Luzern Redux (11/13/1982)

Saturday, November 13, 1982

Train day pass

Marsha C and I walked through the market with its fresh produce and meat, including whole skinned rabbits with intact feet (get your lucky rabbit’s foot x4!). Caught the 8:23 train to Olten, arriving at 9:10, going to the heated waiting room to wait for the 9:35 train to Luzern. Arrived in Luzern about 10:16 and walked to the Kapellebrücke. On the station side of the Reuss river, between this bridge and the Seebrücke was sort of a duck zoo I had never noticed before. There were man-made jutting rocks and bird houses (not for seagulls?). There were several types of swans. The Kapellebrücke has 120 paintings in the triangular area formed by the roof beams, that tell the history of Luzern in picture and verse. Walked to Kapellplatz with a closed souvenir shop and a large shop with embroidered items and Icelandic sweaters. Passed the Kapellplatz fountain on the way up Kapellgasse to the huge souvenir store. They had a poor selection: only one Christmas carousel of wooden figures, no candle carousels, and unappealing Hummel figurines. We wandered in the rain to Kornmarkt to see the Rathaus/City Hall with the clock tower. There was an art exhibit (colorful geometric designs) in the old city hall. We looked out a window at the wrought-iron bridge below and the Jesuitkirche/Jesuit Church across the river. Checked out the façade of Zum Pfistern. Stopped at another souvenir store near Weinmarkt with its stone fountain and painted façades. Across the square was a McCheaper fast food place! We walked over the Reussbrücke/Reuss Bridge and down to the Jesuitkirche/Jesuit Church. Entered the church to ooh and aah over the lovely interior of pink, white, and gold. The altar and organ were massive pieces of porphyry. Rococo-inspired but “simple.” Nearby a building had an old wood-beamed overhanging second story and an arcade.

Back over Reussbrücke to Mühlenplatz to cross the Spreuerbrücke, another covered wooden bridge. It also had the triangular paintings under the roof beams. Along one side of the river was a busy chapel (busy as in full or ornamentation). From the bridge you could see downriver to a tower that was attached to the town wall climbing the hill. There were a series of towers as the wall extended quite a ways. On the other side of the bridge we saw the medieval arsenal, and across the street was a wood-beamed building.

We re-crossed Spreuerbrücke and walked up the commercial Rössligasse, entering Hirschplatz with its ornate wrought-iron signs and painted façade buildings. We did some window shopping. On Hertensteinstrasse, we stopped at a Pizzeria da Tomossa for lunch. The place had tables for six and we took the outer end of one occupied by two businessmen. The place was decorated with old photographs and long, long-necked wine bottles. We ordered calzones with mortadella salami as well as the usual ingredients. It was a lot of food, but good. Afterwards we headed for the Schweizerhofquai and returned to the Schwanenplatz embroidery store, then the train station. Marsha bought some heisse marroni/roasted chestnuts before we boarded the 13:51 train to Bern. Still raining when we arrived at 15:10. Did some shopping and got information on the Glacier Express train before catching the 16:53 train to Biel. Marsha went downstairs to watch the television for the weather report. Since rain was predicted, we decided to go to Basel to do the museums tomorrow.