juste au cas où le Père Fouettard serait dans les environs..)



(*) Boxermännercher are known and called differently in other countries: "Mannala"/"Mannele"/"Jean Bonhomme" in East part of France, "Weckmann" in Germany, "Cougnou" in Belgium, etc.
(*) Les Boxermännercher sont connus et appelés différemment dans d'autres pays: "Mannala"/"Mannele"/"Jean Bonhomme" dans l'Est de la France, "Weckmann" en Allemagne, "Cougnou" en Belgique, etc.

(**) Housecker may also adopt other names according the countries: "Hans Trip" in East part of France, "Ruprecht"/Knechtruprecht" in Germany, "Zwarte Piet" in Belgium, etc.
(**) Housecker peut aussi prendre d'autres dénominations selon les pays: "Hans Trap" dans la partie Est de la France, "Ruprechet"/"Knechtruprecht" en Allemagne, "Zwarte Piet" en Belgique, etc.

in Autumn / im Herbst (I)