Frankfurt


The sun rose at about 3 am plus in the morning, only a few hours after its last sunset. The sky wasn't totally dark at night. It was made of different shades of blue getting lighter towards the horizon. The air was very cool in the early morning, approximately 8 degrees centigrade, a typical summer morning in Frankfurt. The Earth is still asleep, while I enjoy the cool morning breeze. It was quite a pleasant escape from the warm and moist weather in Singapore. After a hearty breakfast, we left the hotel in Frankfurt.


Black Forest and Titisee
The tour began with a coach transfer through the lush valleys and pine-clad hills of the Black Forest to arrive at Titisee, the unique and scenic German Village renowned for its Black Forest cake and the Cuckoo Clocks. Here, we saw the demonstration of a cuckoo clock making. By the small town is the beautiful Lake Titisee embraced by the black forest trees.


Behind me is the blackforest                             Lake Titisee


A small village amidst the blackforest             A cuckoo clock house in the blackforest


Germany to Switzerland, Rhine Falls, Lucerne
We continued driving south and crossed the boundary into Switzerland to be stunned by the thundering racket of the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen. Soon after, we headed towards the scenic Alpine route and finally arrive at picture-book Lucerne, one of Switzerland's finest cities nestling amid its snow-capped Alps, surrounded by its lake and embellished by the clear mountain waters of the River Reuss.


City of Lucerne


Mt. Titlis, Lucerne
The day begins with the optional tour up one of the Alp's snow mountains - Mt. Titlis. We drove to Engelberg where we first board a funicular 6-seater gondola to Trubsee. Then, we re-board an 80-seater cable car ride up to Stand station, followed by boarding the world's first revolving Rotair to the snow-capped peak of Mt. Titlis at 10 000 ft (3020 m) for a panoramic and breathtaking view of the beautiful Swiss Alps. We had a snowball fight. Here are my fellow tourmates. It was pretty cold getting my clothes and shoes wet. I left my signature at one of the caves there. Shall go back there next time and see if it's still there. :)


Engel chairlift station                             Looking out from the cable car


Trubsee station                           Thermometer at trubsee station


Rocky peaks of the Alps                             My tourmates


A panoramic view from the top of Mt Titlis         Behind me is the tallest peak of Mt Titlis


Nice looking dog that refused to look at the camera.

The Lucerne city orientation begins in the afternoon after returning from the snow-capped mountains, visiting the 14th century wooden Chapel Bridge with its triangular paintings depicting some Swiss historical events. The tower is where numerous prisoners were tortured. Not to be missed is the Lion Monument, a masterful stone sculpture in honour of the heroic Swiss Guards of Louis XVI.


chapel bridge                           A corner shop


Lion monument

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