Lucerne was one of the founding cantons of Switzerland along with the other forest cantons and some of the original fortified walls are still visable. Our first stop was the Lion Monument. Pictures I have seen do not really to justice to the size and magnificence of this monument to the tragic deaths of the Swiss Guard who were cut down supporting some other countries appaling leader.
The cynical bit of me wonders if (as our guide told us) Switzerland became neutral by refusing to fight because the Austrians/Habsburgs kept beating them up and annexing bits of their land WHY anyone would hire them as mercanaries! Regardless of my thoughts, it was a moving story about the masterful carving and how it was funded.
I had no idea how huge the monument was before seeing it.
Next up was the traditional orientation walk to hit the highpoints of any tourist visit. The markets in Switzerland are really not as good as the German ones, mostly mass produced, not individualised at all for the city or town you're visiting, and really really pricey. There was also a market with interesting handicrafts but like everything here the cost was crazy for something you don't really need!
I have consistantly found the small markets and church markets the best for small trinkets and memory keepers even though they might not have the fabulous lights and displays of the larger locations.
In the footsteps of the Chalet Girls we walked through the Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) and viewed the remaining paintings - sadly much of the original bridge was destroyed in a fire a few years ago.
Dinner was enjoyed with the whole group (it being Sunday and most things closed) at our Hotel Grand Europe, a Belle Epoque gem that is currently pleasant but could easily be sensational. If you stuck your head our the window in the right direction we could see the lake.
Our second day in Lucerne was wet and miserable so we were pleased we didn't elect to join the optional tour - we instead elected for a bit of a sleep in (still had to be done with breakfast by 9am) and a walk around town and watching swans do what they do.
After lunch it was still raining so we decided on a ferry ride. About a one hour round trip would be perfect we thought! This is where it hit home to us that the Swiss minimum wage is equal to about Au$115 k per year. The return ferry trip cost us more than it cost me to fly to Brisbane and back a few weeks ago! 
In closing, I'd just like to acknowledge that this post was brought to you by Singapore Airlines and the free in-air wifi for KrisFlyer members. How cool is that!
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