Lucerne

July 15, 2022

Lucerne

I'm in Lucerne, Switzerland, a city that is, at first glance, nothing short of magical. The feeling is warm and friendly. The cobbled streets, blue water, and bright buildings are captivating. The Alps are indescribable. I've heard that the Cascades are the 'Alps of North America', but the peaks here are far starker. They seem to tower alone, no ridges building into a monstrous peak. Each juts out from the valley like a stake in the garden. They appear incredibly grand and unbelievably tall, and my determination to hike one is wavering already. When I return to the hostel, I will Google the height of Pilatus and compare it to the peaks I know. The restaurant at the summit looks large from town, which suggests that the height may be an illusion caused by the abrupt change from valley to peak.

I ate little on my trip here because of the timing of my trains, and when I made it back to Lucerne after checking in, I immediately looked for a restaurant. Food is expensive in Switzerland, and while I would have saved by having takeout, it would not have been much. So I went the other way and found a seat at 'La Barca', a riverfront restaurant, made an attempt to ignore the prices, and ordered an Aperol spritz and vol-au-vent, a Swiss dish. What I received was a large puff pastry, hollowed and filled with veal meatballs, mushroom quarters, and think mushroom soup-like sauce. The flavour was unmatched by anything I've tasted before. The veal was soft like cheese curds, the pastry was crisp and light, and I'm sure there was something I'm the sauce that I've never tasted before. My meal and drink cost 30CHF, and I would argue that it was worth it.

I did not plan this trip as a culinary holiday, but that meal may have been the best I've ever eaten. I'd love to learn how to make it.

And now it's nearly dusk. The clouds are a dusty pink high above Lake Lucerne. The city is awake but calm. The lights on Chapel Bridge are a soft glow across the river. And I can't quite put my finger on the magic of Lucerne. It's not the architecture, the food, the swans, the mountains, or the streets, but perhaps it is all of those combined in this unique city.

Part of the hydro facility on the Reuss

View across the Reuss

Chapel Bridge at sunset

Vol-au-vent and Aperol spritz at La Barca

Mural on the side of a restaurant

Musicians in front of Chapel Bridge

I've travelled 15 minutes out of Lucerne to Alpnachstad where I'm on a long line for the cogwheel train to Pilatus Kulm. It's a beautiful blue day, and the sun is strong. I have a paper bag of grapes from the market in Lucerne and a pocket full of lavender. A lavender farmer from Provence poured some into my hand from a saucepan, and for a moment I thought I was getting scammed, but be introduced himself and asked about Canada and the meaning of my name, and, after a few minutes, gave me a satchel of lavender to take with me. It's the most purple dried lavender I've seen, and I've smelled it all day from my skirt pocket.

Switzerland may be the most beautiful place on Earth. I'm on top of Mount Pilatus on sandals and a tank top, putting my Canadian cold tolerance to use in a crowd of tourists shivering in their coats and boots. A few Turkish ladies fretted over my attire on the train up here. It was still mainly clear when I made it up here, but a dark hazy cloud is beginning to close in over the peak to my right. I'll get some lunch here if the price isn't too crazy.