All Swiss Franc!
Day 10
Ciao Italy! Gruezi Switzerland!
Before I talk about how great Swtizerland is, I need to rant about my journey to get there. We took an over-night train (TransItalia) from Venice to Lucerne. On our way to Lucerne, the train was in roller-coaster mode because it had to go through the swiss alps. Because I am prone to motion sickness, it didn't matter on the number of gravol pills that I took to ease the pain. I was definitely feeling unwell.
Once we arrive at Lucerne, we have a jam-packed schedule to take the Golden Tour, offered by the city of Lucerne. The way my trip works, my friends and I are each responsible for taking a country and be the expert at it. When we arrive at each country, we simply follow the expert as the expert has already planned the itinerary for us. In Switzerland, I am the expert and I booked the Golden Tour.
The Golden Tour involve touring Mount Pilatus. The entire trip costs 96 CHF, which we basically took the ferry to Apanaschtadt, then take the cogwheel train up to Mount Pilatus. At the end, we take the cable car ride down to Lucerne.
This is the ferry towards Apnaschtadt.
One observation that we made in Switzerland is how expensive everything is. The contrast between Italian cost of living and Switzerland is huge. For example, when we arrived at Switerzland, I had to go to a bank to exchange some of my euros for swiss franc. I casually asked the bank teller what would be an average price for lunch and dinner. The lady simply responded 30 CHF for lunch and 50 CHF for dinner. In perspective, that's $40 CDN for lunch and $66 CDN for dinner!!
Before we arrive at Switzerland, we already had an idea that the cost of living will be ridiculous. Thankfully, we stocked up water bottles when we were at Milan.
At the bottom of Mount Pilatus, we took the world's oldest cogwheel train up the mountain. No trains in this world uses cogwheel technology anymore.
A closer look at the cog-wheel.
Finally up at the top! Mount Pilatus is about 2,100 metres high.
The rest of the pictures are just showcasing the beautiful scenery of Lucerne from Mount Pilatus.
I am obviously showing my Switerzland pride. Not to mention my idol Roger Federer is swiss himself.
Once we returned to the city centre, we walked by this monument called The Dying Lion Monument. It is a monument to commemorate the swiss soldiers defending the country.
