My New Favorite Place (6/5)

As I write this, I’m sitting on a 5^th floor balcony, looking out over Lake Lucerne.  Wow! I have on a sweatshirt, because it rained around 5:00 PM, and then just a half hour ago, it became really windy. I want to still be able to enjoy the view, so that’s why I’m wearing a sweatshirt, when earlier today, it was really hot!

OK, the story: there was a nice buffet breakfast at the conference center this morning. Afterwards, I got packed up and headed for the bus stop, right in front of the conference center, to take me to the train station in Zug. (Wish I’d known about this bus line before schlepping luggage the day before, but . . . such is life. That’s happened any number of times this trip.) I bought the right ticket this time, and shortly left for Brunnen. (I continue to be amazed at how many trains are operating here, and how easy it is to get from one place to another. I haven’t waited more than a half an hour for a train going to a destination where I wanted to go.) The attraction of Brunnen is that it is near Schwyz, which is where Swiss Army Knives were invented.  Brunnen has a small museum about Swiss Army Knives, which interested me. I figured OK, I’d go to the museum, and then spend one night there – no big deal – and then go on to Luzerne. As it turns out, Brunnen is GORGEOUS! I had no idea!  It’s at one end of Lake Luzerne, and Luzerne is at the other. Booking.com put me in a hotel right on the lake, in a room with a spectacular view.  I’m really surprised that I was able to get this room, given that I’m trying to stay “low end” with my lodging, although I have requested single rooms, rather than a bed in a dormitory.  Anyway, for whatever reason, I’m in a 5^th – or top – floor room overlooking the lake.  My room faces the end of the lake where Luzerne is. To my left are a series of snow-topped mountains, and directly across the lake from me is a heavy pine forest on a hill.  At the top of this hill is a clearing surrounded by chalets – think “Heidi.” Below me is the dock where the boats that go around the lake dock. This place is simply spectacular!

The room was ready for me when I arrived at about 11:00 AM.  That, in itself, is pretty amazing.  As soon as I dropped off my stuff, I went off to the museum.  It IS really small, but it’s interesting. The history goes back to the late 1800s when the knives were invented.  The company is called Victorinox – named after Victoria, the founder’s mother. The “inox” has something to do with the steel that is now used in Switzerland. The museum is really a lot of promo for the company, but it was interesting.  Apparently, a Swiss Army Knife was used to open a door on a spacecraft in space, when the other tools the astronauts brought along for that purpose didn’t work.  They had a bunch of other stories about Swiss Army Knives “saving the day” in a whole variety of circumstances, as well as a history of the development of the knife – and the company, that transcended the development of stainless (?) steel.  Apparently, each U.S. president receives a Swiss Army Knife, as does each pope. What I didn’t realize is that it’s common for a company to order a bunch of the knives, and put their logo on them, to hand out as gifts (to employees or clients).  I got excited when I saw a Bernina knife – thought it might be made specifically with tools to work on sewing machines – but no, it was one of those promotional knives.  Darn!

After that, I had some lunch and then decided to break some rules!!!!!  It was SO hot, and there I was, next to a beautiful lake, wearing long pants and shoes I would wear to work. I have been SO GOOD on this trip, wearing only closed-toed shoes to prevent falling. (As you may know, my preferred shoe is a Birkenstock, but I have fallen so many times, and can attribute the second broken knee to a fall in my Birkenstocks, so I’ve decided to bite the bullet and wear closed-toed shoes, EVEN in the summer time, unless I’m at home.) On this trip, I’ve only worn my Birks in my room and at breakfast – and have otherwise worn the damned closed-toed shoes out and about. AND I’ve also tried to look “appropriate” – and not the American tourist (even though I am totally a tourist on this trip) by wearing long pants.  I brought along one pair of shorts in case I was up in the mountains or something, and it felt appropriate to wear them. SO . . . I put on shorts and Birkenstocks!!! Given the heat and being next to the lake, it seemed like shorts would be OK – although I DID get a few stares! (Maybe they were looking at the scar from when my knee was repaired . . . .) And I took a walk.  It felt great!  I did trip once, though didn’t fall, and I was being REALLY careful.  It’s pathetic when “breaking rules” means wearing the same shoes I’ve worn consistently for the last 27 years. But oh, well . . .  I took a walk along the lake bank in both directions, and it was absolutely gorgeous!  And I came back and got some ice cream, which was delicious!

I decided to go back to my room, sit on the balcony overlooking the lake, listen to a book on Mp3, and knit.  Heaven!  I haven’t had that kind of time in a long time.  While I was sitting there, it began to rain – and then the rain came down hard for about a half hour.  Then suddenly, it cleared up.  While it was raining, I sat inside with my feet out the door onto the balcony, and then was able to move back outside eventually.  It was even a beautiful view while it was raining!!!

I went for dinner, and found a place where I could sit outside and see the lake.  I was looking directly at the snow-covered mountains.  Beautiful! It became windy during dinner, so when I came back to my balcony, I put on my sweatshirt.  Here I still am.  I don’t see anyone else out on a balcony, although there are some people in the cafes/bars down on the street.  It’s now 9:24 PM here, and there’s still a bit of light out.  (For the whole trip, I’ve noticed how late the sun goes down.  There’s more daylight here than at home. Anyway, it’s dusk and it’s still beautiful.  Do I really have to leave tomorrow????  I’m glad things worked out so that the only thing I really had on the agenda for today was the small museum.  That meant I could spend more time both walking along the lake and sitting looking at it.  Spectacular!