Thursday, Sep3: Luzern, Switzerland

After a superb breakfast in the hotel we set out on foot through the heart of Altstat (old town).  I love the way Europeans do cities with pedestrian walkways.  The automobile takes a back seat.

Our destination is the Lion Monument, a stone sculpture of a dying lion set in the cliffside and to which Mark Twain said is the "most mournful".

As you can see, Beverly is very mournful as well.  But not dying!

On the way back we stop by a chocolatier

and have coffee and chocolate at a sidewalk cafe.

We stop by the very famous Kappelbrucke bridge, a covered bridge across the river built in the 1300s (?) to defend the town.  We got a few pictures interspersed among the very many Asian visitors who were also taking pictures.

Beverly even helped one group take their picture.

Next up was the Rosengart Museum exhibiting the Rosengart family's collection of mostly modern artwork of Picasso and Klee but also a fair amount of Impressionist works.  No pictures allowed inside.

We take a boat cruise on Lake Lucerne, the heart of Switzerland, with views of Piz Pilatus and Piz Rigi.

On our way back to the hotel, Beverly spies a bakery having macaroons.

Before heading to dinner, we figured a little quiet time in the hotel room with wine and chocolate was in order.  Besides, it wasn't 6PM yet so the restaurants weren't open.

Dinner this evening was in one of our hotel restaurants

where Beverly dined on quail duo (two kinds) with grilled peaches and barley chutney

and I had meatloaf with red wine sauce and parsley mashed potatoes.

Tomorrow we head off for the Alps for the first time taking the train to St. Moritz.  We have two train transfers so tomorrow will be an adventure.  We will usually have about five minutes to get off of one  train, find the appropriate track and get back on the next train (which will be on time!).  We will need to be on our game.  This is the reason for the single carry on size suitcase.