Merl Park

Parc de Merl is a block and a half from our apartment, and when someone in our family says, "let's go to the park," we always mean here.  We may be counting down the days until our vacation in Oregon, but today we were walking through the park and I decided to take a moment to savor the beauty of where we live.

We happened to be walking quite early in the morning and it was mostly empty, so I took the opportunity to take some photos of the very wet park.   A couple of huge rain storms have just passed through, and temperatures are hovering in the 60s Fahrenheit.  Sadly, summer in Luxembourg is apparently already over.  But we did have a beautiful spring.  You take what you can get.

I also realized that although I've posted numerous photos of this park, I've never done a complete post on it!

The best thing about Merl Park is there is something for everyone.  I regularly see adults and couples of all ages, with and without children.  As is typical of Luxembourg, the park is meticulously maintained.  Dog-walking and sunbathing (again, you take what you can get) are among the most popular adult activities.  The main feature of the park, aside from the playground, is the small artificial lake in the center, home to many a duck and freakishly-large goldfish.

A café, La Pavillon, sits on the lake.  Menu here, partway down the page.

And there is a spendy but delicious ice cream stand.

A lovely network of paths takes you throughout the park, with something pretty to look at around every corner.

And here are some photos of play equipment.  Granted, deserted playground photos tend to be a bit creepy, but they're easy to take!

odd but extremely popular basketball "court"

bring your own paddles

large variety of play equipment

zip lines

Luxembourg signature giant tube slides

and free, monitored-by-the-city trampolines in the afternoons during the (theoretical) summer months

By this afternoon the park will be swarming with visitors.  But it's still a very pleasant place, even when it's full, and there's always a quiet spot available to lay out a blanket to picnic or read a book. 

And if you want it mostly to yourself, you can always visit first thing in the morning.