Day 12, Lucerne Switzerland

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Day 12: Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
Lucerne, Switzerland

Morning has broken, like the first morning. From our hotel room window, we're able to see some of the mountains and already I'm in love. While our hotel is in Lucerne, we are a ways away from the hub of it so we get back on the bus and it takes us into town. This is something we will soon get use to because Contiki saves us money by booking hotels that aren't close to the action (with a few exceptions).

Lucerne is adorable/gorgeous/many other words I feel like I've used too many times. First up is an excursion that will take us up the Mt. Pilatus via cable car. Unfortunately, while it is gorgeous in Lucerne, the weather up yonder isn't that great and they move the excursion to the afternoon. Unfortunately for me, that means I will have to bow out of the lunch excursion where vast amounts of fondue will be consumed. The thought of eating cheese and other sauces and then being stuck in a cable car for over 40 minutes doesn't sit well with me. So, Dave is cool with that and removes me from the lunch excursion but leaves me on for the mountain excursion later on.

We get back on the bus and it takes us into "downtown" Lucerne where Dave gives us a mini tour of the town explaining it's history and the different buildings/bridges. He points out a store, Harry's, where everyone can load up on watches and swiss army knives, use the Internet, or use a free bathroom. Another quick, and unfortunately negative note, about Europe- you can't walk into any restaurant and ask them if you can use their restroom. You have to find public toilets and then pay. For those of us with temperamental stomachs, hunting for bathrooms and digging for change doesn't please us. I wander with the gang for a bit but then they head off to the lunch excursion so I explore on my own. First up, I want to walk up to the Musegg Wall which is the wall that used to surround the town. Per Dave, the view up there is amazing and you can walk on the wall. Unfortunately, today was some holiday in Lucerne and while the banks and post offices were open, the wall decided to close down to celebrate this holiday. I was still able to walk thru a door to the other side of the wall and see some of the views, but I couldn't go up on the wall and yell at people "I fart in your general direction" (Monty Python).

I head back down the hill (yes, still limping) and continue exploring and shopping. I find a couple of scarves that are soft and luxurious. (Of course, that was now 10 days ago and I have since worn these scarves non-stop and they need to be burned.) Also, I'm trying to get a Christmas ornament in each country so I find a gaudy small cow bell decoration and make it mine. Since I'm skipping breakfast these days due to my crabby stomach, I grab a croissant and sit and watch the river go by. Twenty minutes later, my stomach informs me that it was not pleased with the croissant.

The lunch excursion ends so I meet back up with the group and Dave informs us that the mountain is still experiencing some wind so we can only go halfway up and the view is okay. Luna (Toronto) and myself (Rochester) decide we have seen snow before so we continue shopping while everyone else goes halfway up and plays in about 2 inches of snow. As I mentioned before, it's beautiful here so another P.O.N. was done. Sorry Mom, I'll get you in warmer climate eventually. A fun little twist though, some local ducks thought I was trying to feed them when I scattered her in the water by the bridge. Makes me think of the parody of Stars and Stripes "because a duck may be somebody's mother." Now, so true!

Luna and I end our walk about by visiting the Lion Monument (real name is Gletschergarten Lowendenkmal which is as much fun to say as it is to spell!) This was a monument set up to honor the Swiss guards that died trying to protect King So and So when everyone else wanted King So and So dead. King So and So told the guards to lay down their arms so that the people wouldn't hurt them/kill them and King So and So called that one wrong big time. I don't mean to diminish it's significance, it was beautiful and touching, but, as I've previously discussed, history and I don't get along.

We meet up with the rest of the group and head back to the hotel where we relax and prepare for our drive tomorrow to Nice!

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Photos

A family tree that continues to be added to.
Painted on the front of a building.

Paintings inside Chapel Bridge
Unfortunately, in the 90's some kids decided to light up on the bridge and burned down most of it so most of the paintings are recreations.

Comments

[Callie]

i love the mountains! gorgeous!! :)

[Chris]

You sabotaged the cable car and trapped your group on the mountain for days?
Dump everything out of your back pack, load it with the afore mentioned watches and knives... and CHOCOLATE... and come home immediately. Go light on the knives and watches.

[edna]

So glad that you have been fortunate to have met some great people on your trip. I agree your mom would have been grabbing those towels too.