Raul and Lauren originally had hopes for a five-hour hike today on Ebenalp. Last night, however, they found out that several trails were closed due to an avalanche last week. They had decided to have a go on some trails which were open, but as luck would have it, a thick cloud enveloped the mountaintop all morning, making it impossible to hike a great distance. And since clouds are full of moisture, it would have been an unpleasantly wet trek in any case.

After dining on a breakfast of bread, jams, and the regional Appenzeller cheese, they decided then to simply walk back up to the mountain summit to take the cable car down to the train station and thence proceed on to their next destination, Luzern.

Signage on the trails gives approximate lengths of hikes in minutes, but with the weight of their backpacks, it took Lauren and Raul double the posted time to navigate the trail.

Sadly, they had put off taking many pictures the previous night thinking they would take them in better light the next day. The joke was on them because the cloud cover resulted in a visibility of about ten yards this morning. On the bright side, this is a reason to return here on a future trip.

Once in Luzern, they set about securing lodging for the next three nights. Despite travelling before the commencement of the high season, they are finding it surprisingly difficult to travel without reservations. Hotels they planned to patronize have often been full.

With their bags stowed at their hostel, they enjoyed a relaxing dinner on the banks of Luzern’s Reuss River and a stroll through the medieval Old Town.

On the way back to the hostel, they explored Luzern’s Rail City, an underground shopping mall at the train station, and purchased some snacks they have come to enjoy. Sadly, these will not be available to buy in the U.S., so that sucks. This is why one should not try foods which are not available where one lives. Best case, you hate it; worst case, you love it and can’t have it at home.

Also on the way home, they caught the last ten minutes of a high school soccer match. It was a close game, so the crowd was very excited and the play spirited.

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