Saint Gallen

Arrived this morning to the cold and rain, but none of that matters. This is the insanely photogenic hometown of our mother, and we just want to soak it all in.

We are able to drop our bags at the Airbnb but can't get in yet. This is a huge advantage, so we can go find some lunch at a nearby cafe. We have enough time to go walk to find the Lucerne Lion monument, carved in stone in a peaceful treed alcove. It's a memorial to fallen Swiss Guard soldiers who died in the French Revolution. Just as we round the corner, the sun breaks out, giving us an ideal photo break. It's short-lived, though, and with rain beginning in earnest, we opt to look into the adjacent Glacier Gardens. This display starts off rather unimpressive, and we're glad the entrance fee is covered by our Swiss Pass.
It's a geographic history of the area. The walk through leads to an intriguing hall of mirrors maze, which is surprisingly fun and disorienting! There's an excellent projection display of prehistory and a tower to climb with a wide view of Lucerne. And the clouds are lifting, so we can see Pilatus emerging in the distance.

By now, we can enter Airbnb, which is in a 100 year old house with high ceilings, and is just perfect. An added bonus is an unexpected bedroom, so we have a huge amount of space. A tea break is long enough to regroup, and we're off to the iconic 650 year old Kappelbrukke, or Chapel Bridge.. This crossing is the oldest wooden covered bridge in the world and unique with its attached water tower. Many of its 17th-century paintings were destroyed in a terrible fire in the early 1990s, and the charred beams remain visible after the restoration.

An enjoyable stroll through the old city leads to a quick grocery stop. Not quick enough, as we are unceremoniously and firmly informed that the store is now closed! Sadly, there was not enough time to grab the bottle of wine we could see but not reach. 😅 in Switzerland, closed is CLOSED !

Tomorrow is a train ride to Bellinzona in the south, a favored destination of our grandfather. It's predicted to be the most miserable weather of our Lucerne days, so we'll flee... temporarily.Read more