it was july 16 & 17 2008

we have entered a storybook, a town that is almost too gorgeous to exist in reality, but it does and it is called lucerne, switzerland. it was hard to believe in what i was seeing. the town is built right along the banks of lake lucerne who's waters are so crystal clear you can see every rock, every pebble and every fish in the blue/green water. there are covered bridges that have vibrant hanging flower baskets on the sides and that traverse the lake connecting the old and new parts of town. and if that is not enough, the town is nestled below mountain ranges that rise up in the distance complete with snow capped peaks. the town itself is an adorable mix of restaurants and shops lining cobblestone streets with frescoes painted on the buildings facades. lucerne is picture perfect...

until it rains, which is what it did the entire second day. michele desperately wanted to hike so we set off in the rain to mount pliatus. we began our hike along the road in a light mist, not following any maps, heading blindly into what became torrential downpours. as crazy and persistent as we can be, we continued to climb as i was weighed down by wet jeans and michele was suffocated by a poncho. we finally surrendered to the weather and headed back down, having not reached the top, but having had one hell of an adventure.