Lake Lucerne

Saturday October 20. We could not have had a better day for a cruise on Lake Lucerne. In the early mornings, there is a mist over the village, but as the sun rises it dissipates, and the temperature rises to the high teens. We arrived in Lucerne about 10 am,and I was astonished by the design of the buildings which line the river. The fronts were all decorated with wonderful paintings. The farmers' market was lining both sides of the river. The fruits and vegetables look great, though in Europe they don't seem to require perfection, and some had some blemishes. Every apartment seems to have a balcony, so there are a great many potted plants displayed, and there were many examples at the market. It inspired me to go to the local garden-flower shop when we got home and get a potted plant for Maria's patio. I was assured that it would last through the winter and bloom in February!

After the market, we walked across the river through a covered bridge and boarded a cruise ship for a 3 hour trip down the length of Lake Lucerne. The views from the boat were wonderful, and since we had an all round view, and were going at a slow speed, I could really appreciate the mountains, and the lake, which was a beautiful teal green. We passed by Rigi, Queen of the Mountains, and got another perspective on it. There are villages every few kilometers, and more mountain chalets which are distant from the villages. I also got a different view of the railway lines and tunnels, and the roads, which hug the sides of the mountains.

We had a formal lunch on the boat, complete with white linen table cloths and dinner napkins, and a 360' view.  We spent the rest of the trip on the deck, enjoying the view and taking pictures. We passed by the William Tell chapel. The trip home took about 90 minutes by train. I am still marvelling at how well the public transit works, and trying not to think of the poor planning in Toronto by the current administration.