Unfortunately, the weather here (Switzerland and vicinity) is very unpredictable. Last week, I got caught in a cold downpour wearing strappy leather sandals and a summer dress without an umbrella or coat -- and it was a sweaty 80+ degrees earlier that afternoon! On 6/13, the weather forecast was at least straightforwardly gloomy; so, my travel buddy Alex and I decided to go somewhere close to Zurich to hedge our bets.
And we made an excellent choice: if there were ever a charmingly bucolic shire that a translucent curtain of rain actually enhanced, Lucerne would be it. One of its famous landmarks is a lion carved in stone, which commemorates the Swiss Guards massacred during the French Revolution. Mark Twain called this Lion Monument "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world" and, despite the smile that I have in the picture below, I did feel like hugging the poor thing.
In the many bodies of water, I saw swans, ducks and other water birds. Most were very bold and walked right up to us in search of food. Along the twisting paths around town, I also saw cows with very shaggy coats. I guess that explains why they didn't seem to mind the chilly drizzle that came and went.
Lucerne is such a beautiful town at the perfect distance away from Zurich (45 minutes by train feels just far enough away to escape, but not so far that you've wasted most of your day on travel) that I will certainly go back to visit again.
I particularly enjoyed my lunch at a cute cafe by the river, where a toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich and an earthy vegetable soup warmed me right up. And since I seem to be starting a pattern of ending with desserts, here is the do-it-yourself hot chocolate that I had never before encountered. I loved watching the dark cocoa dissolve into the frothy milk, and nibbling on the chocolate biscuit in anticipation!
For Lucerne pictures, click here.
