The Lion, The Bridge and The Ski Slope

Last Friday, I took a 3hr train ride to Lucerne to meet Shumei. Despite having been in Switzerland for the last six months, Lucerne is only the third Swiss city I've been to. With just four hours and an unscaled map, we set off on foot to explore the city. This isn't going to be in any particular order, because I need it to match my title properly :P

The Löwendenkmal

The Lion monument is a memorial for the hundreds of Swiss Guards who died while guarding King Louis XVI and his family at the Tuileries Palace in Paris during the French Revolution. I've seen pictures of this dying Lion many times, but I didn't expect it to be so large, or so poignant. 

We'd gotten a little lost searching for this monument, walking along the wrong stretch of road talking about her plans to do a post-doc (I didn't know there was such a thing!). The moment we stepped into the grounds, though, we fell silent naturally because the place was so tranquil and solemn. Between us and the Lion was a pool of rippling water and low hanging leaves rustling in the breeze. In a way, it actually felt like we were watching a lion die in its cave. We sat down for a bit, but then a tour group soon entered noisily and made the usual tour group noises, which ruined the feel of the place for everyone.

The other Lucerne sight-seeing must, the Chapel Bridge, wasn't particularly exciting, mainly because it burned down in 1993 and what exists today is a mere replica. (I like things in their original state) We didn't even really manage to admire the interior's "paintings" (also replicas), because we were too busy catching up :P 

Of the postcards available though, I liked the one showing the bridge on fire in 1993 best. Not that I like to see things destroyed, but I thought that was the most relevant bit of history for the bridge I visited. 

Kapellbrücke

Lucerne's lake is another clear, shimmering body of water, much like Geneva's.

Lake Lucerne's water fowls (no idea what they are)

I think Thun and Brienz still share the title for Most Amazing Turquoise Colour, though. As we strolled along the lake, Shumei, being the ever-active adventurer, conveyed her wish to ascend Mt Pilatus, kayak on the lake and swim with the swans. And all I could think of to do was to sit down with a picnic basket!

Mt Pilatus and Lake Lucerne

Flowers EVERYWHERE! I love summer :)

We decided to check out the Museum of Transport, since it's supposedly the most visited museum in Switzerland.

Wheels adorning the facade

I wasn't expecting much, but it turned out to house a really impressive collection of transportation. There were trains, vintage cars, various sorts of planes and even an old ship! I wonder how they managed to get everything there. What I really liked was that the museum is very interactive. I tested my stereoscopic vision (9/9!), my ability to multitask while driving (failed miserably), the sensation of paragliding (wheee) and how to fly a helicopter (I flipped us upside down a couple of times :P).

Paragliding kid

Unfortunately, time was tight and I had to rush back to catch my train. (There was a further delay caused by me leaving my lens cap in the helicopter simulator.) After leaving Shumei to explore the Old Town on her own, I ran back to the train station, only to board the wrong train, hence missing my train by half a minute (curses!). After I finally got hold of the train schedule, I realised that the "wrong train" I had boarded earlier was actually the next available train to Geneva. By then, of course, I had missed that one as well, so I ended up returning an hour later than planned, back to a very hungry looking Hubz.

The next time Lucerne beckons, I'm checking out the Old Town. I hope I don't find it in too much of a ruin ;)