Heading up to Switzerland today. Lucerne will be our new home. Key words for today are
MOUNTAINS, SNOW, COLD, and MORE MOUNTAINS. The weather looks like being
kind to us as we head out - overcast and cold (3 degrees) but no rain or
snow. As we thread our way out of Como we say goodbye to Italy. Must
say that it was everything we hoped for. Great sights to see, wonderful
food to sample, charming old villages/towns to visit. Before we know it,
we are at the border crossing into Switzerland - a little disappointing
really. All it was was a guard box in the middle of a roundabout - no
customs, no stamp in the passport, a bit of an anticlimax.

What is not an anticlimax though, is the scenery as we motor up the
autostrade - towering snow capped peaks and cliffs, broad lakes, deep
valleys covered in snow. Must be the Swiss Alps. After passing tyhru
numerous tunnels (on being 18km long), with the temperature dropping
down to -1 degree, we find ourselves driving along the edge of a large
lake, Schwyz Luzern, leading to our destination, Hotel Balm in Meggen,
an outer district of Lucerne.

The hotel is one of thebest we have stayed in. Modern, comfortable and a view out of the
window to the lake and mountains. we were served lunch in the Bistro by a
waiter who turned out to be a south african expat. he had been here for
14 years and absolutely loved it.

After settling in,we drove into Lucerne itself for a bit of a look. The city is well on
the way to being lit up for Xmas. We happened on some markets which
proved to be colorful and interesting, we even got to sample some local
sausage and bread (don't thing we'll ever eat Hans salami again!!!).
Julie is already talking about never leaving here.