Melnq8

Oct 16 -

The noise went on until 10ish; young people walking by in groups with whistles making a nuisance of themselves. The cops were out in force. We never did figure out what was going on.

We woke to humidity so thick you could see it. The train/bus station and the streets in front of the apartment were deserted on this Sunday morning. Chiavenna was a shadow of its former self.

We tend to head directly for the green areas on maps, which is how we ended up walking from the apartment to Marmitte Dei Giganti, a natural reserve whose name literally means ‘giant’s pots’, situated on the hillside overlooking Chiavenna. We randomly followed a network of trails, completely alone for a while, but then joined by a few groups of loud teenage backpackers. The trails steadily became busier, as Chiavenna woke up and its residents headed to the hills.

Marmitte Dei Giganti is described as an area of “impressive geomorphological aspects and historical and prehistoric remains of great interest.”


Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti

Views from Marmitte Dei Giganti

Views from Marmitte Dei Giganti

Be that as it may, I didn’t care for the trails here; it was definitely pretty - and so vibrantly green that it made my eyes hurt - it felt like a cross between a rainforest and a chestnut grove - but I was uncomfortable with the abundance of wet mossy rocks and steep stone steps littered with ankle-breaking chestnuts. Most of the steps were smooth and slippery, an obstacle course of tripping hazards for clumsy people like myself. I felt ancient today, and the humidity didn’t help matters. Bill rather enjoyed it and told me I was just in a bad mood.


Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti

We wandered up here for almost four hours. It felt like four hours of steps, all up and down. The most interesting part of the hike for me was the fungi – we saw some huge and colorful mushrooms, one the size of a dinner plate.


Fungi the size of a dinner plate, Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti

Views from Marmitte Dei Giganti

We worked our way back to Chiavenna, then backtracked to check out the Val Bregaglia trail, but ended up walking upstream along a paved path that followed the river instead. We decided we needed to eat before undertaking anything else, so we returned to town.


Chiavenna

Chiavenna

Chiavenna was pretty quiet, but we found a few places open for lunch. We selected Bar Vicini the minute raw-meat-loving Bill spied steak tartare on the menu.

What a find. Bill ordered the Tartare Alpina, a deal at €13 for a 200 gram portion (which would have cost three times as much next door in Switzerland). He was chuffed.

I ordered the Spaghetto Amatricia – pasta with red sauce, bacon and chili – which was delicious (€12), washed down with a nice dry white (Falanghina, €4.50 per glass). An all-around excellent lunch. Bill was talking about going back before we’d even left. No 2 pm witching hour either.


Bar Vicini

Tartare Alpina

Spaghetto Amatricia

Afterwards we wandered the deserted alleyways – quite a contrast from yesterday - a good opportunity to take photos. We sought out a place called Soul Cake, thinking it was a bakery, but finding a coffee and cake shop instead.

No problem there…we just happen to like coffee and cake.

The display case was filled with small bites of various tempting deserts – mignons. We’d never seen anything like this before - I was very intrigued – this was my kind of place. We settled in with a latte, a cappuccino and four mini cakes (€8.80). If this is what Italy is about, I’m all in.


Chiavenna

Chiavenna

Chiavenna

Soul Cake

Soul Cake

Soul Cake

Soul Cake

Soul Cake

After a pit stop at the apartment, we decided to check out the Parco Paradiso, which was closed this morning when we passed, and then closed again when we passed again after our hike - and would be closed tomorrow, Monday. Evidently the hours vary depending on time of year; at the time of our visit it was open from 10-12 and 4-6, closed Monday.

Parco Paradiso is a botanic and archaeological park, made up of two hills, the Paradiso and the Castellaccio, situated on the eastern edge of Chiavenna, overlooking the city. It’s part of the protected Marmitte dei Giganti nature reserve and part of the Valchiavenna Museum.

We paid €3 each and climbed what felt like another thousand stone steps. Nice views from up here – I felt for the poor souls who had to bring up all the supplies back in the day when it was a castle. We explored all the nooks and crannies and watched the sun disappear – there were only a handful of other people. I enjoyed it, even with all the steep steps, and had to wonder about the mobility impaired of Europe. Hopefully, the 2,421 stone steps we climbed today will offset some of the many calories we’ve consumed. Italy was proving much more fattening than we’d expected.


Chiavenna

Parco Paradiso in backround

Views from Parco Paradiso

Parco Paradiso

Views from Parco Paradiso

Then it was back to the apartment, for a much quieter night.

To be continued…..

Rissa

I found your trip report yesterday and have been loving it and all the beautiful photos! I am in love with Switzerland.. I visited for 2 weeks for the first time in September 2022 and I’m dying to go back. I feel a deeper connection as some of my ancestors came from Switzerland and it just felt like home! The beauty of it is almost unbelievable!

Melnq8

Rissa - I feel you - we've been visiting Switzerland pretty regularly since the 90's and still haven't gotten enough, although we've drifted into Italy on our past few visits.

Thanks for reading.

Melnq8

Oct 17 - How to gain 10 pounds in 24 hours in Chiavenna, Italy.

Today’s plan was to visit the Acquafraggia waterfalls, a natural monument located in Piuro Valchiavenna, which our research indicated was actually closer to the Borgonuova bus stop, which was just past the Acquafraggia bus stop.

So we bought tickets to Borgonuova and boarded the 10:07 bus at the train/bus station directly across from our apartment (2.20 chf each).

Once on the bus, we pressed the stop button the minute Borgonuova appeared on the overhead display, noticing that it disappeared seconds later. Our bus driver had blown right past the stop! So we pressed the stop button for the next stop, S. Croce, figuring we’d just have to walk back to the Borgonuova bus stop, but a bit annoyed that the driver hadn’t stopped despite us giving plenty of notice.

Once at S. Croce, we immediately scrapped the idea of walking back to Borgonuova as the road was busy, narrow and winding, and there wasn’t even a shoulder to walk on; it was just too dangerous.


S. Croce church

S. Croce

So, we could either find a hiking trail that led back to Borgonuova or wait 90 minutes for the next bus going in the opposite direction.

After some faffing about, we eventually found a bergweg that we thought might take us back towards Borgonuova, but it looked pretty gnarly. We decided to give it a go, walking in for about 35 minutes, the trail a rocky, steep ledge dangling over the precipice below. I wasn’t comfortable at all, and the trail just got worse and worse, so we turned back and returned to S. Croce, me getting progressively more annoyed with the bus driver who put us in this position.

Back in S. Croce, we waited 20 minutes for the next bus, buying a ticket all the way back to Chiavenna just in case the driver missed our stop again (2.20 chf each).

Worried that the driver would blast past Borgonuova again, we got off at the Acquafraggia bus stop. The day was beautiful; we walked to the waterfalls and toyed with taking the hike to Savogno, a 90 minute one way hike with a 500 meter elevation gain, but after the morning we’d had, we thought better of it. Savogno is situated on the sunny terrace above the Acquafraggia waterfalls at an altitude of 932 meters; the hamlet was inhabited until the 1960’s, but is now almost deserted.


Acquafraggia waterfalls

Acquafraggia waterfalls

This guy wasn't very intersted in the waterfalls

We poked around the waterfalls and sought out Crotto del Fuin, a restaurant that had been recommended by our apartment owner, but it was Monday and the restaurant was closed. We found four cats lounging on the tables on the restaurant’s terrace.


Crotto del Fuin

Crotto del Fuin

Residents of Crotto del Fuin

We decided to walk back to Chiavenna, eventually finding the Val Bregaglia bike/walk trail, which led us back to town alongside the river, logging our usual five miles.


Walking back to Chiavenna via Val Bregaglia trail

Walking back to Chiavenna via Val Bregaglia trail

Back in Chiavenna we sought out lunch; it was now well past the witching hour of 2 pm, and being Monday, many restaurants were closed, including Bill’s first choice, Bar Vicini. So we sought out Pasticceria Mastai, as I’d noticed it was open this morning when we passed on the bus. While the Mastai near our apartment (closed Monday) is a coffee shop/bar/apertivo place, Pasticceria Mastai was more of a cake and pastry shop, which is a good thing as far as I’m concerned, but discouraged hot, tired, cranky, and very hungry Bill.

We settled in at a table and I went up to the counter to investigate, making an executive decision and ordering Bresoala on dark bread for Bill, ham on a croissant for me.


Bresoala on dark bread, Pasticceria Mastai

Bill’s not much of a sandwich eater, but he loved his Bresoala sandwich and was soon in a better mood. Afterwards I hit the dessert counter, selecting six mignons to share - (OMG – tiny bites of heaven - much better than those at Soul Cake yesterday – I wanted to try one of everything!). And then I went back for three more. Pasticceria Mastai had saved the day, and had proven to be a real gem (€40, lunch, beverages, mignons, water).


Pasticceria Mastai

Pasticceria Mastai

Pasticceria Mastai

Pasticceria Mastai

Pasticceria Mastai

After lunch we strolled through the alleyways of Chiavenna, our stroll turning into a pub crawl, first stopping at Ponte Del Mera for a drink on their tiny (and pungent) terrace overlooking the Mera River and then at a second place whose name I failed to note. The young women working the bar at the second place moved non-stop – taking orders, making drinks, delivering orders, washing stemware, making expresso for customers to drink at the bar; we got tired just watching them.


Drinks venue overlooking Mera River

Drinks venue overlooking Mera River

Drinks venue overlooking Mera River

Aperitivo

My plans for having gelato every day had been dashed - there was just no room.

It’d been another warm and humid day – 22c.

To be continued…

Melnq8

Oct 18 –

We caught the 9:07 bus to Promontogno just over the border in Switzerland - which took us alongside Bondo, the site of a massive landslide in August 2017 that killed eight hikers and destroyed dozens of buildings and a bridge.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/switzer...anton-missing/

We’d taken a hike from Sogilo that ended in Bondo back in 2019, and it was interesting to see how much Bondo had changed since then.

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoo...limate-change/

Today we saw a lot of cranes and construction work, which I assume are related to the replacement of the bridge. I’ve since read that Bondo is 80-90% back to normal.



Bondo as seen from the bus

In Promontogno we changed to a smaller bus which took us up the steep hill to Soglio (5.60 chf each from Chiavenna), although this particular bus was bigger than those we’ve taken to Sogilo in the past, and it had quite a few people on board.

Once in Soglio, we wandered a bit, enjoying this beautiful little village, and then popped into the visitor’s center to ask about the trail to Castasengna; we have fond memories of walking through the largest chestnut grove in Europe during chestnut season in 2019 and we wanted to do it again.


Soglio

Soglio

Soglio

Soglio

Soglio

Soglio

Soglio

We followed the Val Bregaglia trail from Soglio down through the chestnut groves, the trail covered with chestnuts, flinching every time we heard a chestnut falling from the branches above us, not wanting to get bonked on the head.


Val Bregaglia trail

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

Walking the Val Bregaglia trail below Soglio

People were raking and/or using leaf blowers, moving the chestnuts into piles for collection. A few areas looked like they might be open to the public for people to collect - or so I assumed based on the activity and signage.

The trail led us by a waterfall and was smoky in spots - in Bregaglia the fruit is traditionally dried in the "cascine", small smoking huts - before being processed into flour.


Val Bregaglia Trail to Castasenga

Val Bregaglia Trail to Castasenga

Val Bregaglia Trail to Castasenga

The walk was just as we remembered it - beautiful - and took just over an hour. We saw more people than the last time we were here - chestnut season was in full swing.

I’d asked for change at the Sogilo visitor’s center, wanting to have coins on hand just in case the honesty stand selling honey and jam was still here - and it was. I purchased some quince and berry jam to take home.



We realized we only had a few minutes until the 11:34 bus, so we made a mad dash to the Castasenga Vecchil Dogana bus stop – actually making it for a change.


Castasenga

Castasenga

Back in Chiavenna we returned to Bar Vicini for a repeat of Tartare Alpina for the carnivore, Spaghetto Amatricia for me, local grape for both (€44.50). The restaurant was busy, most tables occupied, inside and out.

Afterwards we went to the visitor’s center for ideas on what to do tomorrow.

Then it was back to the apartment - which was pretty hot, the windows face west and the afternoon sun was full on. It was time to do laundry. As usual, we had trouble with the European washer - and had to run a load twice, as the soap hadn’t dissolved. And as usual there was no dryer, so we had to drape our clothes all over the apartment. There was a drying rack in the basement, but it had been in use since we arrived; and we’re always afraid we’ll forget and leave our clothes behind.

I’d been keeping an eye on Swiss International - their pilots were threatening to strike on Saturday and Sunday, and I was flying to Barcelona on Saturday.

To be continued…

zebec

Those shrooms---wonderful photography Mel. There's a joke in there somewhere, one connected to your TR title. But we'll let it go.
Those who might be Switzerland-bound could not hope to find many better, more updated reports on these places.
I am done. the Chris Walken

Melnq8

Thanks zebec. Yesh, those shrooms were something else, just begging to be photographed.

Adelaidean

Mel, I’m going to miss my morning coffee read when this ends!

I really liked Chiavenna and the annoying parts (the heat, the revellers laughing and talking until 3 am) have faded a bit in my memory. But we missed those bakeries!! OMG.
Bakeries here tend to offer unappealing (artificial cream filled / artery clogging waste of calorie) concoctions.
But Europe….with fresh fruits, and lovely shortbread crusts, divine! I’m saving my quota for my trip, lol.

Melnq8

Oct 19 –

We’d been told yesterday that we had to purchase train tickets from a human, so we were waiting at the train station/visitor’s center when it opened at 9 am to purchase tickets to Colico, situated on the northern arm of Lake Como, 30 minutes from Chiavenna (€7 each return).

This would be our first foray into Italy using an Italian train, in this case Trenord, so we weren’t sure what to expect. We’d noticed very few trains coming and going from the Chiavenna station, which is the end of the line; I’ve since learned that it only serves Colico and Milano Porta Garibaldi.

The display monitor indicated that the train would arrive on Platform 2, but everyone else was waiting on Platform 1. I asked the woman who’d sold us the ticket and she said she didn’t know which was correct, and referred me back to the display monitor. I approached a woman waiting on Platform 1 and she told me they’d announce the platform when the train approached - they didn’t - but it turned out that we were on the correct platform and everyone on Platform 1 had to cross under the tracks to Platform 2. I got the impression the train to Colico usually leaves from Platform 1, so the locals were surprised by the change.

Our tickets had to be validated either by stamping them at the machine on the platform, or filling them out ourselves with the date. There was no conductor on the way to Colico, but there was on the way back. Per the woman at the ticket office masks were required so we wore them, but few other people did. The train was pretty empty.

Upon arrival in Colico (population 7,776) we followed a path alongside the lake – which is part of the Sentiero Valtellina that goes all the way to Bormio (113 km). Very few people were out; it was very peaceful. We walked for a bit, passing several beaches, and encountering many swarms of gnats - we practically had to pick them out of our teeth – then we eventually backtracked towards town.


Trenord train

Lake Como

Following the Sentiero Valtellina

Following the Sentiero Valtellina

Views from the Sentiero Valtellina

Views from the Sentiero Valtellina

Soon we were walking along the promenade, dotted with restaurants and coffee shops, still sleepy, but with several people out enjoying the sun. We stopped for gelato – limone and a strawberry so good that Bill decided he needed a scoop of his own (€3.50, two scoops).

We walked right past the ferry terminal – me not realizing until this very minute that one can get to Como by ferry from Colico in about 90 minutes.


Lake Como

Lake Como

We poked through town, popped into a church and then returned to the train station for the 12:45 train back to Chiavenna. We’d considered staying for lunch, but there was a 90 minute break between trains, the next not until after 2, so we thought better of it. The train was pretty empty going back as well.


Colico church

Colico church

Colico church

Return train to Chiavenna

I wanted to have a meal in a crotto - a restaurant inside a natural grotto, for which Chiavenna is well known, but we’d assumed they were only open for dinner and we’d been so full from all the mignons and aperitivo that we’d not had an opportunity to check one out.

Today was our last chance, and having learned that Crotto Ombra was open for lunch and having been told we didn’t need to book, upon our return to Chiavenna we made a beeline there.


Crotto Ombra

Unfortunately the tiny restaurant was full, and we were told there was no chance that we’d be seated before they closed. We briefly considered making a dinner booking instead, but we’re just not fans of late dinners, so we took a pass.

I suspect Bill was secretly relieved, as he wanted one last go at raw meat – and he got his wish. I’d had my fill of pasta so I chose the vegetarian Romana in Pala (paddle pizza), which was very good – even Bill, who dislikes anything ‘bready’ raved about it (€42 with more of that lovely local white).


Vegetarian Romana in Pala (paddle pizza)

Afterwards we walked to Pasticceria Mastaifor lattes and one last mignon orgy - only three this time - (€6.90).


Pasticceria Mastai

We wiled away the afternoon poking through the streets of Chiavenna, picking up two rolls for tomorrow’s train lunch at a hole-in-the-wall pasticceria, and then eventually returning to Mastai to end our stay the way it had begun - with aperitivo - where we were entertained by a bartender who was pouring three bottles from one hand while garnishing drinks with the other.


Chiavenna

Chiavenna

Our go to place for bread

We’d really enjoyed Chiavenna, but needed to get out of here before we exploded. The food had been exceptional, the aperitivo fun and filling, and the pastries and gelato…oh my. And so very affordable. I suspect Chiavenna hasn’t seen the last of us.

To be continued…

Adelaidean

We haven’t been to the mid lake Como area, but have stayed at Villa Tre Jolie near Trezzone, on other side of lake to Colico and had a brilliant visit to the market at Morbegno (from your sign photo).
I thought this part of the lake incredibly beautiful.

Melnq8

Oct 20 -

Alas, it was time to pack up our mosquito bites and leave Italy. At least the wasps had left us alone this year.

Today we’d be using the Super Saver tickets that we’d purchased well in advance, (49 chf each), so we were locked into specific buses/trains.

Our bus route took us from Chiavenna to St Mortiz via the incredibly twisty Maloja Pass, me riding shotgun again, not wanting to miss any of the excitement, although after a month of sphincter-clenching bus rides, this one felt pretty tame.

The road between Sils and St Moritz was very busy, and we noticed car license plates from cantons all over Switzerland. I suspect most were here to enjoy the last blast of autumn…the larch trees around the lakes awash in gold were gorgeous.

In St Mortiz we caught an IC train to Landquart; unusual for Switzerland, the train was a beater, it looked as if it had been brought out from long term storage to fill an urgent need; on the platform an announcement had been made that the train would have fewer carriages than normal, so perhaps something had happened.

The changing trees near Kurbis and the yellowing vineyards near Landquart were stunning. In Landquart we switched to a train to Zurich, the train becoming busier as we approached the Big Smoke under gloomy skies.



In Zurich we made one last train switch, arriving in the extremely busy Luzern bahnhof some six hours after leaving Chiavenna. We worked our way outside to the bus station, swimming upstream through a crowd of people who’d just gotten off a recently arrived boat - and located our bus stop - then took Bus #7 - which was also packed - three stops - then followed my phone GPS - backtracking a bit, then heading up a short steep hill, where we located the home of the apartment’s co-host, who led us further up the hill and up a short flight of stairs to our digs for the next two nights. Whew. Luzern was feeling entirely too busy and crowded after a month in much more sedate locales.

The apartment would prove to be ideally located and convenient, especially as bus transport in Luzern was free with our guest card. It’s spacious, well equipped, fairly quiet and offers some nice views over the city…and it’s a bargain by Luzern standards - $322.24 for two nights.

After getting settled we went out looking for food, half-starved after our long day of travel. We wandered for quite some time, following my GPS to an Indian restaurant, being led all over the city, finally finding it – a non-descript space with hand-written sign on the door, the interior sparse and hotter than the hinges of hell, the menu unpromising, and damn expensive. It just felt off. An emphatic no from me, despite feeling like I’d fall down from hunger.

So we went next door to a kebab place, which also felt like an oven. No idea how the workers can stand these hot, stuffy interiors with no ventilation, let alone air con. It reminded me of a few of our dining experiences in Western Australia.

So we wandered, popping into a bakery only to be told they had no more lunch items, just sweets. It was 3:30, we’d been caught out again and we were both cranky and hungry.

We finally popped into a Coop and picked up sashimi, salad and food for breakfast, then returned to the apartment.

There’d been no updates on the impending Swiss International strike; I was leaving for Barcelona in two days; and my Spain travel buddy was already on her way from the US.

As in Vals, I’d shipped a package of Laderach chocolates to the apartment ahead of our arrival. So after we ate, I unpacked and repacked, artfully filling Bill’s suitcase with the chocolate and many of the things I wouldn’t need in Spain, taking advantage of his 70 lb luggage allowance and lightening my load for the upcoming weeks.

To be continued…

Melnq8

Adelaidean -

Colico has piqued our interest in other parts of Italy although lakes in general don't really appeal to us. I'll keep Trezzone in mind though.

Melnq8

Oct 21 –

It’d been years since we last visited Luzern; we included it in this trip mainly as a way of getting to Zurich without having to spend much time there, and because I’d discovered that there was an as-of-yet-unexplored chocolate factory nearby.

We woke to rain and gloom. We walked to the bahnhof, and took a train to Root D4, a ride of less than 20 minutes (4.30 chf each).

We arrived to an industrial area; evidently Root D4 is named for the nearby D4 Business Village; our destination, Aeschbach Chocolatier could be seen the minute we stepped off the train.

We’d come to visit the interactive exhibition Chocowelt (Chocolate World), but had arrived well before it opened at 10 am, so we wandered the streets of Root D4 for a bit, killing time. When we approached Aeschbach we saw people inside dining at the café, so we went in to investigate, ordering some hot chocolate – made with cubes of their chocolate – good, but not chocolately enough - while we waited for Chocowelt to open (14.40 chf).


Walking to Luzern bahnhof

Aeschbach cafe

At 10 am, we paid 15 chf each and set about exploring Chocowelt, taking in the exhibits, gobbling the samples and watching the machinery and the workers below us on the factory floor, surprised at how labor intensive some of their jobs were, hand packing chocolates, etc.


Aeschbach

Aeschbach

Aeschbach

Samples! Aeschbach


The place was full of coughing kids, so we masked up and gave them a wide berth. We spent about 90 minutes exploring the displays and taking it all in. I really enjoyed it. We’d gotten a 5 chf voucher with our tickets, so we spent some time mulling over the options in the gift shop, settling on some Kirsch and Grappa filled sticks and a few chocolate coins.

Weirdly, neither of us cared for their milk chocolate. Even more weirdly, Bill, who usually avoids dark chocolate but likes white - liked their dark chocolate better than both the milk and the white.

We eventually tore ourselves away and caught a train back to Luzern. We’d failed to realize that our guest cards covered us as far as Ebikon, so on the return we just purchased tickets from Root D4 to Eibikon (2.90 chf). Hey, it’s Switzerland, every little bit helps.

Back in Luzern we poked around the Altstadt, looking for a place for lunch. I recalled reading good reviews about the cafeteria Manora, which is located on the top floor of the Manor store, so we decided to check it out.

Bill chose a beef patty with red wine gravy and sauerkraut, washed down with a local Luzern beer (18.70 chf). I had a bowl of leek soup, and bruschetta with a glass of wine – cheating myself as I had trouble with the 1 dl wine dispenser, aargh… (9.90 chf). Bill liked my bruschetta so much that he went back and got the last one (3.50 chf). It was a good option for lunch, with decent prices in very expensive Luzern.

We spent the afternoon aimlessly wandering through the winding streets of the Altstadt and trying to avoid the crowds. We then picked up sashimi and salad for dinner at Coop, beer from World of Drinks at the bahnhof, and then caught the #7 bus - which seemed to be waiting for us every time we needed it - back to the apartment. A couple of bus inspectors boarded the bus just as we got off – the first time this trip.


Luzern

Chapel Bridge, Luzern

Chapel Bridge, Luzern

Altstadt

Altstadt

Altstadt

Altstadt

Altstadt

Fungi, Coop

The day had been quieter than yesterday, but still too busy for our tastes; we’d logged quite a few city miles and were worn out.

Two nights in Luzern was plenty for us.

Winding down…

Melnq8

Oct 22 -

The sun decided to come out just as we were leaving. But of course.


Views from the apartment after the skies cleared

Views from the apartment

We left the apartment at 11, taking the bus to the bahnhof…me taking a few last minute snaps now that the sun had appeared.


Luzern under blue skies

Chapel Bridge

Luzern and Chapel Bridge

We then caught a train to the Zurich airport, which took just over an hour (15 chf each, half fare, last day of our 30 day half fare card).

I checked in my bag with Swiss International and we weighed Bill’s; hoping I’d not gotten overzealous in loading him down. Lucky me, the strike had been postponed.

We then sought out lunch for Bill; him happy to find an Indian joint in the airport food hall - Chicken Tikka with rice, naan and papadam for 23 chf. He figured out which bus to take from the airport to near the Welcome Inn, his digs for the night, via the SBB app (2.30 chf). Then we parted ways.

Check-in and security were a breeze. Soon I was noshing on some lunch of my own in the Swiss Lounge and awaiting my flight to Barcelona.


Swiss Lounge lunch

Spain trip report here:

Spain: Take Two

Yay! Finally done! Thanks for tagging along!

------------------------------

Adelaidean

That Manora restaurant saved us too, good to know where they are when you are about after standard lunch time service.

I’m not recommending Trezzone as a base, we were the only guests without a car and it was evident why just trying to get there, lol.
But, such a pretty area, I’m sure there are better places to base.

marg

Hi Mel. Loved your trip report and such great photos. Almost as good as being there.

Melnq8

Hi marg - good to see you here!

Finsteraarhorn

I loved to read about your trip and to see the beautiful pictures. Un caro saluto dal Ticino!

KayF

Hi Mel, gosh Switzerland is gorgeous. Your photos are fabulous, thank you! I love the painted buildings in Arosa.
I'm still catching up, am up to the Swiss kitty photo. Did you figure out what language she understood?
Kay

Melnq8

And greetings from Utah to you Finsteraarhorn where we're currently doing some winter hiking.

Thank you Kay - fortunately the cat was bilingual - she had no trouble understanding my usual cat talk