We returned from our European cruise about two weeks ago and have just started to get ourselves fully back into ordinary life. What a lovely time it was. I can't believe how much we were able to see and experience in such a short period of time. Our journey took us down the Rhine River from Switzerland to Amsterdam. It has already begun to be a bit of a jumble in my head. However, over the next few posts I hope I will be able to unpack each experience in my mind and savor the memories of each day.
Our adventure began when we flew into Basel, Switzerland where we met up with some good friends who had flown in from California the day before, We had all planned two days in country before boarding our boat. After a long flight, we arrived just in time for a quick view of the city around our hotel and dinner in one of the small shops inside the Basel International Train Station before settling down for the night.
After a good sleep, we headed out in the morning for the city of Lucurne. The Investigator and I had pleasant memories of having visited here in 1978, and we were looking forward to seeing it again. It was just as beautiful as we had remembered.
We took time to visit the Lion of Lucerne, a stone relief that was carved into the wall of a beautiful grotto and completed in 1821. It is one of Switzerland's most famous memorials, built to remember and commemorate the death of over seven hundred Swiss Guards who were killed while protecting King Louis XVI's Palace of Tuileries in Paris during the French Revolution.
We took a walk through the Kapellbruke (Church Bridge). Originally built in 1408 as part of the original fortified wall of the city, it is the oldest covered bridge in Europe. We walked the original bridge 46 years ago and remembered grieving the loss of parts of it during a terrible fire (caused by a careless cigarette!) in 1993. Thankfully, it has been restored and continues to grace the historic city.
Only a small number of the original paintings were saved and restored to the bridge. The rest were lost.
Views from the bridge.
A visit inside the Baroque Style Jesuit Church which opened in 1667.
Later in the afternoon, we found ourselves outside of Lucerne heading up the side of a mountain, first on a funiculaire railway, and then halfway up we switched to an aerial tram.
At first the views felt like a scene from Sound of Music. Then we as we rose into the trees we could see the entire valley.
Soon we were heading up towards the clouds.
A few minutes of complete blindness in the thick fog of the clouds, and then suddenly we popped through the cloud cover into bright blue skies. The clouds now below us created a billowy white carpet as the mountain peaks rose above them. My photos couldn't begin to capture just how stunning it was.
We were incredibly blessed with the views that day. It was rare to have a day so sunny and clear. The ranger told us that much of the time there would be clouds, fog or rain. In fact, that was what we were expecting, so I didn't wear a hat and ended up with quite a sunburn. It was worth it though. God was smiling down on us and sharing his mighty handy work. I will never forget it. All too soon it was time to come down from the peaks to the valley below, But soon there will be new places to explore which I will save for another day.Adieu!
