Travel Day to Lucerne
I wouldn’t know there was a mountain there if I hadn’t seen it for the last three days.
Today we take the bus to the main terminal, walk a little bit to the train station, and take the train to Lucerne, with a change in Interlaken. It’s a good thing we are done in the Bernese Oberland since the mountains are socked in and it’s raining. How blessed we have been with the weather!! I know I’ve said that already but it bears repeating!
We are sitting at breakfast in Switzerland listening to Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. Something in my brain just said, this ain’t right!
Took all these pictures from the train so they have reflections and raindrops on them.
Map showing most of the places we’ve been in Switzerland.
Murren, Grutschalp, Lauterbrunnen, Interlaken, Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, Grindelwald, and First (which isn’t labeled but is in the top left corner where the person on a glider is coming down).
We changed trains at Interlaken Ost.
More rainy train photos, but the colors are just spectacular!
Lucerne was the last stop, so we were “requested please to leave the train”.
After arriving in Lucerne and dropping our “baggages” off at the hotel, we walked around to see the sights.
Pulled beef tacos
Fish and chips
Walked around more, checked out this bakery, which had amazing treats.
Took a walk along the lake.
Hydrangea macrophylia libelle
Gelato was calling us. Coconut and mango 
Museggmauer Weg - Musegg Wall Walk
We climbed up many stairs and walked along the top of the wall for great views of the city.
Very steep stairs
Very thick walls
Once a symbol of power, the Musegg Wall and its nine towers are part of Lucerne's historic fortifications; forming a striking crown around the Old Town.
The Musegg Wall not only presents a fascinating aspect from afar, but also provides a valuable habitat for specialized plants and animals, some of which are endangered. The Musegg Wall is home to rare breeding bird species including jackdaws, goosanders and alpine and common swifts. You will also find bats, common wall lizards, wild and honey bees, spiders, slugs and snails populating the wall.
The fortifications were begun in the 13th century and consisted of two rings of ramparts: the inner ring comprising the town wall along the Löwengraben and Hirschengraben, the Chapel Bridge and Spreuer Bridge, and the outer ring on an ascending sandstone ridge in the Old Town on the right-hand side of the River Reuss.
As the town, founded in 1178, continued to expand beyond the narrow confines of the fortifications, the Musegg Wall was built with more towers. The 800-metre-long wall, erected around 1400 following the Battle of Sempach, is considered one of the longest, best-preserved defensive walls in Switzerland. Nine stone entities, floodlit at night, remain standing on the Musegg.
A bee on “Aarons beard”
Mossy roof tiles
It was now time to check into the Hotel Barabas.
1862 - 2018
This historic central prison of Lucerne was built in 1862 and operated as a prison until 1998. Today, we have the opportunity of sleeping where some years earlier criminals had spent their time.
Why they chose the name Barabas? Well, there was a prison inmate called Barabas. He was imprisoned until 1975 because of conscientious objection. He left a fresco which is still here in one of the cells. He painted everything he missed during his detention, such as women, money and wine.
Our cell number is 201
Walked around some more after a short break in the cell because we are free to do so 😁. Above is the historic Chateau Gutsch Hotel sitting high on the hill above the city.
Part of the fortification bridges.
“The noise of the modern world makes us deaf to the voice of God, drowning out the one input we most need.” John Mark Comer
The statement above is so true. Not only the noises of the world but the noises I’ve allowed to be in my head! Lord, help me to clear my thoughts so I only hear you!
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