Traveling on a train is the epitome of why digital photos are better than that old 35mm film. I will spare you the entire contents of my album “Bad Pictures Through Train Windows.” It is an extensive collection that reminds me to be in the moment rather than try to capture the moment. Life is a blur, especially on a train.

There are a few shots that are worthy of sharing, for instance my friend, Debi (with Tom), also attempting to capture the moment through her train window as we left Italy and entered Switzerland. It’s a compulsion when surrounded by beauty; but especially when winter invades your springtime trip and when you’re from Florida where winter would be a warm day compared to what we were currently experiencing.

I loved every minute of the trip. The trains were very comfortable, perhaps that had something to do with riding first class. (Thanks, Bob.) After driving the roads of Tuscany for five days, we all enjoyed leaving the driving to somebody else.

Lucerne, our first destination in Switzerland, was adorable. Our hotel especially typified what I thought a Swiss hotel should look like.

Wilden Mann translates to wild husband, so we found the right place. There’s nothing quite as wild as four retired husbands traveling through Europe with their wives. You can decide if that is sarcasm or a hidden truth.

Cozy, warm hotel lobby

After settling in, food was the first order of business. This is traditional Swiss food – macaroni and cheese with a side of applesauce. I ordered it as it was easy. I didn’t need Google Translate to figure that one out. In this part of Switzerland, German is widely spoken. The applesauce was a weird accompaniment.

Despite the cold and rainy weather, we hit the streets. When our group first considered Lucerne as a destination, Ann, one of the primary planners of the trip, had shared that there was an old, covered wooden footbridge worth seeing in Lucerne. She had to endure the teasing that followed her suggestion that we go see an old footbridge. Initially we did not think that an old bridge would be a main attraction, but we were wrong.

The Kapellbrucke (chapel bridge) crosses the Reuss River and if we had wanted to avoid crossing it, that would have been difficult. I had wondered if it would be hard to find, but we rounded a corner and there it was in all its old glory (not to be confused with Old Glory).

The bridge has triangular-shaped paintings set under the trusses along the ceiling of the bridge. These date back to the 17^th century. This is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe and the world’s oldest truss bridge. It also is the symbol of the city of Lucerne, so it’s a big deal.

There are also lovely views along the way. It’s worth noting that the bridge on which we stood had been crossed by more generations of people than my math skills could calculate. Like I’ve said before, they know how to do old in Europe.

This is my favorite view of the river.

Lucerne offers great breakfasts. This is traditional Swiss breakfast. The bread was soft and fresh. The fruit and cheese were yummy, but the meats reminded me of the lunch meat I grew up on – a little fatty. I was surprised to get fresh orange juice – just like home!

The pharmacy near our hotel felt like stepping back in time.

We walked through the city to visit the Lion Monument. The Monument, which is in a lovely English garden, was unveiled in 1821. It was designed in Rome and carved in the rock face at its present location. It stands in commemoration of the events in Paris in August 1792 where an angry throng stormed the Tuileries and killed hundreds of Swiss guardsmen who were serving King Louis XVI.

Regardless of political views, the artwork is to be admired. The way it’s situated in the garden drew Bob and I to slow down, sit, and enjoy this beautiful spot. A bonus was listening to the local birds and identifying them on our Merlin Bird ID app. (A little bird watching is always in order.) It took 23 months to carve the lion. The expression on his face reflected the anguish of the Swiss people.

Lucerne is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. Look at these pictures and see if you don’t agree.

Five out of six people really like fondue and it’s a must in Switzerland.

Debi was pretty excited.

I enjoyed potato and leek soup.

Side-stepping to Zurich for a moment – Bob and I ventured up many steps for a view from the old town. While there I made friends with some ducks. (This is an updated post because the next 3 photos are actually in Zurich, and while you readers may not care, I’m fixing it for my future sanity.)

Zurich

Zurich

He quacked me up, also in Zurich.

Since I ate a light lunch (in Lucerne – sorry for bouncing around), it was time to eat again. Oh, boy! Ravioli all kinds of ways with a light buttery sauce.

These were my choices.

At the end of the day, I started missing some of the comforts of home – like being able to wash my feet in the shower.

We’ll go home soon enough. Next time I’ll take you on a side trip up the Swiss mountains.