First Luzern, then Grindelwald. Central Switzerland is beyond beautiful. We did not have much time in Luzern. Kathy and I had been here before, but the return visit reminded us of the beauty of this city on a powder blue mountain lake. A mix of German and French architecture, the city was aglow on this sunny and pleasant day. I was in shirtsleeves. A market with colorful awnings and local products lined the lakeside below the Old Town. We walked the old wooden Kapellbruecke (Chapel Bridge), constructed in the early 1300s, for which the city is famous, with its interior paintings and gingerbread wooden slates.

Our train ride to Grindelwald had scenery that rivaled our Glacier Express train experience. The majesty of creation, simply put, is extraordinary! Grindelwald is a wonderful small mountain village set in a valley surrounded by some of Switzerland’s most scenic mountain peaks. One is the Eiger, the setting for several movies. Our hotel has an outdoor patio that has a panoramic view. Our welcome to the hotel included sparkling wine served on the patio. The sun was warm, and I was able to be in shirtsleeves–high in the Alps in November, no less. The peaks are snow-covered, yet the valley is lush green. Such refreshing sights.

Tonight, our friends Ken and Paula joined us for a meal in a traditional Swiss restaurant. We dined on fennel soup, roesti (fried grated potato served with sauerkraut and smoked sausage), raclette (fried cheese served with boiled potato, gherkins and pearl onions) and apfel (apple) strudel. It was tasty and very atmospheric, a fitting conclusion to a fine day. WEG