There’s romance in the sense of big city Paris, with it’s Eiffel tower and glittering lights, world-class cuisine and glamorous fashions, then there’s romance in the sense of alpine Switzerland; pockets of snow freckle the mountains, each peak scattered with an abundance of fresh, trickling streams; the backdrop to the dongle of cowbells. Hideaway ski resorts tucked around each corner. Hairpin bends through the fir trees… And we haven’t even got to the Stelvio yet.
(Turn up the volume for this one. We thought we could hear gimmicky chimes coming from a souvenir shop, but it was actually the sound of a hundred cows on the mountainside!)
Just crossing the border will bring an immediate change in tempo. Switzerland is a stand-out state from the rest of Europe. It has the charm of a 700 year old nation, but is cleaner than even our own baby Australia, at only 100 years of age. It has somehow remained quiet, calm, and refined throughout the years, paying no heed or homage to the wars raging around it. A single, neutral haven; a Lothlorien of sorts. There are no beggars or homeless in the streets. There is a distinct lack of pollution, and not even a whiff of waste emerging from the gutters. This is no Naples. No wonder the Swiss are so proud of their country – the iconic red cross hangs everywhere we go.
Lucerne, in particular, is pristine. By night, the cobblestones of it’s medieval center are washed down with a hose. By day, the only litter in the crystal-clear waters of the lake are soft, white, swan feathers. They bob gently on the surface; the water beneath sparkling like champagne in the September sun.
The water is so clear you can see the bottom of the lake.
We jump on a cruise boat around the lake, munching on ice-cream and taking in the luxury of our surrounds. City-side, the grand casino and 5 star hotels have front-row seats to the lake in all its glory; mountain-side, the glistening white caps of the alps peek through the thick alpine forests, overlooking the sailboats and summer houses of those lucky enough to afford it. Imagine, living in the shadow of the mountains, waking up to this every day!
On the other side of Lucerne is Chapel Bridge, one of the most famous attractions in Switzerland. Sitting diagonally across the water, and crowned by its tower, it is not only the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe, but (IMHO) by far the prettiest; draped with tiny, pink blossoms, and adorned with 17th Century paintings – no wonder the swans flock to it. The graceful creatures gather under it’s timber feet, nibbling at the crumbs dropped by camera-ready tourists.
The bridge survived a catastrophic fire in 1993, during which most of its beautiful paintings were destroyed.
View of the town from the bridge.
The swans of Lucerne are the epitome of their home town; such elegant beings, pure and graceful right down to their feather-tips.
On the outskirts of the town is another spot not to miss – the Lion Monument pays tribute to 800 Swiss Guards who gave their lives to defend King Louis XVI during the 1792 French Revolution.
The inscription beneath the statue reads; “To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss“.
Mark Twain, touched by the monument, called it “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world“. And I’d have to agree with him. There are only three statues that strike a chord with me, two of them are in the Louvre, the Lion Monument joins them without a doubt. Twain also writes in his book, A Tramp Abroad;
“The Lion lies in his lair in the perpendicular face of a low cliff — for he is carved from the living rock of the cliff. His size is colossal, his attitude is noble. His head is bowed, the broken spear is sticking in his shoulder, his protecting paw rests upon the lilies of France. Vines hang down the cliff and wave in the wind, and a clear stream trickles from above and empties into a pond at the base, and in the smooth surface of the pond the lion is mirrored, among the water-lilies.
Around about are green trees and grass. The place is a sheltered, reposeful woodland nook, remote from noise and stir and confusion — and all this is fitting, for lions do die in such places, and not on granite pedestals in public squares fenced with fancy iron railings. The Lion of Lucerne would be impressive anywhere, but nowhere so impressive as where he is.”
The lion is laying upon a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the French monarchy, beside him is a shield bearing the coat of arms of Switzerland.
It is hard to say when Lucerne is most enjoyable. We sip on a mid-afternoon sangria at one of the lake-side restaurants, noting how well-prepared the owners are for their winter clientele;
Feast on fondue and wine for dinner (dining small, considering Switzerland is one of the most expensive places to visit!);
And stroll the streets of the town by night, stopping to take more photos of the bridge by moonlight;
Regardless of how you wile away your time in this magnificent little town, it’s safe to say Lucerne deserves more than just one brief day.
We’ll be back soon enough.
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