On Thursday we boarded the Glacier express for the first part of our journey to Lucerne. We transferred to buses at Andermatt. We passed more mountains, mountain meadows, villages, vineyards and drove beside a mountain stream which feeds into the Reuss river.

The route of the Glacier Express which they called the slowest express train

The altitudes along the train route

Our restaurant in Andermatt

On the bus – mountain road switchbacks

The start of the Reuss river

Our first view of Lake Lucerne. A huge lake about 26 miles long. The shoreline is dotted with villages.

We arrive in Lucerne. A beautiful city at the end of the lake.

The first order was to see the Lucerne lion. This sculpture was commissioned as a memorial to the Swiss soldiers that were hired by the French king during the French Revolution. At that time the Swiss were hired as mercenaries by foreign governments. All of the 900 Swiss soldiers who fought for the French king perished as they were vastly outnumbered. The monument was created in their memory and the names of the officers are listed below the lion.

Mark Twain had called it the saddest and most mournful piece of sculpture. You ca n see the French shield and Swiss coat of arms.

The sculptor and the group that commissioned the work argued about payment and the sculptor took his revenge by making the niche within which the lion resides look like a pig.