Day 5: On to Italian Switzerland
Gotthard Pass
Today, we left the German influenced area of Switzerland and headed to southern, Italian Switzerland. Leaving Engelberg, we hit the road to the Gotthard pass, which only opened to travel 10 days ago due to snow cover. They have had a really late snow this year that went into June. Ironically, it’s 98 degrees as we travel, so the remaining snow will go fast! The road was filled with brilliant scenery and many well engineered switchback roads. There were also many tunnels. In fact, the tunnel system has revolutionized travel in Switzerland. New trains can travel at about 140 miles per hour and have really shortened travel time and distance between the north and south. While the northerners are generally more reserved than their counterparts in the south, they love to visit this area for vacation, and they appreciate the vibrancy of their southern Swiss. |
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Bellinzona
As soon as we arrived at Bellinzona, we loved this little town in the Cantons of Ticino. Bellinzona marks the beginning of the Italian Swiss region, an area conquered by the Swiss, and it served as a militarily strategic location for defense. Our guide was Julie, and to our surprise and delight, she was from Minnesota! We had a fun time catching up with her and comparing small town stories. She met her husband in college and moved to Switzerland where he serves in government. She was an excellent guide and an unexpected connector of cultures! We toured Castlegrande, a Sforza castle and military fortress intended as a system of defense. It had been nicely restored over the years and was very interesting to tour. The first human settlement located on the Castlegrande hill dates back to 5500-5000 BC. It’s the oldest archaeologically verified settlement in Switzerland. The red bricks used in parts of the reconstruction identify the point in the wall where reconstruction had happened. This has helped historians more accurately study the fortress. We loved the sod area in the castle. Pam even took off her sandals and ran barefoot up the area. There is a tunnel underneath which was made tall enough to be able to ride a horse through it. We grabbed pizza at Migros and gelato at the local gelato shop for lunch. Delicious! We also refilled our water bottle at the fountain in the park. It’s pretty cool that you can fill water almost anywhere in Switzerland. |
Cooking Lessons in Lugano
In Lugano, we headed out for a cruise and cooking lesson. It sure was hot again, but it was also very beautiful. At one point in history, this town catered to just the high class, but it has now expanded to be everyone’s vacation town. As enduring evidence of this, they continue to have plenty of shops of very expensive merchandise. We took a cruise around the lake and saw the casino, fishing village, Italian border and ended up at the restaurant. Here we began with appetizers and wine before taking part in our cooking class where we followed directions in groups of four to make risotto. This was so much fun, and when we finished, we brought our cooking back to our table and were served beef and veggies along with some type of custard dessert. We learned to make a local dish. We laughed a lot. We ate well and we got to know our tour mates even better. |
Sounds like a perfect night, right? We thought so too, but then it got even better when the sun began to set. We were treated to an incredible night sky to cap off a really good day. I guess this is like travel dessert! It was so beautiful that I even forgot about the heat of the evening. I guess mother nature was balancing out the day a bit. So grateful.
After a few drinks, we headed back on the boat to our hotel where a shower and air conditioner were heavenly. What a full and wonderful day!
After a few drinks, we headed back on the boat to our hotel where a shower and air conditioner were heavenly. What a full and wonderful day!
Wow Moments!
The Switchback Roads of the Gotthard Pass
There were quite a few wow moments today. The first included the switchback roads of the Gotthard Pass. While we were ascending, we didn't really appreciate the highway system we were driving on. But when we looked back down on the snakelike roadway we'd traveled, we were amazed! It had to have been quite a feat to build such a road system through the mountains--and we're glad that they did!
There were quite a few wow moments today. The first included the switchback roads of the Gotthard Pass. While we were ascending, we didn't really appreciate the highway system we were driving on. But when we looked back down on the snakelike roadway we'd traveled, we were amazed! It had to have been quite a feat to build such a road system through the mountains--and we're glad that they did!
Castlegrande
This was a really impressive historic structure to tour. Our favorite part of the castle was the sod area that stretched out from the main structure.
This was a really impressive historic structure to tour. Our favorite part of the castle was the sod area that stretched out from the main structure.
Sunset on Lake Lugano
Yes, we had an extra wow moment today. Just when we thought we'd had as much amazing beauty as we could pack into one day, we were greeted by a stunning sunset over Lake Lugano. What a fitting way to end such a great day. Wow is definitely the appropriate word for today.
Yes, we had an extra wow moment today. Just when we thought we'd had as much amazing beauty as we could pack into one day, we were greeted by a stunning sunset over Lake Lugano. What a fitting way to end such a great day. Wow is definitely the appropriate word for today.
Another way to look at it . . .
In education, we say that literature provides us with windows and mirrors. Mirrors allow us to see ourselves in the world around us and give us a sense of connectedness. Windows, on the other hand, allow us to look into the lives of others and learn about them. I feel travel is often about windows. Who were the people who looked through these windows?
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