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Published: January 9th 2006
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Snow-top roofs
I want a holiday house like that. We were posed with this question - why doesn't Switzerland need to spend that much money on advertising/tourism (compared to Malaysia and her
Malaysia Truly Asia campaign, for example), and yet the world all over knows where Switzerland is (it's in Europe), knows its currency (Swiss francs as well as the Euro), and you know ... basically knows
of Switzerland?
We didn't get the answer. I think we were supposed to hang around the country and then find out for ourselves. About 2 weeks after we left Switzerland, my brother asked me again, and I thought, "Oh yeah. Forgot to think about it."
I think its neutral status has got a lot to do with it.
Well, whatever it was, we arrived in Lucerne at night. It was soooo good hearing English again. The Swiss speak a whole bunch of languages and thus not only speak English, but also French, Italian and German. And also something called Romansh but I've never heard it so I shall remain blissfully ignorant. "Romansh? Romansh? Errr, parlez-vous anglais?" hahahaa.
Possibly the ONLY thing I know of Switzerland apart from their neutral status is that they make good watches. So naturally we
Lucerne by the river Reuss
Ironically enough, no Swiss flag to show. were ushered into a watch shop. They didn't have Swatch and I headed over to the souvenir store. I got a little flag pin of the Swiss flag and mum got a Swarovski ring. I don't even know how to spell it. One of the other girls got the same ring. Not that it's very Swiss or anything but they liked it. It sounds Polish, if you ask me.
We wandered about the city area after that, and saw the really old bridge. Like 1333 old. It's made of wood. The bridge is called the Chapel Bridge, and there is an octagonal Water Tower.
So back to the hotel it was. I was probably at the peak of my illness by then. I remember the room we had, because it had a slanted ceiling and I had a dream about my mother showing me a secret bedroom in the attic that had a slanted ceiling. In short, it was cool. And I talk about the hotel room because I had to stay there that night as my parents won't let me go out. I had to get over my cold or else I would never get over it
Two famous landmarks of Lucerne
The Water Tower and Chapel Bridge in the cold European weather.
I was thinking NOOOOO because I didn't think we would have time in the morning to ourselves, and I had wanted to see the Lion of Lucerne. So off
they went to see the monument dedicated to the fallen Swiss mercenaries of Tuileries in 1792, and off I went to sleep. Harumph.
The next morning, we were brought to the shore of Lake Lucerne which was rather pretty and calm, but it was very foggy too so those who went for the lake boat ride probably didn't see too much. HA-HA. We had some time to ourselves after all (hooray!) and off we went to see the Lion again. Apparently it was a disappointment last night because it was a fair way away, and it was far too dark to see anything (and it gets dark at 4:30pm during winter in Europe).
And my, is Mark Twain right or is Mark Twain right?.
For this is not only the Lion of Lucerne. This is the Dying Lion of Lucerne. It breaks your heart looking at it, for it is such a sad carving. At the top there is an inscription saying
By the lake
Poor bare trees! helvetiorum fidei ac virtuti which apparently in Latin means "To the Loyalty and Courage of the Swiss". See how long-winded English can be.
BUT IT IS SO SAD!
Ja, we move away from the lion now.
We were brought Bucherer, the sole guaranteed distributor of Rolex or something like that. This Swiss trip is starting to sound suspiciously like a Chinese one (you know, they bring you to shops and then earn commission for bringing tourists there). We all got Rolex spoons as souvenirs. And I got a bar of Swiss milk chocolate so that's got to be good. I was watching two docos on the plane about chocolate - one on Belgian chocolate, and the other on Swiss. Apparently it was the Swiss who discovered how to add milk to chocolate. Well I say kudos to the Swiss because I like my milk chocolate. In fact I will go and have some now.
AND THEN! And then off we go to Mount Titlis! It took a 9-year-old to make Mount Titlis sound dirty.
But how gorgeous is the place! I mean look at the pictures. You look at the pictures and immediately stories about
The Lion of Lucerne
Oh the tears begin! yodelling and cows come to mind. Have you ever heard the joke about where yodelling came from? If you haven't then you'll have to hear it. I thought it was really funny.
See the picture with the house, and the really tall tree in front of it? It's got ribbons and things on it, and it's saying that that house has had a new baby in it! Hooray for fertile Swiss people!
Most of Mount Titlis was too cold to remember, because it was that cold. I was wearing I think 8 layers. Let's see, 3 layers of chesties, one cotton jumper, one wool jumper, one college jumper, one hooded sweater, and a large coat. POSSIBLY MORE. It was freaking freezing. I should've worn two layers of socks.
We went up via this cable car thing, and it got colder and colder and my parents were very, very impressed with the view. It was beautiful. We saw people skiing and snowboarding and everything, and they looked so professional, and for a fleeting moment I wish I could ski. But not really.
And then came the ice flyer. Now, the ice flyer is a waste of time
For the Swiss mercenaries
Pity my hands were so shaky. and money but at least I can say ... I've been on the ice flyer! It's basically another cable car ride but not in an enclosed space like a real cable car. And I must stress that IT WAS FREEZING. Like AJAJAJAJAJAJA sort of freezing! Like HELL I BETTER HAVE A DAMN GOOD STORY TO WRITE AFTER THIS sort of freezing.
I don't really have a good story to tell, except that my brother very cleverly skipped the ice flyer, and went to a restaurant with hot steaming food. My feet were so numb from being in the snow that I was really actually afraid that I might get frostbite. Actually I was afraid that my toes were going to die and fall off but they didn't.
We took a fair few pictures and I think the pretty snow ones don't need too much explaining.
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