Pissed on Mount Pilatus.

It was a day and a half!

We woke up our first morning in Wolhusen, Switzerland to spitting rain. We couldn’t waste a Switzerland day – this was a bit of a splurge for us to begin with, so we didn’t want to waste a minute. We donned double layers, toques, mitts, and found our yet, unused umbrella and ventured down the mountain to the train station. Even in the rain Switzerland is beautiful – so green – so mountainous (where we are), and so picturesque. There were sheep feeding on the grass in a field right by where we walked. Off we went.

By the time the train reached Lucerne it was really coming down. What could we do for a few hours in the rain? Wandering was out until it let up a bit. Why don’t we jump on a bus to Kriens and take the gondola up to Mount Pilatus. Of course it would be nicer on a clear day and in the sunshine, but that doesn’t appear to be an option….so off we go. The bus driver made sure we got off at the right stop and pointed up the hill we had to climb to catch the cable car. (Bonus – our train pass also allows us to travel on any public transportation in Switzerland and gives us 1/2 off many tours and excursions. We hadn’t seen that in previous countries). We huddled under the umbrella and climbed up to the station. We got our tickets and jumped on the gondola.

Before long the rain turned to snow and it was really coming down. In spite of all that we enjoyed the ride up to the top. It would have been about a half hour ride up the mountain and then just above the tree line you get off and board a bigger gondola that holds about 50 people that takes you up to the peak – or very close.

Once we got up to the peak there was a great viewing platform and a restaurant with information and displays. You can see by the pic above how deep the snow was against one side of the building. We found a table by the window and I went to pick us up some coffees.

I saw some plum kuchen that reminded me of Jim’s Mom and I decided to surprise Jim and get us some Irish Coffees too. It was 11am and I thought some Baileys would warm us up with all this snow. Anyway!!!! The little girl mixing the Irish coffee was brand new – the senior told her to make two creamy coffees and add Irish Whiskey. She did – about 1/2 and 1/2. OMG we had huge cups 1/2 filled with Irish Whiskey (which I don’t love nearly as much as Baileys but at these prices I was drinking every drop!!

Anyone that knows me well, knows I don’t drink much and I don’t drink well. I only have two speeds zero and 100. Well I went from zero to 100 in about 20 minutes. I was pissed on Pilatus!!! We walked around arm in arm- me, giggling for awhile and then we took the big gondola down to the level where you get on the little individual gondolas and decided to go in to that restaurant and have a hot chocolate and fries. Still pissed. When I’m like that it’s very important to me that everyone around me is having a good time too. I found a huge table and invited a big Korean family to join us at the table – we couldn’t speak the same language but we laughed and laughed. They had never seen snow before (or probably a drunk Canadian) and were great sports.

Anyway we made it down the mountain, out of the snow and believe it or not it had stopped raining. And I sobered up and we toured Lucerne – a beautiful city – until dinner time and then we found a little old (1602) Swiss Restaurant and had the fondue we pledged to have.

It was sooo good and if I wasn’t sober before ingesting 1/2 pound of cheese, that did the trick. Such a great day in spite of all the rain and snow and whiskey. We boarded the train back to Wolhusen and called it a day!!