Mount Pilatus, Lucerne, Switzerland, 9/17/11

Our origanal plan was to take the cog train to the top of Mount Rigi, stay overnite and watch the sun rise. We changed downsized our romantic plans however when we found out the exobitant price to ride the train. Instead, we rode the bus from Lucerne to Kriens, took the cable car to the second station of Mount Pilatus (2132m) and walked down. The legend has it that Mount Pilatus is named after Pontius Pilatus but it is more likely that the name is derived from the latin "pilaetus" meaning cloud covered. As you can see, the day was hazy and rain fell a couple times as we hiked down.

As we stepped of the cable car, we discovered the Switzerland's longest summer toboggan run. Lake Lucerne is in the background.

Starting our descent.... passing thru open meadows,

and forrested land.

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We saw several communal wood piles, all neatly stacked and numbered.

And, of course, all across the open meadows, we passed Swiss cows with their very loud, constanly clinging bells. The bells can be heard a long time before the cows can be seen.