#8: A City Asleep by 7

I definitely have a lot of bias on this topic. I come from a land where select businesses are open 24/7. It could be 3 am and I could decide to go out for a burger, or to make a trip to Walmart to buy something I needed. That isn't exactly possible here.

Here in Luxembourg, and other surrounding European countries, it's common for most businesses to start closing around 6 pm. This probably seems a bit crazy to all my American readers, and I can assure you that it is! By the time I'm getting off the train and coming home from class, most shops are starting to close their doors for the day. Not all companies though, there are a few grocery stores that hold out until 7 or 8 pm, and of course the bars are still open, but if you're looking to do a little shopping then you are out of luck, my friend.

Sundays are also a bit funny. Apparently a few years ago on Sundays everything was closed, and the city was like a ghost town. Through my experiences here, Sundays aren't totally dead, but they aren't exactly up and kicking. There are a few sections of the city (the excessively tourist-y spots) where you can find a nice selection of restaurants open and such, and there are a few stores with their doors open, but mostly the city is quiet on Sundays. I've always had that feeling where Sundays were such a drag because they were slow and just crept into Monday morning, and when everything around you is closed that feeling tends to escalate.

So my American readers, take solace in knowing that you have so many options. Most businesses back home don't start closing until 9, maybe 10. You can go out when you like and enjoy a Sunday that can be just as lively as your Saturdays!

I'm not complaining though, Sunday has turned into my homework day/relaxation day. So it's not all bad, maybe I just like putting a slant on things :)