Lucerne in October. Part 1

This is our boat named 'URI'

Last time we came to Lucerne in December 2018,

we said we would return with warmer weather and that our priority 

would be to take a steam-boat cruise on the lake.

As soon as we arrived, we bought tickets for the earliest boat ride on the same day.

We just had time to drop our cases off at the hotel.

We're just leaving the town of Lucerne to do the long three and a half hour tour

of the big lake with lunch included.

This is Mount Pilatus

the iconic mountain which is 2.128 metres high.

I think it would be lovely to take the cogwheel train and then a cablecar and gondola

and to be able to see the whole lake from the top.

Before going any further, I should explain a little history.

On the map, we can see the whole of the lake which is quite a complex shape

with many bends and four arms.

On my notepad, I wrote down the names of all the different stops.

One of the stops was Rütli.

"For all Swiss people, Rütli is synonymous with the founding history of Switzerland.

Nourished by the impressive drama of "William Tell" by author Friedrich Schiller,

it is for many people the historic place where in 1291, 

the oath of the Swiss Confederation was sworn.

On August 1st, 1291, now celebrated as the Swiss National Holiday,

the three original cantons: Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden united and founded

with a loyalty oath the Confederation at the forest site."

Text taken from here:

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/destinations/ruetli-ruetli-meadow/

The canton of Lucerne (or Luzern) was added to the other three mentioned above.

The lake is called the Vierwaldstättersee

which means The Lake of Four Cantons.

The views are beautiful all along the way.

It's very mountainous with green pastures below.

The weather was perfect

All the views are different and always interesting

Sparkles on the water

A Baroque style church perched above the lake

There are several small safety boats around the steam boat.

You can see the name Uri on this one.

A sailing boat crosses our path

This is the cobbled pedestrian square which is in front of our hotel.

People were still sitting on outside terraces, thanks to the warm October temperatures.

After dinner, we walked around the pedestrian area of the town

where our hotel was situated.

I like the welcoming entrance to this historic hotel.

This is where we stayed: 'Hotel zum Wilden Mann'.

We stayed here last December when it was beautifully decorated for Christmas. 

I took so many photographs during this trip,

that I'll be posting Part 2 next week.

The Last Day of October

The month of October this year has been beautifully sunny for the most part

and also rather warm until recently.

I wanted to share the wonderful colours that I've enjoyed in my area  

often in my  own neighbourhood.

This first photograph was taken in the park called Mont Repos

which is in Lausanne and only a 20-minute walk from where I live.

The golden leaves in the background are Tulip Trees.

Here is one of the paths in the park

lined with those beautiful trees.

The park is so beautiful with all the autumn chrysanthemum plants coming into bloom.

The  warm colours make me feel happy!

The leaves are falling with the recent wind and rain and soon the trees will be bare

showing the lovely shapes of their trunks and branches.

The Maple leaves take on their bright tones of red and orange.

Cherry Tree leaves catch the sunlight

before floating down and sometimes getting caught in fences.

Big American oak leaves and Beech create their own beauty when they land

on the granite path.

Closer to home, a local Tulip Tree frames a pale blue sky

In my own tree-lined street, the leaves gather on the pathways

making everything so beautiful.

I was walking down my street in the rain one day and saw this little leaf

which had moulded itself on the door handle of a dark blue car.

Another rainy day and a different kind of leaf had landed on a black car.

The lovely reflected colours on the shiny door are the leaves on the ground.

A rusty fence was embellished by this vine turning a colour which seemed to match the rust.

I was waiting for the bus to come home after an afternoon out and just caught this beautiful lighting 

just before sunset.

By standing on tiptoes, I could capture a fine strip of lake and the mountains

The last photo is a still life to honour today.

It is All Hallows' Eve.

What is now known as 'Halloween' is a name that means nothing in itself.

It's a contraction of  'All Hallows' Eve'.

It designates the vigil of All Hallows' Day, which is November 1st,

often known as All Saints' Day.

I have spoken about putting up some photos of a lovely escapade I did in October,

but it will be for another day!

Autumn Walks

With the cooler days,

the leaves have begun to change colour and have started to fall.

The geraniums are still blooming and will continue to do so until the first frosts.

This lovely area above the lake is called Mont Pèlerin

My son drove me up here recently on a very short visit to Switzerland.

It was still so warm that we had to peel off our jackets.

There was a lovely wooded area too with the sunshine illuminating the leaves.

Nearer home, both in my neighbourhood and down at the park,

the leaves seem to change in colour daily.

These are from a line of trees in the street in my neighbourhood.

My favourite time for walks is late afternoon when the lighting is so beautiful

When green and orange-browns mingle

Down to the Mont Repos Park to see the new plantations.

The flowerbed is looking beautiful and the chrysanthemums in the big pots

will look wonderful when the tiny buds open.

I walk down to the park regularly.

A closer look at the lovely leaves

The hydrangea are still blooming

I really like the leaf decorated paving stones near the little park café under the chestnut trees.

These are just two of the many. They are all different.

Rich purple Asters in lovely contrast to the other autumn colours

The first chrysanthemum buds are starting to open

It seems to be a good year for berries

Their shiny bright colour makes me linger as I admire them on my walk

Leaves bob up and down in a slight breeze against the colourful blur of the background

After some night rain, a leaf still holds a tiny lake of rainwater in the shade

Tiny St. John's Wort wild flowers still bloom

Here is a larger version which is often planted on slopes in gardens 

Here are my favourite leaves of the month so far. I have used them for this month's header.

A collage of some of my much loved scenes as I went on my autumn walks.