In a country where chocolate is a prime food, it really is difficult to decide which one you want.

I have ben too busy having fun in Barcelona to spend time on the computer, but I guess it's time now, so here we go.

I love Switzerland. It's really beautiful with alps in every eyesight. as I have already said, the train ride was a beautiful journey in itself. I was also right to be concerned about the weather... I had 2 out of 3 days where it rained. It started to rain after I had arrived and checked in to the backpackers, but it was just a little sprinkle. I ha a really long train ride, and was using that day as a travel day, so I only went far enough to get food (and to see the Kapellbrücke (the Chapel Bridge) from a distance). I slept well that night, after Vienna I'm really not surprised.

Kapellbrücke

 

The next morning I actually had to check out of the backpackers, and go to another place. I didn't love the backpackers, but once I got the the B&B, I missed it so much. I ended up hating the place and spent as much time outside, despite the rain, as I could. So after checking in I went out with my map, in search for the Löwendenkmal  ('Dying Lion of Luzern') and to walk across the Kapellbrücke, and see everything else! I was really looking forward to Switzerland, an I wanted to make sure that I saw everything! I was so determine to see everything that i didn't care if I rained. Oh, how it rained! The Kapellbrücke is really cool, on the inside, at the top, there are triangle boards that have a painted history of Luzern on them. They show a mix between the Renaissance and farm country Switzerland. On the other side of the river I looked at the market full of cheeses, veggies and fruit and fish and wander up into a square and followed the streets. Seeing a it was raining I took every opportunity to stay dry by going into all the shops. By this time my feet were soaked through and my jeans were fairly damp, too. I took a walk up to the cit wall thinking that the Löwendenkmal  was there, clearly I misunderstood my map, but enjoyed the wall, and climbed up one of the towers and looked over Luzern from the city boarder.

walking across the Kapellbrücke

 One of many decorated walls in the city

 The city wall

The view of Luzern from the city wall

A lady instructed me where to go for the Löwendenkmal and also said, "it's not a good day to get lost on". I replied, "my shoes are already wet, so a little more isn't a deal". I found the Löwendenkmal and now understand why Mark Twain claimed that it was the "most moving peice of rock". It really is splendid, and possibly more, beautiful and amazing and breath-taking than Michaelangelo's 'Davide'. The Gletschergarten (Glacier Museum) was right next to the Löwendenkmal so I figured that I would go there, feel like I'm education myself about glaciers, weather, the alps and science, but really I just wanted to go I the mirror maze! It was nice feeling like I was learning something, not that I have really retained much (a lot of the descriptions were in German). I climbed a look out tower, took some photos and then went to the mirror maze. I felt like I was in a Goosebumps novel; it was kind of freaking, not knowing where to go, seeing 3 Emme(pl) (I'm sure some of you wouldn't mind 3 of me :) ). Despite going in the wrong way, and the goosebumbs-ness, it was pretty cool. Thankfully I didn't walk into a mirror (I was taking it pretty cautiously anyway) and there were some kids running around so I sometimes followed them. After the Gletschergarten I needed to go and by some new shoes. I figured that cheap would be good, as long as the would stay relatively dry. I found in H&M a pair of 10CHS sneakers a a pair of jeans for 15CHF. So I snapped them up along with a pretty groovy shirt for my own little kicks.

Rugged up and damp at the Löwendenkmal

I had trouble finding lunch, it's pretty much all chocolate, pastries and expensive self serve,  but I found a sandwhich and went back to the hostel to shower and be dry and warm again. I cooked some dinner, and that night I discovered how homesick I was. I felt 100% isolated in my hostel, there were about 16 girls to ONE shower/bathroom combined, and I  was kept awake by there chatting at 1130! I even had to wait 1/2 and hour to pee, so in the end I politely asked if I could cut in the line to use the bathroom, and the lady asked, "you have to pass urine?". That was pretty much breaking point. I finally got to sleep and then the next morning I woke up still feeling homesick. It get worse... Breakfast was fried rice and a fried egg, and they didn't have any cereal, milk or bread... Luckily I had brought with me my cereal from Wien, so I at least had dry museli and a cup of tea. I was really looking forward to having a full breakfast because I was spending the morning on Pilatus Klum.

So I was pretty looking forward to getting high away from the hostel, and with my EuRail pass I got a fairly reasonable discount on the 'golden round trip' ticket. But, no, I had to actually use one of my travel days to get the discount, despite my booklet saying otherwise. I worked out that I still would have enough travel days even if I used it for the Pilatus Klum trip, and I didn't not want to go up the mountain, so I (reluctantly) used a travel day and sat a waited reading Huckleberry Finn, and chat to a lovely old couple from England. It was nice to hea the English language, and it settled me a bit.

The boat ride along Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Luzern) was beautiful. It was a bit chilly though, and I didn't feel that I had enough clothes on. The boat took 90minutes and it went all over the river, picking up more passengers at a number of different ports. It finally got to the cogwheel rail stop, and I went and lined up to board the steepest ever cogwheel rail train. It was a slow and peaceful journey up the mountain, some times at a 47% incline. I looked back out the carriage and day the beautiful lake, with green mountains an a blue sky behind it. The ride up the mountain only got colder! It took about 30 minutes, and I really enjoyed it. We saw many bikers on out way up, and I felt a bit guilty for not hiking, but really, I am not a hiker and I don't not have a) hiking gear or b) 4hours to climb up a hill of 47% incline for over 2kms. That was a nice thought; I was comfortable and relaxed. We passed through a cloud and I was freaking cold after that. I really wanted a hot chocolate to warm me up, but instead I hit on of the trail walks for about 40minuts. I was freezing through, and I had trouble feeling my feet. I was all wrapped up, and had my Carlton scarf wrapped patriotically around my face (it is delightfully warm). I felt a little bit like Frodo and Sam walking around the mountains, with all the fod and cloud around me. It was very gloomy. It took about 2nd before I actually started to feel my toes again, and I reached the highest part of Pilatus Klum. I was in a cloud. The clouds started to part and I could see the top of a mountain with snow on it! That was pretty cool. Then I walked back to the cafe. When I saw the price of someones coffee I decided it was one to take the cable car back again. It was great being up there, but I was hungry and didn't want to spend my savings on the food there. The cable car was fun. First it was like a shuttle car, and it just moved ou of the top to the part where the proper cable cars were to take you to Kriens. A quick descent into the abyss, nah, just through the clouds, and then I got in the real cable car, alone, to journey back to ground level. It was a nice ride, through the trees and then I heard these familiar bells. I looked down into a small paddock and I see the cows merrily shaking the necks and about 20 bells dinging and donging. It was loud, but very cool. They are very cool cows!

On Lake Luzern

 All the cloud on Mt Pilatus

 Snow on the mountains, the view from Mt Pilatus

 

the cows and their bells!

I took the bus back into Luzern, and then walked around for only a little bit. It was hot back in civilization so I wanted to get changed before I did anything more. On my way back to the hostel I saw everybody sitting in the park, or playing ball games, racquet games, card games, and I though that it was excellent. I also really wanted to go for a run, and there is a althletics track not fat either. So I decided to compromise. I went home and changed into my running gear, took my book and my drink bottle to the track had a run (it felt so god) and then rewarded my self with Huckleberry Finn in the park. It was such a lovely afternoon and everybody seemed so happy and chilled. I wen home when it started to get a bit chilly and showered, had dinner and then sat by the lake reading until the sun was pretty far down. It was so peaceful by the lake. That night I went to bed after ever one else because then they wouldn't be keeping me awake.

I wanted to go to Bern on the Monday, and so I checked the tickets online for prices. It was only 36CHF return, so that was alright. I got up and rushed to the train station to buy a ticket, but then the lady said it was 72CHF for a return ticket. I was a little shocked, and said that on the Internet it was only 36 her reply was, "that's on the Internet". Switzerland, I really love you, but this inconsistency is costing you a bit of my love. I was not going to spend €61/AU$90 for 2 hours of train time in the same country, I don't care how amazing the SBB CFF  FFS is! So I told her that I couldn't go. So instead, and for only €24, I was a dork and went to the Verkehrshaus (transport museum), which is the most visited museum in Switzerland, by the way. I took a supposedly 30minute walk around to the other side of the lake to get there. I was a nice walk, but I was concerned about the weather. The museum was kinda cool, and it was very interactive; all the kids were having a blast. I spent a few hours there, looking at trains, trams, aeroplanes, boats... It started raining quite heavily while I was in there, and een when I decided to leavebit was raining, so I had to wait for it to calm down. I took my walk back around the lake, went by the lion again for the last time (or now) an then went back to the hostel. I had to get everything organized to leave the next day, but it didn't take long because I didn't even bother to unpack. I spent the evening by the river having an amazing dinner at a Swiss restaurant, and then picked up some Movenpick icecream on the way home to eat on my last walk of the lake.

 the Lake Luzern beach

the boats all docked on the lake

I had an OK nights sleep, but was good to get out of the hostel. I literally hated the peope there. I felt like I was being judged and talked about everytime I walked into a room with people. I was sick of getting woken up at 0445 by the rude lady who felt that it was ok to take phone calls at this absurd hour while in a dorm with 11 other people.

I took the train into Zürich, put my bags in a locker at the aeroport, and went back into Zürich city and walked around for a few hours. It is nice there., I liked the clocks. I have a fascination with clocks and watches. I was at the aeroport fairly early because I was having a mild freak out that I could print off my boarding pass. But I had a tea in a lounge there, and rea some of my book, successfully checked in, and went duty free shopping in Hermès and Burberry, before being able to board my flight to the sun, the beach, Barcelona.

 Zürich

Clocks in Zürich

 The main shopping strip in Zürich

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