A fixed laptop, and photos of Metz and Luxembourg City

Happy New Year!
Right before the end of the year, my computer crashed and wouldn't reboot. The university technology office didn't open until January 5. They told me that they couldn't look at my laptop until a week later, but fortunately the computer office here at Churchill was able to look at it and fix it. But anyway, between having my computer broken and being worried about all my files and the heating being turned down since fewer students were around during the break (meaning only intermittent hot water and, occasionally, only intermittent heat), being in Cambridge was a bit depressing.
But, now my computer is fixed, the hot water is getting more reliable, I took a break from studying to go out to a club in town with friends for New Year's Eve, and I have a Grinnellian visiting, so things are looking up.
I still have another week or two until classes start, fortunately. So anyway, now that I have my laptop again I thought I'd take a moment to post another set of photos from my trip to France.

On the trip to France, at the end of the first full day, which we spent in Paris, Sandra and I took a late train out to Metz and then to the smaller stop of Rombas-Clouange to see our friend Alex, who is teaching English at a French school. This area is kind of in the northeast of France, close to the borders with Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Our first day there, the three of us went over to Metz, which seemed like a nice city. I enjoyed being outside of Paris, and it was nice to get a sense of what another part of France is like.

Metz has a particularly beautiful cathedral, the Cathedral St. Etienne. Here is a view of the main entrance.

Here is some of the stained glass at the cathedral:

I think it is particularly difficult to get good photos of stained glass, but you might be able to tell from this picture that this window looks more modern. Mid-20th century, Marc Chagall and Roger Bissiere provided designs for stained glass windows. Most of the stained glass in the cathedral is from the 14th and 16th centuries, but some modern ones have been added. The one above, I believe designed by Bissiere, was especially striking.

The next day we went to Luxembourg City, the capital of Luxembourg, a teeny tiny country which was a convenient half hour train ride away from Alex's place.

This view is from a bridge we walked over on the walk from the train station into the center of town. This clocktower was pretty, and I think this view gives a sense of what Luxembourg looked like in general.

Here is the top of the Notre Dame of Luxembourg (the main door is kind of cut off at the bottom of the photo).

Luxembourg City was very beautiful, much of it situated in a valley. Unfortunately, it was too icy that day to walk down on the steps which lead around the edge of the valley and the remnants of the city walls, but I think it would be a great place to visit again in spring or summer.

Here is a view of an area we didn't go into, but it's some of the newer, more modern European Union Luxembourg:

Otherwise, we went to the city and fine arts museums in Luxembourg City.