04-07-2023 The Pearls of Switzerland

Deb and I slept well in our comfy room with the extra comfy beds and had to set an alarm to be sure that we woke in time for our early meeting at the ferry terminal.  This last day of our trip to Europe would be a long one and turned out to be even longer than the predicted 13 hours listed in our tour information guide.  

We met our tour director at the ferry dock just across the street from the train depot and only 2 blocks from our hotel

Deb and I spent a bit of time prior to the cruise trying to decide which extension we should do.  Because neither of us had ever been to Switzerland, and it was a bucket list item, we decided on the post-trip extension.  That wasn't an inexpensive choice.  When we then tried to decide whether we should do the extra long, extra expensive Pearls of Switzerland tour, there was a bit of hesitation.  All these little extras added to the cost of the cruise can add up very quickly.  I told Deb it looked like a great tour and I would be glad to pay for it.  By the time I got to the website, lo and behold, Deb had already purchased the extension AND the tour!  How in the world to avoid feeling terribly guilty when faced with such a generous daughter?! 

We woke on this last day of our trip to cloudy skies and rain.  With several sunny days behind us, it wasn't hard to take this in stride.  Our timing for visiting this part of Europe was a bit early in the Spring to expect sunshine.  Even with the rain, we were excited for the day ahead.  Switzerland!  Lakes, Mountains, Cheese Fondue!  I looked forward to this particular part of our trip so much.  

Once we boarded the Lake Lucerne Ferry, the magnificent vista of Mount Pilatus came into view.  Mt  Pilatus is just under 7,000 feet in elevation, although it seems so much higher.  The highest elevation in the Alps is just over 15,000 feet but we were nowhere near that portion of the region.  Still, with all the sharp angles resulting from glaciation, this mountain looming over Lucerne seemed much higher than just 7,000 feet.

People ran back and forth on  the boat to get photos of the beauty all around the lake.

As I said previously, since it was still early April, we were just a bit early in the season to experience all that the region has to offer.  Our tour description included a cable car ride to Mt Pilatus, however, the mountain doesn't open until the first of May.  Instead, we would be traveling across the lake and then taking a railway car to the top of Mt Rigi, at an elevation of just under 6,000 feet.  It seemed to me that elevations at this range were low enough to be devoid of snow, but one look at Mt. Pilatus eliminated that little bit of fantasy.

Once we boarded the ferry and slid out onto the lake, the changing views along the shoreline of Lucerne and of the surrounding mountains were gorgeous.  Settling into a nice table with a great window view we bought a couple of coffees from the concession counter on the ferry. Served with some Swiss chocolate, of course.

The ferry ride was a full hour, and Deb and I also spent a lot of time running from side to side of the boat to get photos.  We also returned to the warm cabin of the boat to warm up as well.  It was a beautiful trip with views unfolding in all directions of the Alps.  The ferry stopped at a couple of ports that were along the lake, and the tour guide pointed out the many celebrity homes that dotted the hills around Lake Lucerne.

There is an aerial cableway in Weggis that leads to the top of Mt Rigi.  

Our destination, however, was the village of Vitznau, where we would board the cog railway.  In 1871, Europe's first "rack" railway opened, leading from Vitznau to Rigi Kulm.  The ferry would continue to other locations on Lake Lucerne, but Vitznau was our destination.

There were a few modern rail cars departing the depot, but our group was told to wait because we would be boarding one of the special antique railcars for our journey to the top of Mt Rigi. 

It is difficult to describe the steepness of the incline as we moved slowly up the mountain.  The views were spectacular in spite of the overhanging clouds that obscured some of the distant mountains.

We passed summer homes still closed up for the winter, and hobby farms with animals turned against the cold wind in the pastures.

We even passed one of the newer railcars on its way back down the mountain.  It was so nice that we were in the bright and cheery red car. 

Rosemarie and Rick chose to spend the day on their own rather than go on the tour, and Deb and I enjoyed a bit of conversation with shipmates we hadn't met previously.  They were from a part of Idaho that Deb and I knew well, and the conversation was easy.  However, I don't remember their names so it wasn't a connection to remember as some are.

As the railcar climbed higher on the mountain we had hopes that the weather would clear, but instead, it began to snow, and the views of the lake were completely obscured by clouds.

A highlight of the trip to the top of Mt Rigi was the short hike to the viewpoint overlooking Lake Lucerne and the surrounding mountains.

Some folks braved the slippery and snowy hike, but Deb and I stayed closer to the railcar and only walked around enough to get a bit of the feeling of standing on a high mountain in the Swiss Alps.

After only fifteen minutes at the top of the mountain, the bell clanged for us to reboard the car for the trip back down the mountain.  There was a short stop at a station where our guide explained a bit of the tour that we were missing because of the weather.  Later, she passed around a photo of the view that we would have seen if the weather had cooperated.  That one made me laugh a bit.  

We boarded the train once again for another short ride to a restaurant where we would be served lunch, on our own, not included in the tour.  The lunch was ok but forgettable.  I think I had a salad or some soup, and can't remember which.  It wasn't terribly expensive, so that was OK.

As I write, and as I look at these photos of our tour guide, I have a funny memory and a strong feeling that I didn't like her very much.  I have no idea why, and it is probably a good thing that I didn't write detailed notes as to why, but the feeling is still with me when I look at her photo.  I am sure Deb will be able to remember why we didn't like her much.

We boarded the train once again after lunch and began the steep descent down the other side of the mountain through the snow.  Our destination this time was a small village where we would board the bus that would take us through the countryside to our next venue on the tour.

As we descended, the snow gave way to rain, heavy at times, and we were happy to be warm and cozy inside the train.  We then transferred to a bus, and the bus driver was an interesting Swiss guy who played the concertina while waiting at the door for us to board the bus.  

Fun little tidbit, it was a brand new very fancy bus and this was the maiden voyage.

I think I would dearly love to travel through Switzerland on a Swiss train

Our next destination was the small Swiss town of Einsiedeln and the beautiful Einsiedeln Abbey.  Nestled into a beautiful valley surrounded by soft green hills, the town and the abbey are a destination well worthy of the long drive.

The views along the route were beautiful, even in the rain.  Lakes, forests, and green meadows are everywhere throughout this part of Switzerland at this time of year.

It was about an hour before we reached the small city of Einsiendeln, surprised to find that the parking lots were nearly full and there were many busses and tours and people everywhere. The rain was coming down hard as we arrived, but it lessened as we got off the bus and started walking toward the Abbey.

The town looked charming from the courtyard of the Abbey

The Einsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits.  The abbey has been a major resting point for centuries for Camino pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain.  I have three different friends who have recently completed the Camino, an amazing feat.  None of them traveled through Switzerland where the abbey is located.  Looking at the many routes for pilgrims traveling the Camino is interesting.  I didn't realize there were so many ways to reach the Santiago de Compostela.  

The entrance to the stables at Einsiedeln Abbey

This beautiful monastery, built in the 10th century, is home to the oldest studbook in Europe.  Horses have been bred for almost 1,000 years at Einsiedeln Abbey.  The daily life of the monks is mixed with the horsemen at the abbey.  As early as 1655 the abbey fathers listed each of the products of their breeding, and the first studbook in Europe was born.  The breeding is so meticulous that it can trace back 20 generations.  It is based on three original mares whose lines continue to this day:  Klima, Quarta, and Sella.

As was often the case on some of our tours, our time was limited.  Our guide took us to the entrance of the Abbey, where she was not allowed to enter.  The brilliance of the pink, white, and gold Rococo interior was more than a bit overwhelming.  It was beautiful, but didn't move me the way that the simpler stone pillars of the Cathedral at Speyer, or the magnificent stained glass windows at the Strasbourg Cathedral moved me.  

Although the abbey was first transformed into a Benedictine monastery in 934CE, it wasn't until the late 1700s that it was rebuilt and decorated in this complex Rococo style that became popular in Germany during this time period.  There was a strong influence from France where the style originated in Paris in the early 18th century.

The chapel of the cathedral that contains the Black Madonna

The abbey is famous for its Black Madonna, which according to legend was given to the abbey by Abess Hildegard who lived during the 9th century.  This statue was imbued with the ability to perform miracles, but the original statue was replaced with the Black Madonna statue dating from the 15th century.  I have found legends and stories surrounding these Black Madonna statues throughout Europe.  If you are interested in the stories around this Madonna, here is a link.

As I said, our time was limited, and our guide said that we had to make a choice between spending more time in the abbey, walking a bit to the town to have coffee, or exploring the stables.  It wasn't hard for us to choose the walk to the stables just beyond the abbey.

By this time I was beginning to wear out, and I told Deborah I would take my time walking back toward the bus while she made a fast run down the many stairs to take a look at the town.  Twenty minutes was all that we were allowed before we had to return to the bus.  No way was I going to manage to see all I wanted to see and climb all those stairs in the short time we had to explore.  I was glad that Deb could get some photos of Einsiedeln for us.

The afternoon was lengthening, and it was another half hour or so to the next destination on this extensive tour.  We traveled through the countryside to a lovely small farm to spend some time learning about farming culture in Switzerland.

I am a bit embarrassed to say that I was simply "done".  I told the guide I would be staying on the bus for this part of the tour.  Now I remember why I disliked her so much.  She was quite short with me and tried to insist that I get off the bus.  Instead, while Deb explored the farm and took photos for us, I rested and laughed when the bus driver stretched out in the seat in front of me and took a nap.

Deb got some great photos of the farm, a small operation with only 20 cows or so, each known and loved and named by the owners of the farm.  Many of the people on the tour were city folk and for them, I am sure that seeing cows milked and learning about milking machines was interesting. 

 

The baby animals were adorable, though, and I even got off the bus to walk around and take a few photos.  What I found most interesting is that most farms in Switzerland are less than 20 acres, and use organic methods.  In fact, almost all of Switzerland produces 70 percent of its food on these small farms.  As in many things in Switzerland, there are strict rules prohibiting GMOs in the country, and organic farming is supported and encouraged.

When I took this photo of the farmyard, I had no idea what I was seeing in the distance.  Later we learned that the bright turquoise "thing" in the distance is a ski jump.  The four ski jumps on the edge of Einsiedeln are used for summer training, competitions, events, and guided tours.  

The view from the farm of the town of Einsiedeln and the abbey was beautiful.  I cannot imagine a more gorgeous place to have a small farm with sweet-faced cows.  The farmer and his wife were charming people as well, and according to Deborah, were well-educated and friendly and enjoyed sharing their lifestyle with the tourists on the tour.

It was almost 5PM when everyone returned to the bus and we resumed our tour.  It was about half an hour more to the cheese factory where we would experience cheese-making firsthand and then top the day off with a traditional cheese fondue supper.  Milchmanufaktur Einsiedein is a spotlessly clean facility with lovely views of Einsiedeln and the surrounding countryside from the restaurant and a charming shop stocked with many kinds of cheese and souvenirs.  

I was by then so very tired that I tried to stay on the bus once again, not realizing that not only were we going to participate in cheesemaking but this was our dinner spot as well.  My stern and not-so-friendly guide pushed me and said I HAD to get off the bus because I couldn't stay there alone.  I am glad she was mean and made me get off, especially when I realized this was the dinner location.

We all filed into the elevator or used the stairs to go down to the factory part of the facility and this is when the fun began.  I wish I could remember the name of the man on the left who was the main cheesemaker.  He told us he had only started doing this job a few months ago, but decided that a steady income at the factory was good for his family.  He was charming and fun. 

As the young girls shared different types of cheese with us, he began pouring and stirring the milk and rennet into the huge copper pot and then started stirring with the big paddles.  Later, someone asked if they still made cheese in these big pots and he laughed. When the main cheesemaker asked for volunteers to help, Deb stepped right up to help stir the cheese with the big wire paddles that mixed the milk until curds began to form.

After a time, our cheesemaker said the cheese needed to rest while we were led into the actual cheese room.  First, we had to completely suit up to protect the cheese from introduced bacteria from our clothes and shoes.  I even had to put little baggies on the ends of my walking sticks!  Making cheese is a delicate process that involves good bacteria and introduced bacteria can completely ruin the cheese.

After we saw the cheese room and all the huge wheels of cheese, we returned to the room where we started.  There, as one of the volunteer cheesemakers, Deborah continued her process as an apprentice and had to learn how to pull the metal bar under the cheese and then lift the dripping cheesecloth to the mold where our leader started working the cheese pressing out as much liquid as possible. It was great fun with lots of laughter involved in the process.

Deb said the whey felt like a really nice hand lotion, the best ever

Later, after our dinner, we each got a wheel of cheese similar to the ones we had made, except the ones we had received were made by a group about four weeks prior to our group cheesemaking experience.

Back upstairs we were seated at the long tables with fondue pots arranged so that four people could dip their cubed bread into the hot, melted cheese.  We also were served a salad, with white wine and ice cream for dessert.  The fondue wasn't particularly fabulous, but the whole experience was great fun and it was a perfect way to end our Pearls of Switzerland tour.

But the day wasn't yet over.  We had many miles to travel through the darkening twilight back to Lucerne.  Deb and I both tried taking photos of the tiny villages we passed in the darkness with their twinkling lights.  Not much success there, with darkness and a moving bus, but the photos remind us of what those last moments of our long day in Switzerland felt like.