Lugano

This past weekend I decided to go to Lugano. I heard from so many people that it was their favorite place in Switzerland so I had to go! This trip started out a lot smoother than the Zermatt trip thankfully. I got to Lugano around noon and grabbed a pizza and a little vendor before heading to the lakeside. It was pretty hot and humid because a storm was moving in that weekend. It was a bit misty over the lake but it was still gorgeous! After a bit of walking around and a delicious stop for gelato, I took a boat tour around the lake. It was great and I originally planned to get off at a few stops but it was so hot out that I decided to go for a swim in the lake instead. Problem was I didn't bring swim wear so I got off the boat and found one at H&M and headed to the lake again. Then I realized I didn't have a towel or a place to change. So I went to a restaurant and ordered a drink and changed in their restroom. I figured I could just walk around until I dried off for the towel issue.



The dip in the lake was much needed. It was really cool and refreshing but I could only stay for a little bit since I had to check in at the hostel at 7. It was a fairly nice hostel with a swimming pool and all. The rooms were coed with 16 people to a room and coed bathrooms. That was kinda odd but it is what it is. So I got all checked in and headed out for dinner at Grotto Al Bosco. It was more of a local place with reasonably priced delicious food. I had a little appetizer thing and ravioli with ricotta, spinach and sage. Something kind of strange was that they served their local wine in these little cups that almost looked like tiny bowls. I was hesitant to pour my wine in there at first but I took a look around and it seemed that it was what I was supposed to do. Hmm... I guess I should have taken pictures of that.

So after dinner I decided to check out a few bars maybe find one that was kind of low key with good music. There was a festival going on but it was like a Reggae festival, which I'm not really into. I stumbled upon this place with really bad music and mojitos that weren't much better so I drank down my mojito and moved to the next place. I then went to a bar that was part of a hotel overlooking the lake but they only served martini's and it seemed kind of empty. So I hung out there for a bit and watched this guy almost get hit with these temporary canvas walls they had up outside. It was odd... he looked kind of familiar but I just didn't know from where. So I left and walked up and down Lugano in a quest to find the perfect bar. For some reason, a voice kept telling me that the places I was passing was just not it. By the time I gave up on my quest it was 2 am. I headed back to the hostel but it was still so hot and humid outside. I remembered that the hostel had a pool so I quietly took a swim there before heading to bed.



The next day Jon and Lori invited me to where they were staying for the weekend...about an hour away from Lugano. I took 2 trains and a bus to get there and it was so worth it! I mean just look at these pictures! The river was fed by the melting snow atop the mountains so the water was ice cold, the most beautiful blue green, and clear. It was a little too cold to swim around too much in for me but it was great to just wade in. I crossed this waterfall and had to take a picture.


But look! There's some guy in it! That's the guy I saw almost get knocked out at that bar! and actually if you look back at a few other of my pictures... he's always in the corner somewhere! How strange is that? Anyway, my bosses were nice enough to give me a lift home. I was pretty tired by this time but the ride was gorgeous. I saw the dam that was in the James Bond movie Golden Eye, one of the longest tunnels in the world, toured Liechtenstein and saw a living castle. Whew! When I finally got back to my hotel...I passed out. Great weekend!



Don't forget to click on the pictures to see them larger.