Friday 10 October 2014

Lucerne!

Long, tedious Coach trips can be brutal, But when point B is Lucerne, Switzerland you just don't seem to mind as much. Especially when everything slowly starts to become blanketed by a white substance called snow!
Living on the South Coast of Australia means i have had very little opportunity to see a town covered in snow. Skiing doesn't really cut it for me. I mean actually living surrounded by snow, your roof covered by it and your driveway needing to be shoveled because of it. Lucerne gave me a portion of that experience and i'll be forever grateful.

We stayed at the Swiss Mountain Hotel, aptly named as it is literally half way up the mountain. After a terrifying trip in the coach, winding around too narrow one lane roads with a mountain on one side and air on the other.


When people talk about snow they gush about the softness and the fluffyness of snow, but what they always seem to forget to mention is all the frozen ice that comes with it. And when you're lugging a backpacking backpack across ice and up stairs it becomes an issue. I almost lost myself more than once.


 Lucerne is famous for its scenery and buildings, notably the Wooden Chapel Bridge, Harry's Shop and the Lion Monument. But probably most notably for Mt Rigi.


It takes three stages of cable cars to reach the peak. And for someone who isn't the greatest fan of heights it can be a challenge to get in that last group cable car. Though let me say, going up is a hell of a lot easier than coming back down.




The end result is however worth every second of unease. But again, watch out for that ice because it's Everywhere.

The Wooden Chapel Bridge, or The Kapellbrücke, is another spectacular monument. The bridge runs diagonally across the Reuss River and was named after St. Peter's Chapel which is nearby. The bridge has become such a landmark because of the interior paintings which date back to around the 17th Century. Though the old bridge and many of the paintings were destroyed in a fire in 1933 and were subsequently restored.

It's incredible. I end up saying that about most everything i saw while overseas, but that doesn't subtract from the fact that's it's beyond true. Especially when you live in an essentially 'new' town. that has maybe three or four historical buildings or landmarks.

Harry's Shop Is actually two shops across from one another. A souvenir shop and a Swiss watch and army knife shop. While admittedly i have no need for a Swiss army knife i couldn't go past the Novelty of owning a Swiss army knife. Especially a white army knife as the white knifes are only sold in Switzerland making it, for me, even more special.

And lastly The Lion Monument. This monument is dedicated Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti or "To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss" and sits in a semi-secluded area and at night is very poorly lit, however the majesty of the lion is undeniable.

Top it all off with an extreme overload of genuine Swiss chocolate and you have the perfect couple of days.

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