one day in lucerne.

Happy Thursday! Though our European adventure ended three months ago, I still have two
more countries to cover: Switzerland and Germany. I'll start with Switzerland today :) 

{cv} and I wanted to make the most of our only day in Lucerne, Switzerland, so we took an early {and I mean early} train from Paris. After a quick turn in Basel, we were bound for this small Swiss city.


When I say the views from the train were unreal, it is a vast understatement. Even though we were exhausted from our early morning departure, we couldn't help but be glued to the mountain views.


Little towns like these were around every bend on our way to Lucerne. 
Even with the rain, it was positively beautiful.


Once the train pulled into Lucerne, we were inundated with signage for the Blue Balls Festival
Yes, it sounded weird, but there were actually a few acts we recognized. More on that in a sec...


The rain made it infinitely more difficult to take photos, but I snagged a few cheapy plastic hoods at our local camera store. These ugly monstrosities managed to keep my Nikon dry, though I looked like a complete crazy person using it. This lake on a clear day is absurdly beautiful. On a rainy day, the charm factor is still out of this world. Don't you agree?


Though I don't think the Swiss are known for their beer, {cv} had to capture the crazy volume of yellow during our afternoon happy hour. We also beasted those Swiss chocolates at the far left while sipping those beers. It may not have been the best combination, but we were carpe-dieming.*
*self-coined word


The Blue Balls Festival {complete with its crazy "fair" food options--Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, etc.} ended up being the perfect way to cap off our day in Lucerne. Because of the rain, we chose to hang out in a pub around the corner during Robert Randolph's set. Thirty minutes before Gary Clark Jr. was set to take the stage, I ran to the pub bathroom--during which {cv} realized we'd actually been sitting at the bar with Gary the whole time. He was gone by the time I got back to our table, but we managed to snag front row standing room at his amazing show which made up for the missed connection.

Lucerne played a gracious host during our 24-hour stay. Though it is a bit on the touristy side, it is a terrific place to start a Swiss adventure like we did. A rainy travel day forces you to appreciate the fact you're thousands of miles from home. At home, we spend those days inside. While traveling, we learned the weather makes your stay that much more memorable.

21 comments:

  1. oh my, i think i'm in love with lucerne from this one blog post! that bridge i fairy tale-worthy

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  2. hahah I love that it's called the blue balls festival, but I also love that you were able to travel around Switzerland. Were you scared at all on the train? I think I would be...

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  3. being from england, i'm totally used to the rain, so i'd do exactly what you did; buy a waterproof and get out in it :) gorgeous pictures -- i definitely hope to visit switzerland sometime soon! xx

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  4. Wow, that first photo must be framed somewhere in your new home! What a charming city. :)

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  5. So gorgeous! I need to plan some travels ASAP!

    -Alyssa
    The Glossy Life

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  6. STUNNING! I'll be in Switzerland in just over a week, I absolutely cannot wait!

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  7. its beautiful. Theres something about traveling where no matter how early your flight was, youre always up to sightsee!

    thefabuleux.blogspot.com

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  8. I was in Luzern in July and it rained some too! Rain makes things just that more memorable though! Gotta love it and it sounds like you had a wonderful time in Luzern!

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  9. How gorgeous! Europe is so beautiful, even in the rain. When I moved to Orlando we got the chance to go to Universal's Islands of Adventure park for free. We had to choose the day several weeks in advance and by the time the day rolled around we were in the middle of a severe tropical storm. Instead of going home we threw on some cheap ponchos and made the most of it! It was the best rainy day ever :)

    Stephanie

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  10. Looks like you definitely made the most of your rainy day in Switzerland! I just love that country... I hope you're going to share more Swiss cities soon. (:

    You're right about the weather sometimes making your trip even more memorable. I have fond memories of my six weeks in Switzerland. Many of my memories include crazy weather. You just need to get yourself some appropriate clothes, raincoats, etc... and get out there and enjoy the new scenery.

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  11. Beautiful!!!
    xo Carla
    http://mylifesthebeach.blogspot.com/

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  12. My mom lives in Switzerland and she often sends me photos of the sunset view from her apartment ... over Lake Geneva. I don't know if she does it because she misses me or because she's trying to rub her beautiful surroundings in my face haha. She also said the Swiss wine is not drinkable, though. Boo to Switzerland for its inferior libations!

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  13. JB loves that Eichof beer! and I'm so bummed Lucerne wasn't sunny while you were there :( oh and one of the things I miss the most are the train rides. That country is unreal.

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  14. Great pics! I went to Switzerland a few years back and went skiing there, it's SUCH a beautiful country!
    Isn’t That Charming.

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  15. Hey! Do you know Selma of Crazy Little World of Mine? She's from that city (almost positive). She was home visiting during that festival too.

    So gorgeous!

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  16. i love it! beautiful photos and now i really want to go to switzerland! it's exactly how i imagined it!

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  17. simply stunning photos!! you are inspiring me to finally BOOK that ticket!

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  18. Oh my gosh I'm studying abroad next fall semester in Lucerne and I can't wait! I haven't been before but I hear the BEST things!!!

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