Lucerne: 24th July 2009-07-24
After having some beautiful weather for the last couple of days we woke to a grey drizzly day and after leaving our riverside campsite drove the short distance to Lucerne We arrived in Lucerne on for the early morning rush hour and after getting the confused directions from the GPS we decided it would be easier to find a place to park and then go in by bus or train. We found a camper stop place in the next town of Kriens which is a very convenient 5 min train ride to the central station. It’s not the prettiest place to park as it is only a part of a business car park, but it is safe and convenient and we don’t plan on sitting around enjoying the sights of the office blocks and car dealers anyway. We do however have a nice view of Mt Pilatus which is the craggy mountain overlooking Lucerne and is one of the tourist options around here where you can go up on a cable car or a steep cog railway to view 360o views over the countryside.
The first thing we did though when we got to Kriens was find the McDonalds (not hard as it was right around the corner from the camp site) so that we could call family and check out emails etc. I didn’t think we would be looking for Macca’s so regularly on our trip but it does have free wireless internet in France and Switzerland so it is very convenient to drive in and park and do our business in the comfort of the camper. We don’t even have to go in except it is an opportunity to use their toilets and occasionally we buy a coffee.
Once we had set up and had some lunch we caught the train to Lucerne, a very short trip in the nicest, cleanest trains we have come across so far. We arrived at the main train station and after checking out the tourist information office we went for a walk around the old town, across the famous Chapel Bridge (built in 1333) and up to the old ramparts and towers for views over the town and lake. Lucerne old town is a lovely walk with lots of buildings which have very interesting structural features and very elaborate painted facades.
Thursday we organised a train trip into the Alps, we made this a day trip and had to change trains 4 times up to Oberalp-pass where we had a short walk and then a coffee, sitting with views of the mountains and lake. On the way back down in the train we noticed the weather was getting worse and found out that while we were away there had been quite a ferocious storm with lots of hail. Just as well that didn’t happen while we were on the mountain.
Today the rain has cleared and the weather looks to be getting better so after talking to family on the net and updating our blog (as you see) we plan to take the cable car up to Mt Pilatus where we will have a picnic lunch. Then we have booked to go out for tea tonight at a Swiss restaurant in the old part of town and celebrate my birthday so that will be nice.
