Switzerland - City of Chocolate and Mountains

For that last two nights I have been in Lucerne. We had a very long drive in from Paris. It took about 7 hours and we arrived just after 5pm. We went straight to dinner at the hotel. It was a great little hotel, family run, and very quirky. The windows were at odds with the floors, like the old window tax. So they were long windows that ran between two levels on all the staircases. Very cool. Our room was very posh too, with spacious beds and views of the hill sides of Lucerne. Dinner was really nice and it was finished off with desert that was icecream in the shape of the swiss flag. After dinner a bunch of us went for a little walk around the streets and found a local pub. Oh, and did I mention it was snowing. It was dark so it didn't have quite the same effect but it was still cool (in all senses of the word).
The next morning it was raining, no more snow, and we went to Mount Pilatus. We had booked a gondola to take us all to the very top of the mountain (1900 metres approx). Sadly, when we got half way up you have to change into another gondola and the mountaineers (?) said we had to go back down because it was too windy. Far enough call. When we were going up, it was starting to sway from side to side. Thank god I was with three very confident gondala riders who kept me entertained with their jokes so that I barely even noticed. When we got half way up and before going all the way back down we went out onto the side of the mountain and had some photos taken. In this photo, we were trying to get a nice group shot when Ryan threw a snowball that smacked into the side of my head and covered all of us with snow. It is fair to say that there was much laughter and many snowballs thrown up there.

After we got back to the bottom we were told that because we had been forced back down the mountain due to the weather, we would be getting a full refund. Woohoo! We then headed into the old part of the city. It was simply stunning. There was very old buildings, and one of them had been dressed up like an advent calendar, with all but the 22nd, 23rd and 24th not open. In all the other windows were the numbers pushed to the side and a christimassy picture in the window instead. Mum, you have would have loved it. There was about four of us who were not going to the fondu lunch so we headed off on our own and walked along the cobbled streets and found a nice little Swiss restuarant filled with locals. We drank a few wines and had shnitzel and chocolate mousse and studel. It was lovely.
It rained the whole day but that didn't put a dampner on our siteseeing. We were having so much fun that we missed the walking tour so took ourselves on a little walk on our own and found some great little shops. We walked across an old wooden bridge that was built 400 years ago and had illumination paintings inside it. It is still used by everyone as a working bridge! We found the Christmas markets under the train station and dranke hot mulled wine and looked at all sorts of things, and watched some primary school kids singing carols. It was beautiful. Oh, and while at the markets, we went to the loos! We had to pay 2 Franks each to use them (men were only 1.50 Franks) but at least they were exceptionally clean. After that we went back up into the rain and bought swiss chocolates and maccaroons. I could live on maccaroons. I tried many different flavours including Champagne, Cinnamon, Maderine and many more. Mmmmmmm.
At about 5.45pm we were drenched but happy and hopped on the bus back to the hotel. The bus system is fantastic too. It is an honesty system. You buy your tickets from machines before you get on the bus and that is it. No checking, no scanning. So, if you can't pay, you don't. Our tour manager brought a group amount so we could just jump off and on at will without paying or showing that we have paid. It was very reliant on honesty, and it is a shame that more places don't or can't trust their people to do the same.
I really fell in love with Switzerland. Lucerne is beautiful and while everyone says it is expensive, I didn't think it was too ridiculous. I did buy some very cool boots. They only set me back 50 Franks (I think about $70). They are fleece lined and while I was at the counter I saw some leg warmers. They look like Chewbacca's fur. The label said they were to pimp my boots. I bought them and attached them to my boots, as you can see here.