From Budapest, we took a night train to Zurich. We splurged for a 3 person sleeping compartment and had it to ourselves. It was great fun to have slumber party on a train. We crossed through Hungary, Austria and much of Switzerland in style. There were beds that popped out and we were even served breakfast. Not a bad way to travel.
We arrived in Lucerne (Luzern) to a very gray day. Fall is certainly in full swing. The leaves crunched beneath our feet as we walked along the lake. During the fall, it is foggy and clouds settle in at 800-1000 meters. Lucerne got its start in the 12th Century. A monastery and fishing village evolved into the head seat of four cantons. In fact, the formal name of Lake Lucerne is Lake of the Four Forrest Cantons. Lake Lucerne is much easier. Apparently, when it is not cloudy, mountains surround the blue green lake and it is breath taking. At least that is what the post cards and tourism offices advertise. Upon learning of our travel plans, a pompous German said, "This is not the time for Lucerne" in the most imperious and pretentious voice possible. Screw the right time. If we waited for perfect timing on everything, nothing would get done and how much life would be missed? Needless to say, we found a quiet town (with the exception of the fall festival carnival rides) with people rowing on the lake. It has a young population as it is also home to the newest and fastest growing university in Switzerland. It is town based on tourism. In the 1800s, after the advent of the steam engine, travel was suddenly more affordable and possible for commoners. Lucerne became a popular tourist destination and has been ever since. Thomas Cook selected Lucerne as a prime destination for British tourists because it offered spectacular lakeside mountain views. The city also has a medieval bridge, an impressive Baroque Catholic Church and a beautiful lion statue honoring fallen soldiers. One great thing about Lucerne is that it is very family oriented. We noticed how the men especially seemed to be more in tune with their kids and wives. While I have found that Bavaria seems to have the best looking men, Lucerne offers very attractive men as well. I saw several excellent specimens of the XY chromosome. They are fit, out-doorsy, love big dogs and perhaps their most attractive feature is how much fatherhood is embraced. It is a cultural norm. Excellent engineering, family-oriented, active lifestyles, amazing chocolate, high quality standards, and products to last a life-time. I think we could learn a lot from Switzerland.
In order to escape the clouds, you have to climb above them and go into the mountains. Upon hearing this, Melissa and I made a beeline for hills. We took a boat across Lake Lucerne to Hergiswil and hiked to Frankmuntegg. The hike was about three hours and we gained 3,200 feet in elevation. The hike was gorgeous and the clouds were quite low. We actually hiked through the clouds. We heard the jingling of cow bells as the herds grazed nearby. The cow bells are actually needed as the visibility is so poor in the fog and the forests can be quite thick. We hiked along a clear mountain stream cascading its way to the lake below. The peacefulness was shattered by gun shots from a shooting range nearby. Melissa commented, "Tourist practice." (That comment is one of the many reason why I love my friend so much.) We passed through an eerie clump of trees covered with impressive, sturdy spider webs. Even the spiders have embraced the Swiss excellence in engineering and craftsmanship. We were starting to get a bit tired and discouraged, climbing and climbing and climbing up the steep mountainside through the fog. When we finally broke through the clouds, we were first thrilled just to see the sun. And then we saw them. The mountains. The Alps are absolutely incredible. We looked down upon the trees clothed in the colors of fall, out upon seas of gently swelling clouds to see mountain peaks rise majestically, stretching for the heavens. Once, we saw the Alps and the sun, we were filled with renewed energy. I thought of how our strength is found in the joy of the Lord. The Alps, His creation, definitely reflect and inspire joy. From Frankmuntegg, we took the cable car to Mount Pilatus. It clocks in at 7,000 feet and offers phenomenal panoramic views from the summit. While 7,000 feet doesn't sound impressive, it is important to note that we started at our hike at 1,428 feet. That is an impressive elevation gain and it goes straight up. We enjoyed chocolate filled with cognac at the summit and gazed at the beauty before us. It was transcendent - both the chocolate and view would have been enough by themselves but together...? Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot.
To see the view from Pilatus for yourself, follow this link. You can watch a live web cam from the summit.
http://www.pilatus.com/webcam/default-n102-sE.html
Things I Did Not Expect to Do When I Woke Up
Lucerne Edition
Play Scrabble with a German alphabet
Discover how much fun Jenga is after a bottle of wine
Listen to cow bells
Become a chocolate connoisseur
Walk through clouds.
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