Pilates on Pilatus

It is gorgeous, beautiful, stunning, breath taking, exquisite, and just plain awe-inspiring in Switzerland!

Today we walked around the city of Lucerne (American spelling) which is quite small, but very cute and clean. Many of the buildings are painted with designs and have uniquely swiss roofs. There are lots of small squares where children were playing because they are part of after school clubs (they get out every day at 1! And meet on Sundays too). We saw one square where they used to put on passion plays, which of course got me all excited! Sara took us on a tour around the city because she knows it well. We also saw the old jail/torture building and a famous bridge that crosses next to it.

She took us to a shop that sold swiss army knives and watches which a lot of people bought, but I got postcards and chocolate! And the chocolate of course, is to die for. Next, Lindsey and I walked around and went into the one other store that was open. (EVERYTHING here is closed on Sundays it's crazy. Even most of the restaurants). We strolled along the water and looked at the beautiful mountains. Eventually we stopped to have a sandwich and sit along the waters edge. Also, the conversion rate here is a lot closer to US dollars, BUT it is super expensive. I spent 10 dollars on one sandwich. We meandered for awhile before heading back to the bus for a excursion to Mt. Pilatus.

We took a gondola ride up the mountain (like little cable cars) which was the most stunning view ever. Then we took another, bigger, cable car to the very top. Let's just say at one point we hit a bump on the cable and my stomach dropped and I flipped. We were 7000 ft up with nothing underneath us. The views from the very top were incredible and like nothing I have ever seen before. It was very chilly and had been raining earlier so a little cloudy which stunk. There were 2 peaks we could climb and after we did the first one we headed to the second when it started raining again (The title comes in here...man, it was a work out!!!). We were half way up when we saw some of the group coming down because lightening had hit and the static had passed through them and scared them, so Lindsey and I headed back down the peak! We stopped in the restaurant for dessert...I got a Toberone Parfait which was amazing.

Then we headed back down the mountain on the steepest railway in the world. It, of course, consisted of more beautiful sights. I took about 150 pictures just today... We went back to the hotel for a little bit and then Lindsey and I went to find a place to eat that wasn't 50 franks a person! We settled on a diner with hamburgers, which was just what I wanted. It's a fairly early night, but we have to be up early tomorrow for Munich! Back to Germany we go! I'm so sad to leave Switzerland... definitely coming back for my honeymoon!!