A lazy start to the morning, breakfast was just perfect before I left for my tour for the day. I was impressed with the hotel, I was very well looked after, they had arranged a taxi for me to join my tour at 9.30am.

A double decker bus and we leave Zurich for Lucerne, travelling through all the country towns, lots of farm houses of all types and I'm told "Happy Cows" in paddocks (apparently that is why the chocolate is so good from Switzerland).   Switzerland has "Happy Hens" too, there is no chicken penned in Switzerland for meat or eggs, they are all free range.

It was not cold but it was overcast, can't complain as it didn't rain much, so could still walk around without an umbrella up.

Little churches in each town, often both Catholic with a cross on top of the tower and an Anglican with a c*** on the top.

We drove through Zug - the town famous for not having to pay as much tax, but better known for making the best cherry schnapps and a schnapps type of torte - that apparently one slice should be the limit. As we drove through this country town, the bus driver made us aware that the town always smells like this in the wet...........yep fresh grass cow dung. Phewwyy!!

Only into an hour, and we arrive in Lucerne to see the dying Lion of Lucerne, sculptured in sand stone in memory of the heroic death of the Swiss mercenaries at the Tuileries in 1792.   I was surprised by the size of him, and how moving he was - Mark Twain described him as "the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world".  

11am and we are in Lucerne town for free time - I decided to explore the old town, where the produce markets were just finishing up from an early start on the river sides. The different types of architect marvels sat along the river, you have to see my photos to understand how beautiful it was - even on an overcast wet Tuesday morning!   Then there was the bridge - the famous Chapel Bridge - constructed in the first half of the 14th century.

I walked back to meet the Mt Pilatus tour bus, on the way, I stopped to eat my pesto, avocado and sundried pasta that I had bought the day before from the co-op. Yep it's Switzerland on a shoestring!

With my bags in tow, I have a cable car to myself, the afternoon started to fog in, so I got a few photos in during the 40 minute ride to the larger cable car.   The larger cable car, took 10 minutes to get to the tippy top of Mt Pilatus.   Again my room was ready, I'm staying in a cheese slice size room, the hotel is round, so it was the obvious way the rooms were configured. Large room, everything you need for a overnight stay and again very clean.

Because of the weather - the views were limited, so I decided to rest in my room, I had a cat nap, it was rather nice. I went to the self service day restaurant for coffee and arranged my return and restaurant times.   A fella was playing Edelweiss on the Alphorn.

7pm welcome drink and dinner in the Queen Victoria room, with grand windows normally with a view across the lake and valley.   2132 metres above sea level.  

Asparagus cream soup and puff pastry stick followed by sliced veal - "Zurich style" in crème sauce with champignons served with roesti potatoes and carrots. And I was not going to have dessert but it was called "Mon Cherie", so of course I had it!! Black Forest Cherry Dessert in layers served in a glass.

So I retire today after another great day, even with the fogged in Mt Pilatus. I put in a little pray for no rain and fog tomorrow before I leave, as I head back on the steepest cog wheel train and a 1.5 hour lake cruise back to Lucerne.

Trivia ;  In medieval times, it was believed that dragons with healing powers lived in the rugged clefts and crevices of Mount Pilatus. In the summer of 1421, a powerful dragon flew to Mount Pilatus and landed so close to a farmer by the name of Stempflin that he fainted. When the farmer came to, he discovered a lump of coagulated blood and a dragon stone, the healing powers of which were officially confirmed in 1509. The chronicle of Petermann Etterlin tells how Regional Governor Winkelried killed one of the Mount Pilatus dragons: he wrapped a spear with thorn twigs and thrust it into the open mouth of the dragon, finishing the beast off with a sword. In the process, drops of poisonous dragon's blood spurted on to his hand. These drops - and the poisonous breath of the dying dragon - froze the blood in Winkelried's veins and he also met his death.

Pilatus, or fractus mons - its ancient name, meaning "broken mountain" - was the home to dragons both terrifying and benevolent.

Ok so there are Dragons here, I've closed my windows tight, although Pilu looks quite cute, he reminds me of Pete's Dragon!    If you don't hear from me again, I was taken by a Dragon, so come rescue me!!