Coaches, Trains, Trams & Boats

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." - Confucius

Although we did not travel to a new destination today, it was still an action packed adventure!  We were up for 7:15 AM and were to be on the bus for 8:15 AM.  This morning’s excursion was an optional one and it started by heading to the base of Mount Rigi.  The Rigi (or Mount Rigi; also known as Queen of the Mountains) is a mountain massif of the Alps, located in Central Switzerland. The whole massif is almost entirely surrounded by the water of three different water bodies: Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug and Lake Lauerz. The range is in the Schwyzer Alps, and is split between the cantons of Schwyz and Lucerne, although the main summit, named Rigi Kulm, at 1,798 meters above sea level.

In order to get to the top of the mountain, we boarded a train with special reservations for the Trafalgar tour group.  This train started operation on May 21, 1871 and was the first mountain railway in Europe.  It was about a 20-minute ride to the top station (there were two other stations along the way), where we got out and had about an hour to check out the mountain views.  It was breathtaking!  After a few photos and walking around the peak, we stopped in the mountain top chalet and grabbed a warm cup of hot chocolate and a piece of carrot cake that we shared.  It was quite a bit cooler up there – but I didn’t put on my rain coat as it had not started raining seriously yet (only a sprinkle when we were finished).

From there, we took the train down one station and then boarded a Cable Car for the trip down the mountain.  The views from the cable car were just as stunning as from the train or the top of the mountain.

At the bottom of the cable car, we hopped back into the coach for a short ride to the dock where we boarded a boat for a cruise on Lake Lucerne.  There are a number of things that you can just see better from the water.  I snapped a few photos of some of them.

Just call me "Captain Curt"

After we docked close to the main square, Laureen and I went to find Alf and Diane.  We were to meet them for lunch so that Laureen and Diane could spend some time in town today while Alf and I went off to the golf course to play a round.  Steve was supposed to join us, but their plans (Margaret & Steve) changed and Steve couldn’t make it.  Lunch was nice- right on the canal in the middle of Lucerne.  Switzerland is expensive – so we basically had a glorified hot dog and some salad.  After lunch we did a little shopping (I had to get my cap from Switzerland) and our small memento of the country.

Alf and I went back to the hotel to quickly change and drop off/grab some things.  We met in the lobby and flagged down a cabby who was just passing by.  We told him where we wanted to go, and he said he knew roughly where, but didn’t seem sure.  I brought up Google maps and showed him where to go.  From there we got really close, but did stop and ask a lady who was out for a walk.  Once we had arrived, and paid for our golf, a rather violent thunder storm started with lightning and the whole works.  We sat and waited for a while until the lightning had subsided – and then decided to go out in the rain and golf.  How many times am I ever going to get to golf in Switzerland again?  The rain was off and on – and at times quite hard.  We got a little wet – but all in all it was a great game.  We played a skins game – so we kept track of the holes we won or lost, carrying over ties until someone won.  Wouldn’t you know it, we ended up 9 to 9 (tie).  When we added up the stroke scores, we both shot an 85 (the course was shorter than the average golf course with par being 64).  Once back at the club house, we called our taxicab friend and he showed up in about 20 minutes.  He was a very friendly man, a little older than me I would guess.  As it turns out he has an uncle living in Edmonton (it really is a small world).

Before he took us back to the hotel, he asked us if we like Swiss beer.  I honestly don’t know what it is about beer on this trip – but I just can’t seem to get away from it!  Alf indicated that he doesn’t drink beer (only Bacardi and coke), so I said “Sure.  I had a Swiss beer last night and it was fine”.  So the cab driver hopped out of the cab and went to his trunk where he brought out a bag with 4 large cans of local Swiss beer.  He actually explained that his father-in-law had just had a birthday and the cabby was given this extra beer.  He didn’t drink it, and gave the 4 cans to me.  Seriously.  I know just the crew to share these with!

Got back to the hotel and had a quick shower before Laureen and I went out to meet Alf and Diane for dinner.  We first went to one of the restaurants in the hotel called La Cucina (the Italian word for kitchen).  After being seated, we just waited for about 40 minutes while no waiter came to our table to even offer us a drink.  So, we got up and left.  The manager looked a little shocked – but I explained to him that we had waited a long time without being served and that they looked like they were too busy for the staff that they had.  He apologized – but we still decided to try and find another restaurant.  We eventually found a place and sat down for a meal.  By the time we were done, it was 10:00 PM.  Sigh.

We came back to the hotel room to try and get ready to leave tomorrow.  I was frantically trying to dry some of my wet clothes (and shoes) from today.  If they are not dry by morning, I’ll have to bag them up and re-hang them (or use the blow dryer in the room) so they can dry.

On our way back into Germany tomorrow.

Curt & Laureen in Lucerne, Switzerland.

4 Countries in One Day

“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

Not too many people can say that they have been in 4 countries in one day.  Well today, we can say that we have!

The day started out with a walking tour of the old part of Munich, Germany (Country 1).  We walked to a small square that had an older looking building – but was actually built not too long ago and made to look like one of the older buildings.  Every day the city's central Marienplatz square has onlookers with their chins aimed skywards. They’re watching one of the city’s most loved oddities, the Munich Glockenspiel, or carillon.  This chiming clock was added to the tower of the New Town Hall the year the building was completed in 1907.  At 11am and midday (and 5pm between March and October) the Munich Glockenspiel recounts a royal wedding, jousting tournament and ritualistic dance - all events which have etched a mark on Munich’s popular folklore.  The show lasts about 15 minutes and concludes with the golden bird up the top emerging and chirping three times. Different tunes are played on the clock’s 43 bells.  Kassie had indicated that this item has been rated one of the most overrated tourist attractions in Europe.  I would have to agree.

Then we stopped in at the Hofbräuhaus.  The Munich Hofbräuhaus on the Platzl is one of the most well-known city institutions and is at the same time the most famous brewery in the world. At the end of the 16th century, Duke Wilhelm V. had the Hofbräuhaus built to supply the court of the Wittelsbachs so that it would no longer be necessary to import beer from Lower Saxony; Hofbräu beer could be brewed locally.  Today the most famous taproom in Munich attracts locals and tourists alike for a casual light meal and a liter of beer in the Hofbräuhaus. The “Beer Palace” has been turned into a multi-faceted restaurant with a number of dining rooms. The cross vault on the ground floor, where beer used to be brewed, is the centerpiece of the Hofbräuhaus, the “watering hole”.  Adolf Hitler had stood on the balcony and given a couple of speeches there.  Impressively large place (if you are a beer drinker).  There is actually lockers where regulars can rent out space to store their own beer stein.

After this, we hopped back on the coach and with the rest of the tour group on our way to Lichtenstein.  But before we were to arrive there, we had to leave Germany and head back into Austria (Country 2).  Travelling through Austria, we arrived in Vaduz, Lichtenstein (Country 3).  Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein and also the seat of the national parliament. The town, which is located along the Rhine River, has about 5,100 residents as of 2009.  The most prominent landmark of Vaduz is Vaduz Castle, the home of the reigning prince of Liechtenstein and the Liechtenstein princely family. The castle is visible from almost any location in Vaduz, being perched atop a steep hill in the middle of the city.  Liechtenstein is the 6th smallest country in the world.  This was our lunch stop – so we ended up sitting with Mark and Kat and we had a Hamburger, fries (each) and I had a coke; Laureen had a sparkling water.  The total for our meal was 42.80 Euro.  That’s probably the most expensive hamburger I’ve ever had!

We were also close to the tourist office and for the small fee of 3 Euro, you could have your passport inked with the Liechtenstein stamp.

Back on the coach we headed for Lucerne, Switzerland (Country 4).  The countryside was beautiful.  Postcard like around every corner.  There were a few construction zones that slowed us down quite a bit and as a result we arrived in Lucerne about an hour past what had been planned.  We stopped at a monument to fallen Swiss soldiers and then headed for the hotel.  After arriving and the hotel and receiving our luggage, Laureen and I did a little laundry.  We were both starting to run short of clean clothes again, so it was time to break out the detergent and do some washing in the bathroom.

After hanging the clothes to dry, we made our way to the lobby and met the smaller group that was going on the excursion to a Swiss Folklore Evening and Dinner (Stadtkeller – was the name of the establishment).   We had an amazing time there hearing them play local instruments, sing some local songs and they also did a little yodeling.  A bunch of folks were invited up to attempt to yodel – and unfortunately, I happened to be one of them.  Laureen indicated that I did OK!  

Then they brought our a liter beer stein for each of us, and we were supposed to drink it from start to finish, no stopping.  Any of you who know me, know that I'm not much of a drinker.  However, a couple of things went through my head as they handed me my stein: (1) The lady from Washington DC standing beside me made light work of hers (2) An entire table of Aussies are sitting at my table and I know I'll never hear the end of it if I don't make it through (3) I'm 50 and I've never "skulled" a beer before.  Ok - let's make this happen.  So I did.  The Aussies made me an honorary Aussie when I returned to the table.

The place was really warm – so when it was all over, we enjoyed a nice walk in the cool evening back to our hotel.

Looking forward to the sightseeing tomorrow.  Let’s hope it doesn’t rain as the forecast indicates!

Curt & Laureen in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Strazburg, The Eagles Nest & Munich

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill

It was what seemed like another early start to the day as we had a bunch of ground to cover to get to our final destination.  It was 6:30 AM when bags had to be out in the hallway and we could go down for breakfast and 7:15 AM that we were to be on the coach ready to go.  Our first destination was the city of Salzburg, Austria which is best known for the movie, “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plumber.  We made sure we watched the movie before we came so there was some frame of reference.  The other item that Salzburg is known for is that it was the birthplace of Mozart.  We saw a number of the places where the movie scenes were filmed as well as the house where Mozart was born.

Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg.  It’s "Old Town" (Altstadt), is internationally renowned for its baroque architecture and is one of the best-preserved city centers north of the Alps. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city has three universities and a large population of students. Tourists also frequent the city to tour the city's historic center and the scenic Alpine surroundings.  It is a very “clean” city and the area is also very green with streams, trees and green grass everywhere.  It looks very much like the area in southern B.C. (as I mentioned in a previous blog post).

After the short walking tour of the old part of the city, we were given about an hour of free time to have lunch and wander around a bit before the optional excursion to the “Eagles Nest”.  Laureen and I stopped at a place that the guide had mentioned had an incredible potato and mushroom soup.  Of course, we had that with wieners and sauerkraut so that we could share both dishes.  It was pretty darn good food!  I guess the little bit of German/Austrian heritage that is buried somewhere deep inside my DNA was kicking in a little.  Thanks for the note and reminder Mom!

Love Bridge - where you take a lock and  lock it on the bridge and throw the key into the river

Pedestrian street in Salzburg

The birthplace of Mozart

Fountain and Church arches in the Sound of Music

Potato Soup and Wieners & Sauerkraut 

After Lunch we met those going on the optional excursion back at Mozart Square where we were set free.  We walked to the coach and Piero (our driver for nearly all of our trip) took us as far as he could up to the place where we had to catch a special bus to go up to the Eagles Nest.  The Kehlsteinhaus (known as the Eagle's Nest in English-speaking countries) is a Third Reich-era edifice erected atop the summit of the Kehlstein, a rocky outcrop that rises above the Obersalzberg near the town of Berchtesgaden. It was presented to Adolf Hitler on his 50th birthday as a retreat and place to entertain friends and visiting dignitaries. Today it is open seasonally as a restaurant, beer garden, and tourist site.

The Kehlsteinhaus is situated on a ridge atop the Kehlstein, a 1,834 m (6,017 ft.) sub-peak of the Hoher Göll rising above the town of Berchtesgaden. It was commissioned by Martin Bormann in the summer of 1937 as a 50th birthday gift for Adolf Hitler. Paid for by the Nazi Party, it was completed in 13 months but held until a formal presentation on April 20, 1939. A 4 m (13 ft.) wide approach road climbs 800 m (2,600 ft.) over 6.5 km (4.0 mi). Costing RM 30 million to build (about 150 million inflation-adjusted euros in 2007), it includes five tunnels but only one hairpin turn.

From a large car park, a 124 m (407 ft.) entry tunnel leads to an ornate elevator which ascends the final 124 m (407 ft.) to the building. Its car is surfaced with polished brass, Venetian mirrors and green leather. Construction of the entire project cost the lives of 12 workers. The building's main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian marble presented by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, which was damaged by Allied soldiers chipping off pieces to take home as souvenirs.  The building is all original, just as it was when Hitler had been there, minus the furniture, which all had disappeared after the war ended on May 8th, 1945.

The Eagles Nest high up on the mountain

Tunnel leading into the mountain and to the brass elevator to take guests up to the building.  Hitler would have use this elevator

Check out the hang-gliders

Eva Braun’s sitting area

Above the Eagles Nest with the mist rolling in and the scenic town below

Captain Curt, Laureen the Queen, Lady Diana & King Alf.  Friends.

The Brass Elevator

I have to admit, it was a little eerie walking around in there, knowing that Hitler himself had been in the building.  When Hitler was in power, he removed all signs of religion, so the crosses that stood at the highest points of the mountains were all removed.  A few years after the war had ended, the crosses were replaced, and there is one up on the hill where the Eagles Nest is situation.  I made the trek up the hill to the cross and picked up a rock for a friend of mine.  I have a few rocks for him on this trip!

Couple of rocks for a close friend from up here

The views from up here were simply stunning!  While looking out the window of Eva Braun’s sitting area (Hitler’s Girlfriend), we saw a couple of hang-gliders floating in the misty sky.  We were very lucky to get a bit of clearing, so that we could see (at least down one side of the mountain).  Our guide had indicated that the weather report had predicted rain.  We may have seen only a drop or two.

After the Eagles Nest, we met up with the rest of the tour group and headed off to Munich, Germany.  When we crossed the German border, our coach was pulled to the side and we all scrambled to put on our seat belts.  Kassie had mentioned that the German borders were checking more often, so we were all to have our passports on the coach with us - just in case.  A German police officer stepped up into the middle isle of the bus and shouted out a hearty "Hello".  We all replied back "Hello".  He looked around the bus, then he said "Ok!", and walked off the coach.  We all busted into laughter.

We arrived quite late (7:00 PM-ish), so Kassie changed the group dinner to 8:00 PM at the hotel.  What Kassie did not know is that the entire group had each bought a Viennese mask and that we were going to all wear it and surprise them.  On top of that, A song was written (mostly by Alf, but produced and directed by Laureen and I), to the tune of “Hello Dolly”, and we were going to sing it for Kassie and Piero before dinner.  It was quite the performance, I must say.  Nobody in the group should quit their day job!  Kassie and Pierro were killing themselves laughing at us – and it appeared as though they appreciated the effort.

Words to the song delivered tonight

The Gang in our masks (Kassie and Piero in the middle)

Off to bed for a 7:00 AM bags out/breakfast and 8:00 Departure for our three country day; breakfast in Germany, lunch in Lichtenstein and dinner in Switzerland.  Now who reading this can say they have done that!

Curt & Laureen in Munich, Germany.