Alps, fondue & glühwein!

Switzerland, a place that never really registered on my list of countries to visit. I guess I took for granted how close it was so would think “I’ll get round to it one day’. But due to a recent friendship sparked on my 2012 travels through Australia, I found myself visiting the affluent and multinational country more and more.

Ana has really opened my eyes to what a truly beautiful and captivating country Switzerland is. We based ourselves in the charming city of Lucerne, about an hour from Zurich.

Arriving at the airport late afternoon I was greeted by the most wonderful smile & laughter as we threw our arms round each other! Couldn’t believe it had been just over 6 months yet we had missed each other so much! The sheer excitement that we had met once again after all this time. A schedule that was not in the least bit difficult to keep.

Making a bee line for our hotel, we dumped our bags and went in search of dinner. Fondue was on the cards. I realise it is somewhat of a cliché but ‘when in Rome’ I felt I couldn’t resist. We positioned ourselves right on the Reuss River over looking the famous Chapel Bridge, in a beautiful, quintessential wooden balcony restaurant. The Christmas lights sparkled so brilliantly in the reflection of the water. My hands wrapped round a hot, sweet mug of mulled wine and the smell of melted cheese filled the air. We really couldn’t have been anywhere else but Switzerland.

The following day we decided I had visited Lucerne far too often to not have ever made it up the mountain to Mount Pilatus

Tickets booked and we were on our way. As we walked up the hill to grab one of the brightly painted cable cars, I remarked on how small they were. Assuming we were going to be travelling in a London Eye sized pod, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

As we approached the turnstiles, the little cubes calling themselves cable cars far resembled such sturdy comfortable inclinations, but had more in common with a glorified two seater chair lift.

Anyway we didn’t care, we ascended higher and higher over the lush fern tree tops dusted with a lovely shimmer of snow, ears popping with the altitude and gasping with every new view that headed towards us.

 

Reaching the top really was the most breath taking feat. Above the clouds, the warmth of sun beating down was really rather surreal against the vast amounts of deep snow surrounding us. Exploring the inside of the mountain through the chilling caves & viewing platforms shrouded in freezing icicles.

The biting wind coming off the peaks cut through the sunshine, but was a truly welcome feeling. It was so fresh and clear up there. Feeling as though we were on top of the world. I think I must have taken over 200 photos, busily clicking away but also making sure to stop quietly and observe.

To take in the enormity of where I was. I wanted to make sure that the memories I gathered from this beautiful country were not only photographic but embedded deep within my mind. As I had never really been anywhere quite like Switzerland.