Change my address: Lucerne, Switzerland

When The Mister was in Lucerne on business years ago, he kept saying to a co-worker, "Jane would love this!" When we were planning The Grand Tour, he wanted to include Lucerne and I said sure, because I trust him to know what I like.

We crossed into Switzerland Saturday afternoon ... new country, new language, new currency. I was not pleased that soon we spent $33 on a counter-service light lunch and it cost $1 to use the bathroom. Yeesh.

Switzerland and I did not get off to a good start.

But all was forgiven when we arrived in Lucerne, truly the prettiest city I have ever seen.

Driving into the town, I was already falling in love. Ten minutes after we started walking around, I was texting Elizabeth asking to Skype with her. She always reads my blogs but I needed to let her know right away as I was standing on the bridge that her father and I are moving here -- along with her and Will and Evan and Christine and the grandkids!

I showed her a panoramic view of the city, as I stood on a bridge with my phone and slowly pivoted around so she could see Lucerne. Think people thought I was a tourist?

This place is so darn gorgeous. You can't walk two feet without stopping to admire something.

 

The colorful buildings are so charming, the streets sweep me away, the river and the lake are gorgeous -- all with a mountain backdrop.

Oooo! I have to tell you about our hotel. Here's a photo of it (below) -- that's the Peugeot we're driving out in front.

Earl made the reservations here, because it was where he stayed before and he knows I like to be in the city center.

So when we arrive, the hotel desk clerk said to us, "Your room is on the fifth floor. The elevator only goes to the fourth floor, so after you arriv on four, you'll have to use the stairs to get to your room."

I made the tiniest of scrunched-up faces at this prospect. (I know many of you are imaging this face right now.)  The clerk looked at me and said, "Oh, you'll really like it! Yours is the only room on that floor." 

Hmmm. That sounded intriguing. "Okay, I trust you," I said and off we went to find our room.

When we got there, it was a nice enough room by European standards. Small but nice.

But then we saw why she was so convinced I would like it (below) ...

Doors to our own terrace! Yay! To look out over the city and hills (below) ...

Or look straight down (below) at the street below ...

This morning, when Earl opened the windows above our bed, we saw hot air balloons drifting by (below) ...

We had coffee on the terrace (below) ... photo taken before we put in our seat cushions ... 

and soon left to explore more of the city.

 

 

... and when we we needed a rest, we sat on a bench by the lake and read for about an hour. Of course, both of us were staring at the lake. When this is your view (below) even a great book has a hard time competing.

I want all of you to move here with us, of course! But we better all get three jobs. The cost of living here is incredible. The picture below is very typical. BTW, 3.50 Swiss francs is comparable to $3.50 US money.

But the incredible beauty of this place is worth it. If it wouldn't have been expensive, I would have bought this t-shirt I saw in a store window.

Thanks for reading my blog!
Jane