Day 1: More Luzern and the Official Beginning of our Tour
A Little More Pre-Tour Exploration
Although we booked our pre-trip rooms in the same hotel as our tour would begin, we needed to change rooms. While we were waiting for the switch, we took the opportunity to hike around this charming town again. We found a nice bench along the river in the shade with a nice breeze. So relaxing!
Although we booked our pre-trip rooms in the same hotel as our tour would begin, we needed to change rooms. While we were waiting for the switch, we took the opportunity to hike around this charming town again. We found a nice bench along the river in the shade with a nice breeze. So relaxing!
The City Wall
Then we hiked up to the city wall. It was next to a school, and we saw kids heading to class on their scooters and on foot. It’s a stark contrast to the US where parents would not leave their kids walk alone like that. The city wall included a series of towers, and we hiked up the clock tower. It was interesting and had stunning views. It’s amazing how the Swiss have mastered the art of the clock. The precision in the swinging of the large pendulum was impressive! |
A Room with a View
After a picnic lunch along the river by a fountain in the shade, we headed to the other side of the hotel to check out some of the commerce section and shops. It featured interesting buildings painted up with old time images. Again, we looked forward to hearing more about the history and culture behind what we were seeing. We really appreciate the value of Rick's guides in giving us insights we would otherwise overlook, but we also enjoyed exploring on our own before the official tour began.
When we returned to our hotel, we were treated to a riverside room with a balcony and an unbelievable view overlooking the river, bridges and mountains. Wow! This was the perfect place to take in the views while we waited to meet our tour group.
After a picnic lunch along the river by a fountain in the shade, we headed to the other side of the hotel to check out some of the commerce section and shops. It featured interesting buildings painted up with old time images. Again, we looked forward to hearing more about the history and culture behind what we were seeing. We really appreciate the value of Rick's guides in giving us insights we would otherwise overlook, but we also enjoyed exploring on our own before the official tour began.
When we returned to our hotel, we were treated to a riverside room with a balcony and an unbelievable view overlooking the river, bridges and mountains. Wow! This was the perfect place to take in the views while we waited to meet our tour group.
The Tour Begins!Orientation Time
When we gathered as a group, we met Martin, our guide who had radios ("whispers") waiting for us at our tables. He gave us an orientation talk, and we all introduced ourselves. Then we got our buddies--a staple of any Rick Steves Tour. I’m paired with one of the three Pauls on the trip (convenient!), and Pam is paired with Susan (a super-nice woman traveling with her daughter). We took a walking tour through town and saw some of the things we’d seen earlier. As we anticipated, we gained many new insights into the sights of Luzern. |
A Lion, a Dinner and Knives, Oh My!
Martin took us to the sculpture of the lion which is dedicated to the fallen Swiss of the French Revolution. One highlight of this stop was Martin’s reading of a Mark Twain travel article about the monument.
On the way back, Martin stopped at a shop featuring Swiss Army knives, and he shared some history and insights into the legendary tool. He pointed out that the Swiss Army knife has gotten bigger and more complex over the years, but still to this day, the one most people think of as the Swiss Army knife is really the officer’s knife. The key difference is that the officer’s knife has a corkscrew! The soldier's knife is a simpler, silver one. No wine for the soldier, I guess.
Since Luzern (also spelled Lucerne) doesn’t have an official signature dish, we had veal for supper, a traditional dish of Zurich--close enough! And it was excellent. The forecasted heat wave has begun to settle upon us, but we didn't care. Our dream trip back to Switzerland had begun!
Martin took us to the sculpture of the lion which is dedicated to the fallen Swiss of the French Revolution. One highlight of this stop was Martin’s reading of a Mark Twain travel article about the monument.
On the way back, Martin stopped at a shop featuring Swiss Army knives, and he shared some history and insights into the legendary tool. He pointed out that the Swiss Army knife has gotten bigger and more complex over the years, but still to this day, the one most people think of as the Swiss Army knife is really the officer’s knife. The key difference is that the officer’s knife has a corkscrew! The soldier's knife is a simpler, silver one. No wine for the soldier, I guess.
Since Luzern (also spelled Lucerne) doesn’t have an official signature dish, we had veal for supper, a traditional dish of Zurich--close enough! And it was excellent. The forecasted heat wave has begun to settle upon us, but we didn't care. Our dream trip back to Switzerland had begun!
Wow Moments!Views from the Tower
It was really impressive to look out over the city from the top of the city wall tower. It's one thing to see the sights up close, but it's another to see the whole lay of the land and get a broader perspective of the city. The Lion Monument This was both impressive and a nice introduction to Swiss history. The tie back to Mark Twain gave us a little U.S. connection to the story. |