Lucerne

On arriving in Lucerne we made a bee line via the supermarket for lunch by the lake. A little bit of housekeeping / admin at the post office was necessary before we visited the beautiful and tragic dying lion war memorial carved out of the cliff.

On our way back into town Steve made the critical decision to ensure Camilla is fully prepared for all that life could throw at her by selecting the ultimate Swiss army knife. We walked around the remaining fortifications high on the hill then went on to admire the wooden bridges with paintings in the eves, including the famous rebuilt 16th century bridge that burnt down. Impressed with the complex river management system still in use we finished the day with a multicultural dinner. We call it this because the vegetables were from Switzerland, goulash from Czech Republic, German dumplings, cooker purchased in France and gas from Austria.

Day 1 - Lucerne 12 July

Our hope for thismorning was to be able to see Mount Pilatus clear of clouds in brilliant sunshine, and we weren't dissapointed. One of the great benefits of campgrounds is that they often have good discounts on local attractions. Today we spoilt ourselves with the 'Golden Roundtrip' ticket.

The adventure began with an hour and a half ride on a 1902 steam paddleboat from our campsite across the lake to the base of Pilatus. In perfect condition the entire engine bay was open to inspect with the enormous steel piston rods and shafts churning silently. Communication with the captain on the bridge was also in the days of old with the horn and lever. The highlight was still to come with a 40 minute ride on the worlds steepest cogwheel railway (48 degrees) which took us to almost 3000 metres.

It was very cold and windy conditions yet we enjoyed crystal clear views of the surrounding mountains, the city of Lucerne and lake below. Finding a suitable precipice following our exploration of the summit we fell into reading LOTR and watching the clouds soar up the mountain and over our heads. We returned to the thicker air below via 2 very long cable cars and a trolley bus back into town. Pilatus is highly recommended and the railway is an unforgettable fantastic feat of engineering (seen in the background).

Our evening entertainment had been planned in advance, well in advance. It was made clear by Camilla prior to our departure from Sydney that wherever we are in the world, we WILL find an English cinema for the premiere of Harry Potter V, Order of the Pheonix. The movie was worth the wait and we are now even moreso looking forward to the release of the 7th and final book.

To top off a magical day we ate dinner with the swans down by the river next to the famous bridges. Camilla didn't make friends with the swans so easily today (probably as she would not share dinner), as they made obvious with their repeated hissing until they got bored and drifted downstream. Lucerne is a must see on any visit to Switzerland as we have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this gorgeous little town.