A Swiss Fantasy...

I am writing this post while trying to stay awake. If I fail to be coherent, I apologize! I just returned home from Lucerne, Switzerland and have been awake and traveling for 10 hours. Sadly, it is only 4 in the afternoon and not a suitable bed time! My trip to Lucerne was amazing. I think it now ranks as the #1 city I have ever visited (Sorry to Molly I know you wont like this... and to Edinburgh, you are a close second...). My gram and Ralph were/are traveling around southern Europe and asked me to join them along their trip. I chose to meet them in Switzerland partly because it was the dates that worked out for me and also it is the one country they were traveling to that I will not be going to in August on the Hunter's Do Europe Tour. Now, after being there, I am sad that I won't be going back in August. Lucerne was a beautiful city, on the lake and the river, with its horizon decorated by the Swiss Alps. What more could you want in a city?

I flew into Zurich on Tuesday afternoon and hopped the train to Lucern. The train was about an hour, and fairly uneventful- minus the scenery. The houses all look so Swiss, which I know is very lacking in description, but that's OK. The shutters are actually used, they close them, and the houses are all fun colours with good coloured shutters. Here is a picture to help your imagination:


I arrived in Lucerne about 10 to 7. Gram and Ralph met me at the station and it was great to see them. It has been about a year since I had seen them last at our graduation party. We headed back to the hotel and had a before dinner drink. We headed out in the rain to The Old Swiss House, my first ever meal in a 5-star restaurant! The restaurant was so typical Switzerland on the outside, I loved it. I had an Iceberg shrimp salad for my starter, veal with a creamy mushroom sauce (shock- i like mushrooms!), and lemon sherbet in champagne for dessert. We had an amazing Swiss white wine with our meal, and it was the best wine I have ever had. I have the label, so one day when I am rich or am up for a huge splurge I can try to find a bottle. It was one of the most amazing meals I have ever had. So a Big thank you to Gram and Ralph!

The next morning we had a nice breakfast of fresh bread, cheeses, dried fruit which Gram and I identified as peaches and apricots, and tea, and then got our sight seeing started. Our first stop was the Chapel Bridge, built in the early 14th century. We had walked across it on our way home from dinner the night before, but it was cool to see it in daylight. The river and the lake were both so blue/green it was amazing. I felt like I should not be in the middle of the Alps but in the Caribbean somewhere! The water was the coldest water I have ever dipped my hand into, rightfully so since it is all melting snow from the Alps.

After taking pictures of the bridge, we headed up through old town towards the classic Luzern Lion. The monument is called 'The Dying Lion of Lucerne' and it stands carved into a rock wall in memory of the Swiss mercenaries who died at the Tuileries in 1792. Mark Twain called this monument the 'saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world.' While we were there the pool that sits at the base of the lion was being cleaned, so we didn't get the full effect, but it was still pretty neat.


From the Lion we continued around the outside of old town, along the Musegg Wall. The wall was built in 1386 and is still pretty much fully intact today. The wall includes 7 towers, 3 of which you can climb up. The views from along the wall over the city were beautiful! The oldest clock in on one of the towers. We were in the neighboring tower when it rang. This clock is set to ring one minute early, before all the other bells go off around the city. Switzerland is known for their bells, and every hour, it was very obvious why no matter where you were in the city. Part of the walls are up for restoration currently, with a wee path leading behind them. This detour was much welcomed as we walked past a group of highland cows! A momma and baby were so close to the fence and another was close enough I could have petted it if I wanted to. Pretty sweet! The shagginess is so cool! The electric fence that wasn't marked as being electric wasn't quite as cool, although I have a sweet scar from my shock.



We came back into the middle of the city and walked down the River. We stopped and had a wee drink at a cute little sidewalk cafe. Gram ordered a Campari with soda and not knowing what anything else on the menu said, I said I'd have one as well. Gram explained that it was an Italian aperitif that was kinda bitter but good. When it came, bright red and with an orange, I thought it would be good. My first sip was much to my dismay and Gram laughed hysterically at my face, professing her wish to have had a camera! Campari looks much better than it is. But, I drank it, and it got a wee bit better with each sip, though I still don't know that I will ever order it again. An experience none the less.

Next we checked out Korn-Market square where city hall and lots of fresco painted buildings form a quad. City hall's tower was visible from most of the city and was one of my favorite peaks. The building has a farmhouse type roof for weather protection, which is just cool.


Just outside of Kornmarket square was a wee little tourist shop. Gram got a Swiss flag for her safari vest and I took a picture with a silly statue outside. (see Webshots). Our last stop of the day was down on the lakes edge to see the boats. We ended up getting a different view, as the Swiss Air Force gave a bit of an airshow. The red planes were easy to spot, and they did all kinds of swoops and drops around Lucerne. It was fun to keep watching for them and see where they would go and what formation they would make next. Very cool and my first 'air show' if you can count it, which I do! We had dinner that night at a cute little restaurant near our hotel. I had a wonderful pasta dish with broccoli and parma ham. yum.

The next morning, we headed on a day long adventure up the top of Pilatus Mountain, the one visible in all my pictures from the Musegg Wall. We first took a boat ride through Lake Lucerne to end up at the base of the mountain and take a cogwheel railway up the 7,000 feet to the top. The railway was amazingly steep, with our grade of accent ranging from 35-47! And the views were brilliant. Once at the top, we saw the Alps at eye level! It was amazing! We also heard and saw a man play the alphorn, which was so cool. As we headed down after a brilliant lunch outside overlooking the Alps, Gram yodelled for me in the cableway and gondolas. Now that I had seen aplhorn blowing, the Swiss Alps, and heard some yodeling, my trip to Switzerland was complete! Haha.


We had dinner at the same place we had the night before, I got a super huge pizza with bacon and peperoni. It was wonderful. And I drank my first full glass of red wine, Chianti is okay while the rest are just so bitter and musky. Friday morning I left Lucerne on the 7.10 train with Gram and Ralph. Overall it was a wonderful trip and I really do like that place. I would love to go back and I could even live there, minus my lack of German speaking ability. And by lack I mean that I speak more Arabic than German haha.

A huge thank you to my Grandparents (since I know you are avid readers!) It was so wonderful to see you both, to learn about the Hardgrove family history, your travels this trip and all the many before, and to talk through Peace Corp and my future with you. I look forward to spending more time with you both in Charlotte after I am home! LOVE YOU -Lilabit

Now I am back in Belfast and done with my traveling until my family comes in June. I am looking forward to being back here and starting a new placement at The Vine Centre afterschools this week and looking forward to my youth residential next weekend!