6/11. Echternacht toWasserbiillig and train to Trier

The plan for the day entailed a long 17mile hilly walk to Wasserbillig then catching the train to Trier for an overnight. Trier boasts one of the worlds best preserved Roman city gates and I found it difficult when planning the trip not to work it in. However, we awoke to cold pouring rain and there was no improvement forecast. Tammy had begun to feel sickly also. So we made a spot decision to bus straight to Wasserbillig where we caught the train to Trier. We were there by 10:30. We went to the hotel Casa Chiara expecting to park bags and checkin later but no! We were checked right in and upgraded to a suite which was indeed sweet! Walking by the hotel we passed a gear shop, and so we organized and returned there for some needed acquisitions. We then purged and mailed home more stuff- I estimate we have sent home more then 20lbs of stuff. When you have to carry it all day everyday you become ruthless about slimming the pack - having just done it, I am already thinking about how to get lighter.
Trier is amazing and wonderful and for the history/ culture minded walker should high be on the list of layover day locations. The city gate - Porta Nigra doesn't disappoint, but there is so much more here that we saw and didn't see. The central square is huge, old, beautiful and functional. Shopping is everywhere but it integrates and doesn't detract. Food - everywhere too and a walk up kiosk where you can stand and try the famous white wines the Moselle region is known for. Massive Dom cathedral is a jaw dropper - quality time with the camera here. Just outside I was approached by a camera crew and interviewed as to who we were, our trip plans and why we were in Trier. I explained our walk and my interests in Trier's history etc. Funny as the day before I saw a movie star and today I managed to sort of be one. Moving on, Constantine known for his later establishment of Constantinople/Istanbul in present day Turkey has his still standing Basilica here - a enormous structure! Karl Marx hails from here and there is a museum in his birthplace with interesting displays regarding his ideas and socialist world influences. In the evening the square cleared out, and the sky let the evening sun provide some beautiful photo opportunities. The camera crew that interviewed me earlier was there and I noticed them filming me while I took photos so hammed it up pretty good:)