During my two-weeks business trip to Heidelberg, Germany. I decided to take a weekend road trip to visit a tiny country of Liechtenstein and a picturesque town of Luzern in Switzerland; making a full circle from Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and back to Germany.
Switzerland has existed as a state in its present form since the adoption of the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1848. The precursors of Switzerland established a protective alliance at the end of the 13th century, forming a loose confederation of states which persisted for centuries.
Since 16th century, Switzerland has maintained a strong policy of armed neutrality; it has not fought an international war since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002. Switzerland is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world and it is the birthplace of the Red Cross, one of the world’s oldest and best known humanitarian organizations.
Switzerland is home to numerous lakes, villages and the high peaks of the Alps. On the way from Liechtenstein to Luzern, my first stop was at the Lake Walensee, one of the larger lakes in Switzerland.
Beautiful Alpine Landscape of Switzerland.Small Mountain villages in Switzerland.One of many small villages surrounding Lake Walensee.Traditional Swiss Chalets overlooking Lake Walensee.
Most my time in Switzerland was spent in Lucerne or Luzern, the most populous city in Central Switzerland, located on the shores of Lake Lucerne and its outflow, the river Reuss. The first city to join the Swiss Confederation, today Lucerne is a lovely small city.
The Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), a covered wooden footbridge spanning the river Reuss diagonally, named after the nearby St. Peter’s Chapel. A larger part of the old bridge was destroyed in a 1993 fire. Subsequently restored, the Kapellbrücke is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe. Wasserturm, a “water tower” or a ‘tower standing in the water’, has been used as a prison, torture chamber, and later a municipal archive as well as a local treasury.Lake Lucerne, also called Lake of the Four Cantons, the principal lake of central Switzerland, surrounded by the cantons of Lucerne, Nidwalden, Uri, and Schwyz. The lake is beautifully situated between steep limestone mountains, Rigi and Pilatus.Beautiful full moon over Jesuit Church, a Catholic church built between 1667 and 1677, along the river Reuss in Lucerne’s old town.The Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), Wasserturm (Water Tower) and Jesuit Church; beautifully lighted after dark.One of the entrance to the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). The Clock Tower of the Rathaus (Town Hall) of Lucerne on the Kornmarkt. The Town Hall was built between 1602 and 1606, though the tower of the town-hall is older and was erected in the High Middle Ages later serving as a dungeon and finally housing the town-hall clock before 1408.Goose Man fountain in old town of Lucerne. It is replica of famous Goose man of Nuremberg.Fritschi Fountain, This colorful fountain was built in 1918.A Boy and Hawk Fountain in old town of Lucerne.The Weinmarkt (Wine Market) square and fountain in front of Krone hotel. Another look at the Weinmarkt (Wine Market) square.Walking around old town of Lucerne.Hauptpost, the main post office in Lucerne, located in a historic building built in 1888.BUCHERER, a major Rolex retailer, occupying a prime location in Lucerne.A love Lock over looking the Chapel Bridge.Enjoying Eichhof Lager, a local beer, brewed in Lucerne since 1835. Enjoying Eichhof Hubertus Dunkle, a dark beer brewed by a local brewery.
After a weekend trip I drove back to Heidelberg, Germany for another week of Business Meetings.
In May 2017, 23 days before I was going to complete 50 years, grabbed an opportunity and took an early retirement.. Picked up a backpack and traveling ever since.. Love to travel around the world, experience different culture, local cuisine & drinks .. and take pictures.. so far been to 108 countries and still counting...
Window on the World 