There’s a lovely Alpine lake in the small town of Cham, Switzerland a short distance from Lucerne.
After hours of utter calmness, the wind picked up like a banshee when I sat to start this blog.
Last night, we walked there and had a drink before going to dinner. It is a huge lake and three different hunks of the Alps show up in the distance. A friend we were dining with had been to Cham a number of times. Our walk was the first he discovered the lake! It is that thing of seeing what is around you, of exploring. Depending on where you stay in a city, your view is of buildings and streets. Change hotels and an entirely new city can be discovered—even one as small as Cham (around 14,000 people).
Upon our arrival at seven-thirty, an elderly man was swimming in the lake—with the water a brisk 50 degrees. He waded out, went into the building and came out shortly attired in dress clothes including a vest and tie. He and his wife strolled off, arm in arm.
Due to the wind, I relocated to the hotel. Our room is along a wide canal running through town. There’s a charming walkway along the canal to the lake. It’s a nice room to lounge in except that a backhoe has been operating throughout the day. The work on a foundation for a new building is a mere hundred yards away, so it is quite loud. Have you ever watched one of those machines at work and thought: really? It doesn’t look like what they’re doing is logical. But then, I’m not a construction worker.
Relaxing into Lucerne
Our friend took us for a lovely dinner at an Italian restaurant he has eaten at before. Does our reputation for loving Italian food proceed us or does he love it, too? I indulged my love for ravioli. The pasta was filled with the seasonal special: spargel (asparagus), served with chunks of spargel. If I ever die in the middle of an Italian meal, you will know I went out happy.
I’m trying to take a lot of my sister’s I-Spy pictures. Those snaps help me remember the moments more than those of buildings and such. Not that I don’t love architecture, but the picture I snuck of the old man with the cane reminds me to tell you the story. I saw an elderly man on the river walk. I passed him, smiled, walked aways, and sat, moved to a different bench and sat. He finally arrived to where I sat. It was a quarter of a mile, but he did it. He smiled and offered the Swiss greeting. It’s something like “Gertz-ing.” He smiled at my response and my reversion to the German, Guten Tag, for good day. He sat and rested and then he walked off in the other direction, perhaps making a big circle.
Pictures like his remind me of the characters who cross my path.
Like the photo I took last night of the tiny Fiat in the entrance to the restaurant. They lifted it in through the windows for the sheer fun of it! I’m not big on kitschy things that don’t serve a purpose. But give me a reason—a Fiat in the Krone Restaurant in Cham for the humor—and I’m delighted.
Cham is relaxing and easy to stroll. People are nice, smiles are welcoming.
The Impression Lucerne Makes on Visitors
The city is beautiful, clean, and the streets are crazily disordered because of the age of the place. The people are nice and helpful. There is a lot of English spoken here—they embrace tourists from everywhere.
Switzerland is extremely expensive, even compared to Italy. Even compared to the tourist areas of Milan and Florence. A small cup of coffee lakeside was the equivalent of $5.50. I only had one.
We had Chantal as our waitress today at the Casino Lucerne’s outside eating area. She was delightful. Has been to the US because her grandfather lives in Columbia, SC. She went to NYC for two or three days. Overwhelmed by the bigness of the place. She was charming, with dimples and a big smile and very good English. I think she could have sat with us and visited throughout our very good meal.
Because of the politeness of people, we were shocked as we strolled along the river when a man behind us ordered us out of the way. I turned, took in his getup involving both a cane and a mini scooter kids put one foot on and push themselves along with the other. He was telling me I could jump in the river and swim and Alex would come in after me. Obviously, he had not met my non-chivalrous husband. But we laughed.
The man got ahead of us to the steps and gathered his things to go up. I asked if he needed help. He said, “No no. For 100 francs you can help me.”
Lucerne is enticing and eager to have you relax into the pace of it. Nothing is too much trouble, the flowers are lovely, the food scrumptious, and the people—never forget to take time to visit with the locals and learn their favorite things about their city.
Other Snippets of the Swiss People and Place
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These photos are wonderful – what a time you must have had. I like the one titled Dramatic Sky best but the Trekker with cane was quite moving. Great post Rose.
Thank you, Lenie. I love that church in Lucerne–the great mountains behind it. The Trekker with the cane was amazing. I always feel a little small inside when I see a person overcoming adversity. Then my heart grows bigger because I have witnessed what they achieve.
Oops–I should have said that it was, at least, a most excellent cup of coffee!
Lucerne is beautiful. I had to include it in my novel. Especially the bridge.
Thank you for sharing this with us, it looks like it was a great adventure.
The bridge was beautiful–I wanted to include photos of it as well, but the blog would have been twice as long!
Oh what wonderful memories your article and images brought back Rose! I’ve only been to Switzerland once and stayed in Zurich but had a marvelous time. I was joined by a client who’d also become a friend and he showed me all around the area and we drove up into the mountains and had the most wonderful dinner at a chalet. Ah, yep good memories.:-)
We went to a business dinner with Alex’s new colleagues and drove up, up, and up above Cham to get there. It, too, was a chalet with wonderful views and very good food. It’s fun to have locals to take us places!
The photos are great. The place looks so beautiful and clean. The photo of the Fiat made me laugh. I have heard before how expensive Switzerland can be.
You keyed on that, Donna. In general everywhere we have been in Europe has been clean. Super clean. It amazes me. That Fiat–what a riot. I asked the owner’s son and he said they brought it in through the windows purely for the fun of it. My kind of people!
I loved the picture of the trekker with cane – wow, I was wishing I was right there with you. You could feel the peace. How blessed you are to travel the way you do and then be able to sit down and write about it so people journey along with you. Enjoyed the whole trip.
That man was amazing, Lenie, but for him it was probably just a walk in the park! I try thank God every time we have gotten to go on a trip. For me, who has always had wanderlust, these trips are absolute gifts!
Both of the lakes look beautiful. Must be a lovely walk along the canal at Cham.
I even managed to enjoy the ducks, geese and swans. The swans can be a bit scary, but that’s me and my bird-thing!
Great pictures Rose and wonderful narrative. I felt like I was right there with you. I hadn’t been to Switzerland yet. But it looks lovely. Especially the lake.
It was one of the most relaxing trips, Susan. Calm Cham, Lovely Lucerne…absolutely peaceful. I recommend it to anyone, just know it’s more costly than Italy!
Beautiful photos! I especially loved the shot of the Fiat! I never think of the Swiss as having much humor! Laugh! Interesting to know how expensive!
They are more subdued than we are—oh, and that was an Italian restaurant owned by honest to goodness Italians. They are a hoot!