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Published: September 3rd 2007
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Incredible is the only word I can think of to describe the day we had today. Yesterday, we were given the optional extras talk, and have decided on doing all bar 5 of the extra activities…there are just too many wonderful things to see and do! Today, we made the most of our two chosen extras, starting with a journey up Mount Pilatus. It’s peak is said to look like the face of Pontus Pilot, from biblical times.
The early start was worth it today, as we missed all the traffic, and arrived a bit too early for our train ride up the 7000 foot mountain. I wouldn’t exactly call it a train - it is more a carriage, operated on a cog-wheel system. It is unbelievably steep - a 48 percent gradient! It is the steepest of its kind in the world - and it was AWESOME!!
You sit in a cute red carriage, and are pulled up the mountain, while looking at Lake Lucerne below, and the mountains above. Two were snow-capped, but I didn’t manage to get a clear photo. On the way up you see many cows with the famous bells around their necks, and
we even saw a wild mountain goat, with massive horns, and deer. It was all straight out of ‘The Sound of Music.’ I could just see the Von Trappe kids sitting on the hills, singing with Maria.
There are people (crazy ones) that walk up this mountain daily, just for the fun of it. This takes about 4 hours if you are super-fit! We saw heaps of trekkers heading up the steep hills, using their poles to help them. After about 20 minutes on the ‘train‘, you reach the top of the mountain, and step out into the clouds.
Pilatus has the highest hotel in Europe, as well as two really cool lookouts. After watching a game young man take off from the side of the mountain via hang-glider, into thick fog, we decided to explore the peak, starting with a intriguing, winding passage that led through the mountain itself. We saw the blue Edelweiss flower, and spectacular views from the different vantage points. It is SO high up!
Iz wanted to do the second lookout post, so I watched and waited as he literally ran up to the top and back down. Then it was time
to take our cable car down to the bottom. These machines are amazing, and about 40 of us crammed in like sardines, and took off down the mountainside, suspended in the air, 7000 feet, on a wire. This cable car was actually used in one of the Roger Moore ‘Bond’ movies - COOL! I think he fights Jaws on the top.
You get off halfway down, to swap over into smaller cable cars that only seat 4-6 people. This was much better than the squashy big one, and we zoomed off down the hill in our tiny bubble, taking in the amazing countryside, and swept in over the houses of Lucerne to finish our fabulous ride. I could go up and down in these things all day long!
The next part of the day involved some traditional Swiss music and food. We were bussed to a dining hall to have cheese fondue, and Bratwurst while watching a local group perform many Swiss songs, which included yodelling. It was a four course lunch and we had an absolute ball watching all the different performances, and even got involved.
At one stage, three men brought out the HUGE alpine
horns and gave us a song, very similar to the last post. They then called upon 8 people to come up and give the horn a blow. The lady pointed straight at me, and said, ‘The fair-haired lady at the round table.’ I pretended she was pointing at someone else, until the waiter tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘She means you.’ My table, including Israel - especially Israel - all encouraged me to get up and have a go.
Most of the people were able to make a noise, except for one poor guy from Thailand, and when it was my turn, I listened carefully to the instructions the guy was giving. I was worried that the lettuce I had just eaten was going to come flying out of my mouth, but persevered nonetheless. Just as I was about to blow, he said, ‘You have great lips for this.’ I burst out laughing, and then had to suppress the giggles, to try and make a bloody sound. Thankfully, a deep, low drone came out of the horn and I could sit down with my head held high, with my tour group clapping and cheering…and Izzy giggling like
a nutter!
There was also a yodelling performance given by the tourists, but thankfully, I wasn’t called upon for that! After a very fun lunch, and sore cheeks from laughing so hard, we had a few hours to kill around town, before heading on a lake cruise. We decided to explore the wooden bridge that leads to the Jesuit Church first. This bridge is spectacular…built hundreds of years ago, it is covered in blooming flower boxes, and is over 100 metres long. As you walk through the corridor, you see the painted features in the archways. It is hard to describe how spectacular this bridge, and the view, is - tree lined streets, the clear water, the blue sky, decorative, old buildings…the list goes on.
The Jesuit Church was another surprise…from the outside it looks very unassuming, but once you step in through the green doors, you feel as though you are in the Sistine Chapel. The artwork was amazing…so decadent. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and beautifully decorated rooms set aside for personal worship.
From here, we walked down to the town’s second wooden bridge, smaller than the first, but still very impressive. This
one takes you back into the city centre, where you can shop or just admire the many painted mural walls of the buildings. It is amazing how much pride these people have in their town, and no wonder, when it looks like this.
At 4:00pm, after some people-watching at a local coffee shop, we boarded our boat for an hour cruising Lake Lucerne. It was great having our guide, Jon, serve us drinks, and we sat back and relaxed on the top deck in the sun, celebrating one of the couple’s engagements earlier that day on the top of Mount Pilatus. Congrats Charlene and Jeff! What is it with us and engagements - that’s three now!
The houses around the lake are worth millions of dollars, and the mountains sweep up in the background. Lucerne has been a true eye-opener in terms of the beauty on offer in Europe…and it’s only day five! I can’t even begin to imagine what else is in store.
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Alex
non-member comment
Cable Cars
Hi Chelle, I'm surprised that you enjoyed the cable cars so much - I thought you were scared of rides/heights? The beautiful scenery must have distracted you ;) A