Day 9 - Lake Luzern

Rick Steves, our travel guru went one for three today: 1) he said that Luzern was the best place to make your base camp for a series of day trips across Switzerland. Boy was he right on that one!

We were enchanted by this lakefront city. (Have I said that before about anywhere else? Probably!) But Luzern was yet another incredible destination on what's been the vacation of a lifetime. Only 45 minutes from Zurich, the difference between the two cities is night and day.

Wandered the very interesting old town and then spent a couple of hours at the Rosengart family art collection, enjoying one of the most extensive and intimate collections of Picasso paintings, sketches, sculptures and photos we've ever seen. Actually, this is where Rick's advice was a big stee-rike!

Didn't quite have a "When Animals Attack" moment like we did with the sheep in Innsbruck, but the swans on the Reuss River were rather interested in my video camera until they realized it wasn't something to eat.

The book sent us to the FORMER location of the Picasso museum, which had been relocated to the main Rosengart gallery across the river. So we walked around the block several times looking for a collection that was no longer there at an address that frankly was gone. Good thing we were in Switzerland and not, say, Philadelphia!

Great collection.

Then after a quick lunch on the run, we hit the lake and spent nearly three hours cruising Lake Luzern in a turn of the century paddlewheel steamboat, stopping at about half a dozen quaint little lakeside villages along the way. AND IT DIDN'T RAIN!

Dinner took us into the world of Swiss Cheese and Chocolate. (But Rick sent us somewhere else for fondue and they looked at us like we were N-V-T-S, NUTS!) We did succeed in clogging our arteries, burning holes in our teeth, etc.) I think Weight Watchers will probably make me give back all the stars I've earned this year.

Great day, great weather, beautiful city, delicious food. Early to bed because tomorrow, we rise early and head down to the Berner Oberland for some high Alpine hiking in the shadow of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau.

Pray for the fat guy!

Meanwhile, enjoy the slideshow.

Next: INTERLAKEN, LAUTERBRUNNEN AND THE BERNER OBERLAND