I had the
privilege of visiting Lucerne and Mt. Rigi in 1993. It was the quintessential Swiss
experience—one which still lingers with me.
Lucerne is located on the northern end of Lake Lucerne. Surrounded by a medieval wall, the turreted
buildings and famous covered bridge, Kapellbrϋcke, make Lucerne a pleasure to
visit. In fact, it was so charming, I
was content just walking around town, and felt no need to buy anything but a
coffee and pastry.
After enjoying a
stroll around Lucerne, make sure to visit nearby Mt. Rigi. Something unique about Mt. Rigi is that there
is a train going all the way to the summit!
It is a wonderful ride, and the scenery is breathtaking on the way up as
well as at the summit. After a ride up,
I and my companions hiked down Mt. Rigi.
Make sure and wear comfortable shoes if you chose to do this; the hike
is steep. I still hear my Swiss hostess
exclaiming, “Die Sona bludet” (Sona is bleeding) when I showed her my torn-open,
blood blisters.
If you are lucky
enough (as I was) you could be treated to a rest area on the way down Mt. Rigi
where an alpenhorn or alpenhorns are playing, and a hot coffee with a shot of
the good stuff is served (by good stuff I think you know that I mean
alcohol—what alcohol in particular, I am still unclear to this day).
All the way down
Mt. Rigi were light brown cows with dewy, soft, expressive, and somewhat
imploring eyes. The sound of cowbells is
to me the sound of Mt. Rigi. I don’t
know how the Swiss and Switzerland do it—though a path has been traversed
numerous times, it can somehow appear as if you are the first visitor
there—pristine and untouched. The same
is true of Swiss cities—both the French-speaking and German-speaking. It is as if a centuries-old place was just
built recently—neat as a pin and ever inviting.
Another wonderful thing about Switzerland is that it has something to
offer every season of the year.
World-class skiing, idyllic countryside and towns, and friendly
residents beckon year-round.
Is a visit to
Switzerland in your future? International Vacation Home Exchange has
several luxuryhome exchanges available. Plan your
ski vacation or simply relax in the summer.
See how it works.
Thanks to travel
writer Sona Schmidt-Harris – Follow her on Twitter @Sonag2000
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