So, turns out I’ll be leaving Lux tomorrow again. How’s that for fast? Still, honestly, the visit was more than worth it. First of all, I got to experience the train ride. Secondly, I met again with all of my new colleagues, including Baptiste Alcalde, who started last Monday. I really feel that our little group (SaToSS – Safety and Security of Software Systems) is rounding out nicely. Speaking of which, 28th of February we will have a kick-off event!
In addition to seeing everyone, there was the wonderful visit on the 15th with Sasa to the Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg. The tickets (free of charge, courtesy of the UdL cultural programme) said it was in the Grande Theatre, past which I bike every time on the way to work here. So I thought I knew where we should be… turns out there is a second building, about a 10 minute walk from there. Not so nice to discover if you have only 5 minutes until the start!
We made it, luckily enough, and were treated to a wonderful program:
- Wagner, Tannhäuser, Ouverture and Bacchanale
Very uplifting, I appreciated it - Berlioz, Carnaval romain. Ouverture, op. 9
worthwile - Wagner, Flight of the Valkyrie
I kid you not! I wasn’t expecting this, because at this point I still didn’t have the programme. I sat there when the first notes hit me, and couldn’t believe it! Here I was, sitting for free in a very nice theater, listening to “What’s Apocalyptica Now Doc?” ;-)
Needless to say, the music was brilliant and very well played! - Debussy, afternoon prelude for a faun
ok, I guess, but after Wagner… I did have the program by now, next was the piece for orchestra and piano soliste… - De Falla, Nights in the Spanish Gardens
Well, piano was a complete letdown. The piano sucks, the soliste was not that good or the piece itself was less than brilliant – probably a combination of the three. Anyway, not my thing at all. - Encore by the soliste
Superfluous for me. The piano definitely has some issues when played forte, and the soliste definitely liked to play forte. - Ravel, Boléro
Oh… wow… brilliant! Not just one of the most well-known classical works (like the Valkyrie), but also played very well. Incredibly enjoyable!
What is mindboggling to me is how uni.lu students and staff can actually get free tickets. There is only a limited number available, but still. We got the full show for free. Incredible.
So today me & prof. Mauw went by car to work. Had a false start due to some car troubles, but in the end we arrived safely. I managed to finish the BFR finally (PHEW!), check the sportcenter (fitness is expensive, swimming affordable, not really much else there :( ), and in the evening went to check out “Grund” with Sasa, Pieter and Baptiste. Well, Grund is beautiful and boring (resembling the rest of the city), but up from Grund there’s actually a place with some life! We found a bar with people in it, loudish music, drinks, basically, a bar with LIFE!
I was really starting to get worried about that – the whole village seems to work or sleep around here. So I am really glad to have found that place. Anyway, tomorrow Pieter & me will be heading back to .nl, so I might run into you in the next couple of days.
Guess I don’t have to apologize for not making time to visit you in .lu then? :)
Definitely not, I owe you an apology!
I sent you an sms that the plans changed (dunno when exactly, but I think on Friday still — which actually was quite late to begin with…)
Anyway, next time… I’m slowly settling in btw, so the longer you wait the more like a place where Hugo lives it will feel! :)
(although right now it’s messy enough to for that ;-)