The Secret

In 2002, I had the chance to participate in a most interesting workshop in Germany (not in Düsseldorf this time, but in a wonderful medieval castle somewhere else), and on my way back stayed for the weekend in the lovely city of Luxemburg for the first time in my life. It was July, so it was very warm and the weather was quite splendid for the both two days I spent in this small but vivacious capital of the state of Luxemburg. I visited the tunnels inside the ancient city wall, as well as some art museums, like the lovely Villa Vauban in the midst of a beautiful flower garden, and the exciting Casino Luxembourg - a former gambling house turned into the museum of contemporary art - just to mention a few.

In the shops, there were sales, so I let myself be carried away with one of my favourite hobbies, shopping (if you hadn't guessed this by now, I should wonder!). There I learnt how different the manners and customs can be in Finland as compared with middle Europe - there were no mirrors inside the dressing cabinets, but the customer has to step outside and be judged by anyone who happens to be around! The sales person would, of course, say anything nice and flattering about the most hideous combinations - as long as the customer would buy, seemed to be the goal. In Finland, one can stay in the privacy of the cabinet, since the mirrors are placed inside them, and judge for oneself - which is good or bad, depending on the individual likings and the level ot taste of the current occupant of the cabinet ;)

In the shops and also on terraces where I wanted to order something, I soon realised that there is a language in existence I never knew of before - that of luxemburg, or letzeburg, as the locals seem to call it. It sounded like a mixture of French and German, and I guess that is exactly what it is. In any case, I couldn't understand a word of it.

I ended up buying, if I remember correctly, two pairs of shoes (and a lot of clothes): white hand-woven shoes by Pons Quintana, and this shiny purple pair by Freelance that I often wear at home. These little sandals have a secret - underneath the shoe there is a lovely little flower embroidered to the sole, something the wearer alone gets to know! But now I am sharing the secret with you.