The Sun Shineth in Luzern

I admit, I didn't think Luzerne would outshine Salzburg when we arrived yesterday in the grey, drench soaked town. But this morning the sun came out and warmed my heart and eyes.. and the town turned beautiful !

We needed to do laundry and found a laundromat nearby which would do it for us. Yay!!! After breakfast in the sister hotel Aldstadt Krone (which again was lovely) we planned the day.

FIRST I need to note I am writing this while sitting at a café table (part of a restaurant in the historic grain and pastry chef guild of old) right on the river, by the historic pedestrian bridge having Chardonnay Soup and the House White. LOVELY !! I'm loving it. It is 3 pm so I didn't want a big meal and this is perfect. Tastes wonderful, and warmed me up to take off the edge of the slightly Fall-like cool air. The water is sooo calm! The water a really nice greenish blue. Peaceful!!

Also the old guild hall is right next to the old City Hall -- and I noticed a line of couples out in front of on my way here. Then I saw one women in a wedding dress and it all clicked. THEN I could hear 'cheering' from there and 'of course'! It is civil wedding day at the old city hall!

What happened before now? I got to take two items off my bucket list. We walked around the Old Town. The amazing variety of the murals on the buildings and the 'feel' of this area was so cool. Its one of those things that Disney world could try and recreate but really you can't. The buildings look like something in Epcot but knowing that people lived and worked in these buildings as far back as 700 AD. It would feel artificial. Our hotel is RIGHT on one the squares in the old town area so just looking out the window is 'cool' (I have lost the ability to find the right words). There is so much variety. And the building murals mean something. I will add a picture of the side of Pfistern hotel/restaurant where I am eating. Their mural was created so long ago and shows all the family crests of the members of the Grain and Pastry Chef Guild.

We did the tourist thing of walking across the wooden pedestrian bridge.. but everything so much better in the sunlight !

I really wanted to go out on the lake, but couldn't figure out the timetable on the ferries. Happily I found an 1 hour cruise (per Patrick insert Gilligan's Island theme song here). So we went for it. It was on a converted yacht and took us around the main part of the lake. My mind exploded though when I saw the ALPS (the real alps) -- appearing out from behind the clouds. Covered in snow!! There is no way a picture can do them justice!! Mount Rika was beautiful. Unfortunately Mount Pilatus was still under clouds.. but the stories of hidden dragons and the volume of lightening that hits that mountain make the tour fun. It was so comfortable. I thought it would be super cold after yesterday but the water was calm as glass, and the they drove slowly so the wind (even though we sat at the very front) was not bracing.

I could have stayed on that boat all day.. and drunk in the beauty.
And yes.. it actually surpassed Salzburg. I didn't think it was possible
The blue, the calm, the warmth, the light... so much fun!!

AND I really love sitting here by the river on my own (Pat is taking a nap before his gig at the Shamrock Irish Pub tonight) writing to you. Last night I had green chicken curry and tonight will be cottage pie .. it truly is an international world.
I would love to retire here. It's amazing how much open space there is around the lake --- I could put a house in one of them.
Can Switzerland keep it up??