Vacation Report: Part Drei

I used to live in Switzerland. I moved there for my job, after living in Amsterdam, and at first I was dubious about my new home. I had loved living in the Netherlands and like a stubborn child I was sure that nothing could replace it. And it was true, Switzerland could never take that special place in my heart, but over time it managed to burrow its own little hole there. It is a beautiful country; the kind of beauty that always takes you by surprise. Even when you think you've seen it all, you'll turn a corner on a mountain pass and gasp at the view in front of you. But some of the other qualities that I loved were double-edged swords. Its people are highly efficient and highly organized--and highly inflexible. Everything is impeccably clean and well-maintained--and if not, your neighbors will complain. Rules are meant to be followed, and you can count on cars stopping for you if you are in a crosswalk--but you risk being yelled at if you cross the street when the light is red. (It's true, it happened to me twice).

So when I headed back to Lucerne for the first time in almost two and a half years, I was unsure what kind of emotions I would feel. Would I be filled with regret? Would I wish I had never left? After a few days revisiting the town, I was pleased (and relieved) to realize that the answer was no. I felt fondness, and nostalgia, and was reminded of the good times I had while living there. But those good times, I realized, were tied to the people I knew there, not the place itself. So the best part of my trip was the time I spent with my friends there. We couldn't believe it had been so long, and if it weren't for the intervening life events (engagements, marriages, three babies born!) it would have seemed like just yesterday that I saw them last.

Aside from visiting with friends and a few walks around and in the hills above town (and a few opportunities to practice my German, which came out of hibernation after a couple of days), the other main event of my visit to Lucerne was a beautiful day of skiing at Gemstock Ski Resort, near the town of Andermatt. I could not have asked for a better day to go skiing or better conditions. The sky was blue and the weather was warm enough to sit outside in the sun with no jackets for an hour and a half at lunch, but the snow was perfect and the views were amazing! When I lived in Switzerland I used to go skiing every weekend whenever possible, and having only skied twice in the past two years, I was in serious withdrawal, and this was just what I needed...until next winter.