Voici! Maintenant il y en a 73

Today we also have a visitor from Luxembourg. A hearty welcome to you! Soyez le bienvenu!

I have fond feelings about it because on January 3, 1968, I journeyed by train from Paris to Luxembourg City. It had snowed. The city is on hills and so you get lovely views. The architecture was lovely and everything had a layer of fresh snow on it. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, only it was real. Just incredibly beautiful. I have never forgotten that strong impression and I would very much like to go back, in more temperate weather, and explore the grand duchy.
Here is the current Grand Duke, Henri, who is Prince Guillaume's father. The flag on the right is the grand ducal standard. The one on the left if the Red Lion ensign, flown on ships of Luxembourgeois registry. That would include the Star Clipper on which we did a week's tour of the Caribbean some years ago. When I see the Red Lion, I immediately think of sunbathing in the most perfect weather for us heliolaters.

From Wikipedia we note the following:

Luxembourg is a parliamentary representative democracy with a constitutional monarchy, ruled by a Grand Duke. It is the world's only remaining sovereign Grand Duchy. The country has a highly developed economy, with the highest Gross Domestic Product per capita in the world.

Here, for a little something different, is a roller-skate tour of Luxembourg City (with some rap undergirded by the bass line of Pachelbel's Canon):


In contrast, we have a rocking tour of the city in a VW bug:


Another amateur video of a trip in May 2007:


Enjoy!
--the BB

Friday prince blogging

Grand Ducal Arms of Luxembourg (from Wikipedia)

Before I introduce this Friday's prince, I have a little story. In the first and fourth quarters of the grand ducal arms above you will see a crowned red lion rampant on a barry (horizontally striped) field argent and azure (silver and blue). This is the civil ensign of Luxembourg, familiar to me as the flag that flew on the Star Clipper, the tall-masted ship on which my ex and I sailed about the "treasure islands" of the Caribbean one January. Ignoring my bouts of sea sickness on the last two days (and I know most incarnationally what "blow chunks" means), the sight of it brings back pleasant memories. Of course, I am the type that could spend a great many days lying in the sun with great contentment. Feed me occasionally, hydrate me often, keep loud noises away... ahh! Bliss.

His Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duke
of Luxembourg, Prince Guillaume

May I present to the august personages of blogtopia (™ skippy the bush kangaroo) Prince Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie, Hereditary Grand Duke (i.e., designated heir) of Luxembourg. Prince Guillaume was born November 11, 1981. He is the eldest child of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and his wife Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, an heir of the House of Nassau. (Wikipedia is the source of the info here.)

There is another Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, his uncle.

This Prince Guillaume attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and has studied at the University of Durham. He has studied international politics and geopolitics.

Ladies, there is hope. Prince Guillaume dated a Norwegian young lady for a year but is currently, so far as I can tell, unattached for the past several years.

I believe he will be paying attention on February 3 when the Giants play the Patriots in Arizona.*

Guillaume is interested in music and sports; he plays piano and enjoys soccer, swimming and volleyball. He speaks Luxembourgish, French, German, Spanish and English. He regularly represents his parents in many foreign activities. He also has a passionate love for the sport of American football and is a fan of the New York Giants.

His siblings are Prince Felix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Sebastien.

Prince Guillaume, one of the world's
eligible bachelors

Prince Louis, Guillaume's brother,
who renounced claims to the throne
for himself and his heirs.
I think this photo explains why.

Prince Felix, another royal brother

Prince Guillaume goes postal

Le Grand Duc Jean (Guillaume's grandfather, who abdicated in favor of his son Henri), Le Grand Duc Henri, La Grande Duchesse Maria Teresa, SAR Prince Guillaume, le Roi Albert II et la Reine Paola de Belgique

The Grand Ducal Family

Promoting business in Luxembourg

Making an appearance in Belgium

Prince Guillaume

--the BB
* [Ha! Bet you thought I was too caught up in ecclesiastical trivia and linguistic minutiae to know who was playing the Superbowl, didn't ya?]