Switzerland-Day Eleven-Seealpsee to Lucerne

We hiked out from Seealpsee to Wasserauen this morning. 

The view back to Gasthaus Seealpsee, our mountain inn from the prior night. 

Along the hike to Wasserauen. 

In Wasserauen, we caught the train back to Appenzell. We spent a short time in Appenzell picking up some croissants and some local beer and whiskey that we  really liked and got back on the train to Herisau. We had coffee and a croissant in Herisau, before catching a train towards Lucerne. We weren't completely sure which stop we would get off at and where we would go, but decided to go all the way to Lucerne and check out the city more (we didn't really leave the train station a few days ago when we met Jovan there).

Tons of bikes at the Lucerne train station. 

Jessica standing in front of the Kapellbrücke, or Chapel Bridge, built in the 14th century.  The large tower on the left is the Wasserturm, or Water Tower, built around 1300 and part of the original city wall. It has been used as archives, a prison, and torture chamber; it now houses a cheap souvenir booth. 

A panorama from the Kapellbrücke.

We found a hotel room in the old town area and set out to explore the city.  

Our first stop was at the Löwendenkmal, or Lion Monument.  The stone sculpture dates to 1821 and depicts a dying lion, in an allegory for over eight hundred Swiss mercenaries who died defending a royal family who had already fled. 

Right next to Löwendenkmal is the Gletshergarten or Glacier Garden, a museum that dates back to the 19th century.  One of the cool things with the Swiss Rail Pass is that you can go to museums for free.  The Gletshergarten was one of the most unique museums I've ever been to, as it has a geological component and then a hodgepodge museum connected full of military battles, climate research and models of Swiss Houses. 

Jessica looking down into a glacial pothole (approx 20,000 years old). 

All kinds of rocks and minerals from the Alps (this ones for you Tom). 

And this amazing large-scale mountain relief created between 1749 and 1786 of Central Switzerland. 

After that, we checked out the Saint Leodegar church, built between 1633 and 1639. 

Inside. 

After dinner we went for a stroll around town.

Looking at the Jesuitenkirche, or Jesuit Church from the Speuerbrüke (Spreuer Bridge, built in 1408) over the Reuss River. 

We will explore Lucerne more tomorrow and then head to Basel to meet back up with Jovan.