This morning was on-our-own. It was nice to relax in bed, listening to the early morning rain through our open window. Church bells in the distance. The city awakening.

After breakfast in the hotel, we walked the Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) that leads across the Reuss River into which Lake Luzern flows. This is identical to the Spreuerbrucke John led us across yesterday, but most of the paintings were destroyed in a fire, never to be restored. Still lovely views. We walked along the river promenade to the next bridge and crossed over. There was a little statue of a shepherd with three sheep I wanted to photograph. Just as we approached it, another couple walking a dog, came from the opposite direction. Their dog stopped to sniff the rear end of one of the sheep, and we all broke into laughter. Some things don't need translation.

We visited the Sammllung Rosengart museum of art specializing in Pablo Picasso. Reading the extensive English translation did not help us much to understand his art, unfortunately, but upstairs were some fine examples of Impressionism - which we both definitely enjoyed more.

From there we walked to the mall under the railway station and found a little café to have lunch. Then we walked in the Coop, a grocery store on the cheap. We saw wonderful things to buy - raclette already sliced for the pan, fondues, breads & pastries. Upon leaving, we came across Advent Calendars with little chocolates behind each door, and I was trying to decide on which one I wanted for my 3 year old nephew when a man asked us, "Are you from America?" We struck up a conversation, although his English was very hard to understand. Evidently, he has family in Chicago. Then to my horror, he grabbed my calendar and scribbled his name and the date on the back (Sorry, Christian!). Not finished, after we checked out, he stopped us once again and gave us another Advent Calendar, peeled away the plastic covering, scribbled a scene of a car which you can't see because it's scribbled over a drawing of St. Nicholas that children can later color. He wrote Christmas wishes to Christian. Now, after visiting the art museum, I was wondering if he was a famous artist or something. But then he offered his painter's cap to Darrel who was wearing a US Air Force cap. No thanks, Darrel said. Still, it was an interesting local encounter.

That afternoon, we met Ria in the lobby for our mountain climbing adventure. We walked to the pier to board a boat, the Dragon, which had a dragon head on the prow, to cruise across the Vier Waldstattersee (official name of Lake Lucerne, meaning Four Forest-Canton Lake). A lovely view of the area as the sun lowered. The lake has four arms, and we were headed to a tiny village on the other side by the name of Weggis (pronounced like Vegas). Then we boarded a bus to drive us up Mt. Rigi a little way to the cable car, or luftseilbahn. Fun! We stood as the car headed almost vertically up the mountain. The stop was called Rigi Kaltbad (Cold Bath), and we saw people swimming in the open air - while we walked by them in the snow dressed in our winter parkas! We were assured the water was heated, not really a cold bath.

We went on a little walk down a mountain path to Felzen Kappell, a little chapel in the woods. A small, quiet place. From there, we walked further down the path and into the forest. D&I let everyone pass us, and we stopped to listen to the wind in the pines, the darkness coming quickly, a sweet kiss, then we headed back to the station with all the other hikers to go to the Alpina, our restaurant for dinner.

Peeling off layers of clothing, we sat in a tiny room with typical wooden chairs and were served a beer or wine with delicious cheese fondue, followed by chicken in a creamy gravy with mashed potatoes and carrots/zucchini. Dessert was ice cream in the shape of the Swiss flag - square slice of strawberry with a vanilla cross in the center (The Swiss flag is not the red cross!)

We were entertained by an accordionist who also yodeled for us. Then they passed out Swiss hats for us to wear and wooden spoons for us to play to accompany him. What a riot!

Then down the mountain we had to go, but on a different mode of transport: a cog wheel train, the Zahnradbahn, to the village of Vitznau on the lake. The conductor turned off the interior lights, and Lake Lucern looked like a jeweled necklace - all the little lights ringing the lake. We met the bus to drive us back to the hotel, and everyone was tired. Ria had thought we could go to a concert celebrating Louis Armstrong, but we got back too late. I would have enjoyed it, but as I've learned, you just can't do everything! So, to bed |>0 (sleepy eyes, big snore)…

TOMORROW: A visit with Paula in Bienne, Switzerland - YEAH!