Lucerne

I took a morning train from Sylvia’s place at Tiefurbunnen to Zurich HB and then Lucerne. I was totally charmed by Swiss hospitality. I had asked for directions from a lady waiting at the train platform. We took the same train to Zurich HB and started chatting. She lived in the Philippines for 5 years and liked Asia. She was on her way for a day hike in Bern. With 30min to spare, she kindly brought me to the correct platform for Lucerne, before continuing with her journey! I was so thoroughly touched, a stranger’s gesture that was timely and unassuming.

I was meeting Qi at the train station and going to Mt Pilatus with her. She was a friend of Sylvia, and had recently worked in Singapore for a year. She was with UBS and poised to head the Shanghai office, until the financial crisis struck. We found our way to my hotel, left my luggages, and headed out.

First, we went to Hotel Schweizerhof for my marathon race pack collection. I bought a black dri-fit long-sleeved souvenir tee. Then we took a bus to Mt Pilatus cable station, bought a very expensive ticket (CHF64) for a cable ride all the way up the mountain. It was very foggy today, and many locals commented that we would not be able to see anything. Nonetheless we took a risk and hopped on. Mid-way up the mountain, the cable car was totally ensconced in thick fog and we could only see white fluff. It was rather surreal, like in heaven. As luck would be, the fog cleared up as we went higher, and we were greeted by brilliant sunshine. The panaromic view was awesome. We took a few scenic short hikes to nearby peaks and soaked in the sun and views.

I left before Qi, who wanted to stay on and enjoy the sunshine. I found my way back to Hotel Schweizerhopf, in time for the free marathon pasta. I was famished! Then I wandered around the Old Town of Lucerne, wooden bridge, and took many photos along the way. I managed to figure out my way back to my hotel. I still felt hungry and wanted to go to the hotel reception to buy an ice-cream. By chance, I bumped into a guy at the lift lobby. He was a student staying long-term at hotel. His girlfriend was visiting and they cooked a huge tray of beef lasagne. He generously invited me to join them. What a perfect timing for the delicious offer! So there, my second encounter of Swiss hospitality!

I returned to my room and prepared my gear for the race the next day. It was officially the start of winter and all clocks were tuned back an hour. Happy that I gained an extra hour. The bed beckoned….

http://picasaweb.google.com/simsps/EuropeTrip24Oct2Nov2008#