I posted a few more thoughts on my trip. I probably have one or two more things to say, and some more pictures to fill in, before I close this thing out.
On another note, I am just back from Philly visiting my new nephew. What a joy. I'll have some pictures from that somewhere.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Kickin’ down the cobblestones (Day 7)
The last full day of our trip was just an afternoon of free time. We had seen the bridge the night before, ridden over to the Lion Monument that morning, and gotten tips on other things to see and do. Back from Pilatus, Kay and I set off on a venture part tour, part shopping and part Christmas market quest.
I had a pretty long list of souvenirs, and I had the idea that if we wandered through the Old Town, we might see some neat sights (we did) and find some great souvenirs (we didn’t).
We did stop into Bucherer, a watch dealer – three floors worth – to get the free spoon they offer to tour groups as a promotional item. This is where, after looking in windows for two days, I saw my watch. Guess who pointed it out? Yep, Kay.
Watch in hand, we set off for the other side of Lucern. We had a nice walk around the lake, made it to the Kurplatz, but never found a Christmas market. We saw a few stores that looked promising, but they had closed for the holiday. Finally, after an afternoon of walking – and carrying the several pounds of chocolate that we were able to find – we returned to the hotel.
I didn’t say a lot about the sights of Lucern.
There were beautiful old buildings, painted along the sides and also decorated for Christmas. The walk along the lake was lined by trees, and green space abounded. Turn a corner, and you might see a market or some street performers. And in the true form of European towns, the walks were mostly cobblestone.
It was one of those days that you do nothing that is memorable just the same. It brought a sense of closure to an eye-opening, information-filled trip. Lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy.
I had a pretty long list of souvenirs, and I had the idea that if we wandered through the Old Town, we might see some neat sights (we did) and find some great souvenirs (we didn’t). We did stop into Bucherer, a watch dealer – three floors worth – to get the free spoon they offer to tour groups as a promotional item. This is where, after looking in windows for two days, I saw my watch. Guess who pointed it out? Yep, Kay.
Watch in hand, we set off for the other side of Lucern. We had a nice walk around the lake, made it to the Kurplatz, but never found a Christmas market. We saw a few stores that looked promising, but they had closed for the holiday. Finally, after an afternoon of walking – and carrying the several pounds of chocolate that we were able to find – we returned to the hotel.
I didn’t say a lot about the sights of Lucern.
There were beautiful old buildings, painted along the sides and also decorated for Christmas. The walk along the lake was lined by trees, and green space abounded. Turn a corner, and you might see a market or some street performers. And in the true form of European towns, the walks were mostly cobblestone. It was one of those days that you do nothing that is memorable just the same. It brought a sense of closure to an eye-opening, information-filled trip. Lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy.
Snow-covered trees and a mountain breeze (Day 7)
It was the most expensive optional adventure on our tour, but the saying goes that you haven’t done Switzerland if you haven’t gone to the top of one of its many mountains. The mountain we had in mind was Pilatus, so named because here is where Pontius Pilate landed when God threw him from heaven.
When we arrived, we got a good lecture on how important it was to keep our ticket, that we would need it every stop of the way up and down the mountain. As we waited, we could see the small gondolas passing overhead, passing to or from their journey up the mountain.
The weather wasn’t clear this morning, and Neil cautioned us about that before we started up. As we started to rise above the city, we were surrounded by gray, though the views were pretty sweet anyway.
Quickly we were above civilization, and the tall, snow-covered trees began to pass. The thing is, you can’t have enough pictures of snow covered trees, so fortunately I had a big memory card.
We rose into the mist, still surrounded by snow-covered trees. There were snowmobile tracks around us and the occasional house. Maybe it was a way-station for those climbing the mountain. And then the mass of a mountain appeared in the distance, and the clouds began to clear. And the sun shone showed us this:
We stopped at another station and left our four-person gondola. Here there was a lodge and it looked like some people were sledding. We were headed to the large gondola – about 40 people – that would take us the rest of the way to the top. Once we disembarked from that vehicle and made our way out into the open, there was really only one word for it.
Wow.
To look into the distance and peak after peak of glacier-carved rock, to look into the valleys and realize that the lakes were clouds, to look down and realize the rock you were standing on was 7,000 feet in the air, it was simply amazing. It brought a whole new level to amazing, a grandeur that only simplicity can create.
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From the “main level” there were a few excursions up and around the peak. Several of us chose to go up (left) on a path that zigged through snow and zagged through ice. From the top, we saw a mountain sheep or goat on a sun-drenched plateau below. The air up there was clean, fresh, and exhilarating. There’s nothing like a mountain breeze.
Coming down from the summit was a little slippery; I only landed on my butt once. But in the car going down, I got to stand at the front as we were launched back down the mountain. Very cool, in a mild thrill-seeker sort of way.
Back on the ground, walking just didn’t seem the same, and having to find your ticket to leave the sky-ride station was more than a little difficult. One of those realities that you’re not ready to have creep back in after visiting such a wonderland. But we found our cards, and loaded back on the bus, to find our tour guide had rediscovered his inner child and sledded down the mountain. There were a few of us that were jealous, but, all the same, not dressed to go sledding.
Back into the town of Lucerne, we stopped off at the hotel with much of the day left free. I had the walking tour from my guidebook, but walking just didn’t seem the same.
When we arrived, we got a good lecture on how important it was to keep our ticket, that we would need it every stop of the way up and down the mountain. As we waited, we could see the small gondolas passing overhead, passing to or from their journey up the mountain.
The weather wasn’t clear this morning, and Neil cautioned us about that before we started up. As we started to rise above the city, we were surrounded by gray, though the views were pretty sweet anyway.
Quickly we were above civilization, and the tall, snow-covered trees began to pass. The thing is, you can’t have enough pictures of snow covered trees, so fortunately I had a big memory card.
We rose into the mist, still surrounded by snow-covered trees. There were snowmobile tracks around us and the occasional house. Maybe it was a way-station for those climbing the mountain. And then the mass of a mountain appeared in the distance, and the clouds began to clear. And the sun shone showed us this:
We stopped at another station and left our four-person gondola. Here there was a lodge and it looked like some people were sledding. We were headed to the large gondola – about 40 people – that would take us the rest of the way to the top. Once we disembarked from that vehicle and made our way out into the open, there was really only one word for it.
Wow.
To look into the distance and peak after peak of glacier-carved rock, to look into the valleys and realize that the lakes were clouds, to look down and realize the rock you were standing on was 7,000 feet in the air, it was simply amazing. It brought a whole new level to amazing, a grandeur that only simplicity can create.
| | From the “main level” there were a few excursions up and around the peak. Several of us chose to go up (left) on a path that zigged through snow and zagged through ice. From the top, we saw a mountain sheep or goat on a sun-drenched plateau below. The air up there was clean, fresh, and exhilarating. There’s nothing like a mountain breeze.
Coming down from the summit was a little slippery; I only landed on my butt once. But in the car going down, I got to stand at the front as we were launched back down the mountain. Very cool, in a mild thrill-seeker sort of way.
Back on the ground, walking just didn’t seem the same, and having to find your ticket to leave the sky-ride station was more than a little difficult. One of those realities that you’re not ready to have creep back in after visiting such a wonderland. But we found our cards, and loaded back on the bus, to find our tour guide had rediscovered his inner child and sledded down the mountain. There were a few of us that were jealous, but, all the same, not dressed to go sledding.
Back into the town of Lucerne, we stopped off at the hotel with much of the day left free. I had the walking tour from my guidebook, but walking just didn’t seem the same.
Luzern an der Schweiz (day 6)
I feel I’ve done this quaint Swiss town a disservice by putting off telling my adventures there. When we arrived into town, it was dark. We settled into our rooms at the Hotel Schiller and set off on a walk to the Kapelbrucke – the Chapel Bridge.
The bridge is a relic from a time long past – or at least it used to be until the mid-1990s when a boat tied to it caught fire, burning down most of the bridge. The town, however decided it was important and recreated not only the bridge, but the triangular-shaped paintings fit into the apex of the bridge’s interior roofline. The paintings tell the stories of war, plague and good harvest and are an interesting form for a town history.
The Chapel Bridge stretches across a section of Lake Lucern, which is a bit of a misnomer. The lake is actually one of the Lake of the Four Cantons – a giant lake which touches on three other Swiss states. We crossed it into Old Town, came back across the car bridge and then took the underground route back to the hotel through the train station. This is really just an underground mall with restaurants, souvenir stands and chocolate shops. It was here we found the Internet café, later.
For now it was back to the hotel, however, and wash up for dinner, which was at 6:30. Not a minute before, not a minute after.
The bridge is a relic from a time long past – or at least it used to be until the mid-1990s when a boat tied to it caught fire, burning down most of the bridge. The town, however decided it was important and recreated not only the bridge, but the triangular-shaped paintings fit into the apex of the bridge’s interior roofline. The paintings tell the stories of war, plague and good harvest and are an interesting form for a town history.
The Chapel Bridge stretches across a section of Lake Lucern, which is a bit of a misnomer. The lake is actually one of the Lake of the Four Cantons – a giant lake which touches on three other Swiss states. We crossed it into Old Town, came back across the car bridge and then took the underground route back to the hotel through the train station. This is really just an underground mall with restaurants, souvenir stands and chocolate shops. It was here we found the Internet café, later.
For now it was back to the hotel, however, and wash up for dinner, which was at 6:30. Not a minute before, not a minute after.
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