Lucerne

Getting to my next stop, Lucerne, proved to be slightly difficult. I took the bus from Schaan, Liechtenstein to Buchs, Switzerland, which was the easy part. I then had to get my train ticket to Lucerne. It was way cheaper to buy online I learned, so I went looking for wifi in order to do that. I was able to buy it no problem, but then the app didn't tell me any information when I wasn't connected (the German app was very clear and worked offline). So I had to get connected again. Now normally this wouldn't be an issue, but in Switzerland, in order to get connected to most wifi networks, you have to put in a code they send to you. Except I can't get the code unless I'm connected. See how that works? I got back on walking back to the free spot I had found, and then took a couple of screengrabs. I returned to the station and then I was confused. I didn't know what train I was supposed to get on. So I got on the one I thought I was suppose to be on. Except none of the towns were matching up. I think I was on the wrong platform. I have no idea. Once it got to the next stop about 15 minutes later, I went back in the direction I thought I should have been going originally. Of course I had to wait for another train to come.

Once the train arrived, I boarded, and ended up staying on it for a while. The one good thing about the Swiss trains, is that the screen onboard tells you the status of the trains at the next stop. So I learned that there was a train headed towards Zurich. This looked like a good option, so I boarded that one. I figured once I arrived in Zurich, I could get a train to Lucerne no problem. Fortunately, the screen came in for another win, and I got off an earlier stop for a train straight to Lucerne. Success. I made it.

I'm still not entirely sure what happened. I suspect there are multiple Buchs in Switzerland and I bought a ticket from a completely different town. Of course I was paranoid that I would have to pay extra when the train conductor checked my ticket. But no one checked it on the 4 different trains I took. It was a little stressful, but the closer I got to Lucerne, the better I felt. I mean, look at these views from the train. And I got myself to my destination without relying on an app. 

Train views.

When looking for a place to stay in Lucerne, I wasn't finding it cheap. I found a place a little further from town that included breakfast that wasn't that expensive. The reviews were good, so I figured it would be worth it to be a little further away. 

Once I checked in, I went for a run. It was a nice day, although evening was rapidly approaching. I accidentally did a few more hills than I would like. Also, the city wasn't as runner friendly as other places I've been to or at least where I had started my run, but I still had a few picturesque miles.

Lucerne Old Town.

I was quickly learning that Switzerland is expensive. I actually looked it up. It's the most expensive country to travel to. Good thing I'm here for less than a week. I don't remember it being this expensive when I visited 14 years ago. And I was a poor college student, so I would think I would remember. I went to find dinner and there were 2 pizzerias selling pizza and pasta for over 20 francs. The franc is pretty equivalent to the US dollar. There was no way that I was paying over $20 for pizza or pasta. Unfortunately all the grocery stores had closed at 4pm, so I was out of luck. I got a take away pizza and paid 13 francs for that. Highway robbery. I would be hitting up the grocery store the next day. The only one open on a Sunday of course. 

The following morning, I got in another, but longer run. My plan was to get to Rotsee, nearby lake in the city, and run around it. However, I took me a bit longer to get there so I didn't get to run along it for too long. But I did see that it was a pretty spot, and a great place to run. I kind of wish I had a longer run to do. Oh well. Next time I'll go all the way around it.

Rotsee and great running paths.

After cleaning up, I headed back into town to explore. I went straight to Kapellbrücke, a really cool wooden bridge running diagonally across the Reuss River. I also walked across the lesser known Spreuerbrücke. 

Kapellbrücke.

Jesuitenkirche.

Spreuerbrücke.

What visit to a new city isn't complete without some sort of view? I walked up the various towers on the city wall to check out the mountains. Or at least what I could see of them. My last stop on my self-guided walking tour was to the Lion's Monument, a monument commemorating Swiss soldiers who were killed during the French Revolution. 

View from Männliturm.

Löwendenkmal.

It was starting to rain at this point, and I was ready to sit down somewhere nice and cozy. I found a cute teahouse where I hung out for a while. It was really great. And had to be, I paid 13 francs for tea. Yikes. Seriously, you need to have a good salary to live here. I would have loved to go back there, but I didn't want to pay that much money for tea again.

On my second day in Lucerne, I was going to head back into town to explore a bit more and maybe take a boat ride, depending on the weather. However, I was chatting with my American roommate at breakfast and she inspired me to go hike Mount Pilatus. After getting some provisions, I walked to the start of the hike, about 10 minutes from the hostel. It was foggy out, so I didn't know how the weather would hold up, but I was trying to be optimistic. 

Foggy morning for a hike.

I found the trail head with no difficulty, and checked out the signage. It estimated over 5 hours to get to the top. Ok then. I'll track my progress and hope it would not take that long since it was now 11am. I hiked along and had some stunning fall imagery to enjoy. And I broke through the clouds. I would hope they would dissipate so I could see the lake later on.

Seriously. Fall.

I was tracking ahead of schedule, which was great. Especially since I had to stop and take a bunch of pictures. As I was going up the mountain, I kept my eye on the cable car line to ensure I was also on the right path. About an hour in, I came across one of the nicest bathrooms I've seen on a hike. It had soap and everything. Nicer than some bathrooms in restaurants. And I was in the woods on a mountain. Impressive.

I finally made it to a good spot on the mountain. I had some great views down below and I could see the top (or at least I assumed it was the top). I was getting closer and closer. At this point, there was a choice to go one way or another. One was a little shorter, and I suspected it was probably steeper, but decided to give it a go. And boy was it steep. I zig-zagged my way up the face of the mountain. There were points where I tried to not look over the edge as I didn't want to think about what would happen if I tripped. It was slightly terrifying. I told myself if that were to happen, fall to the right (to the wall). Fortunately, there was no falling.

The next phase of my hike.

I barely came across anyone on the hike, but towards the end, there were a couple of guys that were out there. I didn't feel alone, but I was wondering if I had made the right choice in my path. After a pit stop to take in the views from the church, I finally made it to the top. I got there in under 4 hours, which was over an hour ahead of schedule. Score. And I learned later on it was a level 3 hike, only for experienced hikers. I know I hike a lot, but not sure if I would put myself in that bucket. But now maybe I will. I reached 2,119 meters when I got to the summit of Esel. Not the highest elevation I've been to, but I think the most I've ever climbed. According to my Fitbit, it was 620 flights. As a comparison, the most I did on my Lares trek in Peru was 360 flights, and that was the day we explored Machu Picchu. There was a lot of ups and downs that day.

Breaking through the clouds. And trying to not fall off the mountain.

I took my time and explored the top of the mountain. There were various viewpoints, and they were all pretty spectacular. The fog didn't quite go away, but it did make for some amazing photos.

6951 feet later.

Stunning views.

I toyed with the idea of hiking back down, but I was tired. And it was getting late in the day. So I splurged on the Cog train down. It's Switzerland, so it wasn't cheap. But after hiking up the mountain, it was the least I could do to my body. I also thought about walking around town after catching the train back to Lucerne, but I was wiped. I headed back to the hostel to relax and make dinner.

The next day, before heading to my next stop, I spent a very short amount of time walking around Lucerne. It was too rainy, so I didn't last very long. I walked along the lake for a little bit and check out some other parts of the Old Town.

Rainy Luzernersee.

Old Town Plaza.

Even with the rain, fall you are doing your thing.

Before getting completely soaked, I headed back to the hostel to grab my stuff and catch the train to Bern. 

Schaan

Liechtenstein isn't known for too many things, and isn't on most people list of destinations. It is the 6th smallest country in the world, and is doubly landlocked, meaning it's landlocked by 2 landlocked countries (Austria and Switzerland). Only one other country in the world is like that, Uzbekistan. There you go, you know something more than you did a minute ago. 

I do have a lofty goal of visiting every country in the world at some point in my life. So Liechtenstein warranted a visit. I had planned on staying longer than the couple of days that I did, but I guess it was a happy middle ground of going only for a day (some travelers recommendation) or spending a week (seemed too long and would have been too expensive).

Liechtenstein will now have a special meaning to me, as it's my 35th country and I'll be 35 later this year. That's kind of cool. Now to figure out what to do in this tiny country. 

It was pretty easy to get to my hostel, even though it was in the middle of nowhere. After checking in, I went for a walk before it got dark. The sun was just going down and I was hoping for a nice sunset. The hostel was located next to a bunch of fields, and the Rhine River wasn't too far. Since it borders Switzerland, I got a glimpse of the country from afar. I would be visiting soon enough.

From what I could see so far, Liechtenstein was beautiful. It's still in the Alps, so I guess that would make sense. Minus the mountains, it actually reminded me a bit of home.

Dirt roads and cornfields. Just like home.

The following morning morning I went for a run and made it to Switzerland. Yes, I ran to Switzerland. I just had to go over a bridge, so it wasn't that difficult. Which reminds me of another fun fact about Liechtenstein. Switzerland accidentally invaded in 2007. However, Liechtenstein had no idea until Switzerland told them. All is cool with them though.

Running to Schweiz. 

After my run, I went to explore. I had one full day to do what I wanted. Which really wasn't long, but it ended up being a decent amount. I took a walk back over to Switzerland to get some nice photos on my camera, and came across fall on my way.

Expensive pumpkins.

Alte Rheinbrücke.

Lichtenstein or Switzerland?

I had some nice views of Schloss Vaduz, where the royal family lives. Later I would hike up there to see if anyone was home. They wouldn't let me in though.

Schloss Vaduz.

I walked around Vaduz, the capital of the country, for a bit. There wasn't too much going on, and it was pretty quiet. However I did go check out the Postage Stamp Museum, which was free. I was finding Liechtenstein to be expensive. So free was good. The museum has a collection of stamps going back to 1912. I like mailing postcards, so I mailed a few from here specifically. For those that love stamps, this would be an amazing visit I'm sure. 

Downtown Vaduz.

The Postage Stamp Museum.

View of Vaduz.

Fall colors.

After a short hike up the hill to check out the castle and views of the capital down below, I headed back down to visit the royal family's winery, Hofkellerei. It was a nice walk through their vineyard where they had signs for each month indicating the wine-making process. November was the best since that's when they drink it. Or least that's what I gathered from the little German I know. 

I did a tasting of 3 different wines. The vineyard grows 90% pinot noir and 10% chardonnay. The 3 wines were all pinot noir, one a rose, and the others full on red. The staff didn't really stick around to educate me, so I just sat there with my 3 tastings and took my time. It almost amounted to a glass of wine (and it started feeling like it), so I didn't rush it. Sometimes it's nice to not have someone watching you while you do your tastings. Although a little attention would have been nice.

Hofkellerei.

Pinot noir tastings.

After the tastings, I got on the bus to explore a bit more. But I didn't last very long. I took a short walk around Nendeln, a small town north of where I was staying. There wasn't much to see and it was getting late, so decided to call it quits. I headed back to the hostel and relaxed for the rest of the evening.

I ate another delicious breakfast the following morning at the hostel, and made my plan. Of course my last morning was gorgeous. It was going to be a beautiful day to spend on a train.

The fog dissipating.

Switzerland in the distance.

Next stop: Lucerne, Switzerland.

Sankt Anton am Arlberg

More mountains were on the agenda. I took the train from Innsbruck to Sankt Anton am Arlberg for a couple of days. I came this far in Austria, I may as well as take advantage of a few quiet days in the Tyrol region. And quiet it was. The summer is full of hikers, and the winter full if skiers. Not many people are around in the fall. I was ok with it though. 

The train ride was super quick. Not only did I have some great views of the surrounding mountains, but I got to see a rainbow. I wish I could have gotten off the train to really enjoy it. It looks unreal.

Rainbow.

Once I arrived in Sankt Anton am Arlberg, it was obvious it was a ski town. I can only imagine what it's like in the winter. I went to look for a bus that would take me close to the guesthouse I was staying in. No such luck. I kept walking hoping I would come across one, but I ended up walking the entire way. I guess the buses are on break and waiting until winter to resume service. It's usually not a big deal to walk but it was about 1.5 miles and included hills. It was a good reminder to not buy anything new. Yeah right. That probably won't last long.

I finally arrived at the address but it was all quiet. The entrance was unclear as there were multiple buildings. I spent more than 15 minutes trying various doors (locked and unlocked), calling out 'hello', and circling the area. Finally, one door I tried had an answer to my call. Apparently the switch I thought was a light, was a doorbell. Noted. I was a little frustrated at this point but the woman was nice and friendly, so I got over it quickly. 

After handing off my laundry, I headed back into town to explore a little and get dinner. The walk was a little far, as explained earlier, so this would be my one trip out for the evening. The one great thing about small towns is that everyone says hi to you. It's very welcoming, especially from children. I do wonder if it's obvious I'm a tourist. I know I blend in here more than in other parts of the world. Of course, once I speak, I it's obvious I'm not a local. 

Pfarrkirche St. Anton und Mariahilf.

I got dinner at one of the few places open, and relaxed for a bit. I was looking forward to a couple of low-key days full of beautiful scenery. Especially since the place I was staying in was someone's home, and it was nice and cozy. 

The following morning, I enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the time that I had requested. So accommodating. I love it. Later in the morning, I went for a hike. I wasn't entirely sure where to go since there were so many options, but the women at the guesthouse recommended going to Verwallsee, a lake in the woods. So I packed my backpack, and headed out.

I walked through town to some pretty great views.

Fall leaves

Rosanna River.

I made my way into the forest and walked along the Rosanna River for a while.

Covered bridge.

Saw the trees turning colors.

Green and yellow.

And about 3 hours later, I made it to Verwallsee. The views were pretty, but the lake was a bit smaller than I expected. It was more like a reservoir to be honest. The hike was very nice though, and after doing a lap around Verwallsee, I headed back. Unfortunately the lodge near the lake wasn't open. So no beer on this hike. And I had to pee. I would have squatted, but it was too cold, and I was near water. I remember you shouldn't do your business near water sources. I think it could have been fine. But I hiked back quickly nonetheless.

Verwallsee.

I had another low key evening with some wine at the guesthouse. Plans were made for the upcoming days. Since my next stop wasn't too far, I decided to do some more hiking the next day before leaving town.

I headed out right after breakfast and it was a beautiful day for a hike. I first went straight back from the guesthouse and made my way up to the Munteck viewpoint. The blue skies helped the views for sure. After an hour, and 123 flights according to my Fitbit, I made it to the top. The snowy peaks and the valleys down below were gorgeous.

Snow.

The Tyrolean Alps.

I made it.

Mountain towns.

I got a little taste of snow on the first part of my hike but I was about to get some more. I headed back down the mountain and across to another mountain. This time I hiked up to Gampen, and got some slightly different views of the valley. I also saw first hand what the skiers go down in the winter. To say it would be slightly scary would be an understatement.

More snow.

Made it to 1850 meters.

Endless peaks.

After reaching the top, and taking a few photos, I needed to head back. Of course it was the long way back. You can't just go down any way you want down a mountain. You have to follow the path. Even if it's going in the opposite direction that you need to go in. Because of the snow, I did slip a few times. But I did not fall. It was a little more muddy here than snowy, so I preferred to not fall on my butt. I took my time, but I had to make it back to the guesthouse to pack up my stuff and get to the train station. I made it back with plenty of time and my host gave me a ride, which was super helpful. I got my ticket and was soon on my way. 

Schaan, Liechtenstein was my next stop, and it was a brand new country for me. I was excited to go check it out. 

Innsbruck

My next stop in Austria was Innsbruck, a very popular place in the wintertime, but absolutely gorgeous in the fall. My first full day there was such a perfect fall day. The sky was blue, the leaves were bright, and the temperatures were perfect. My first order of business was, of course, to get a run in. I love fall, but the weather hasn't necessarily been cooperating. But days like this remind me why it's amazing.

Such a perfect fall day.

After my nice long run, I went exploring in town and saw the obligatory spots like the Cathedral of St. James and the Golden Roof.

The Cathedral of St. James.

Goldenes Dachl.

I also returned to the river and crossed over to explore the other side. There were a few smaller neighborhoods that were really cute. And hilly.

Colored buildings.

After a bit of wandering, I caught the bus up to Hungerberg to check out the view.

View from Hungerberg.

And then somehow I ended up on a hike. I just followed some people and waited to see where the path would take me. I saw a bunch of families hiking, so I figured I would be fine without my sneakers. And I was. It was a nice walk through the forest uphill.

I, of course, treated myself to a beer once I made it to the lodge. I sat and enjoyed the view for a while. Once I finished my beer, I took a different way down the mountain, and made my way back to the Old Town of Innsbruck to get dinner.

A break for beer.

The following afternoon I took the train to a nearby mountain town, Seefeld. I read good things about it and decided it warranted a visit. By the time I arrived, after getting a run in and doing some errands, I just had the afternoon to explore. 

I first took a walk around Wildsee. It really didn't take long and was very flat. I was hoping for sunnier weather but at least it wasn't raining.

Wildsee.

Mirror image.

Since that didn't take that long, I went to see about hiking up one of the mountains. There was a tram that went up, but I wanted to hike. I saw a ton of people coming down so decided to give it a go. The sign estimated 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to Rosshütte. If it took me that long, it would be dark on my way down. I was hopeful it was an overestimation. And it was. It only took me an hour. I now had time to drink a beer. You see the pattern? Do a hike, drink a beer. That's how I roll. And it's not my fault they are selling them at the top. A girl gets thirsty.

Hiking up.

Hike reward.

Mountains galore.

Stunning.

Once I finished my beer, I headed back down. I went a different way to change up the scenery.

Another mirror image.

After doing a mini tour of Seefeld, and scoping out the hotels I would stay in when I'm rich, I headed back to Innsbruck 

The next day, it was time to head out of town. But first not without getting some tea. I met a few girls in my hostel, and we headed into town to a cafe for a couple of hours before I left. They were really great and I had a nice time chatting with them about various things, like the election, traveling, and offshoots of both those topics. It was a very nice ending to my visit.

I had one more stop in Austria before leaving the country. Next up, Sankt Anton am Arlberg.