International Jet Wetter, Part 2

Basel behind us, Mommy, Daddy, and Dash arrived in Rotkreuz, near Buonas (where the rest of Mommy's meetings would be held). Not nearly as charming as, oh, the rest of Switzerland, Rotkreuz seemed a strange location to put up Carla and numerous coworkers. But after checking into the ultra-modern/minimalist Apart Hotel, it made sense. We barely had time to take in our cool digs when we left for nearby Lucerne (just 10 miles south), where our friend Kristy had arrived from London that day (via Zurich). Kristy had found a nice tapas restaurant to celebrate Daddy's birthday. Dash wasn't in a very celebratory mood, and kept Mommy doing the flamenco with him around the patio all night.

The next morning, Mommy was off to meetings at Roche's conference center on Lake Zug -- they own an entire peninsula there, including a large, old castle. Dash 'n' Daddy picked up Kristy and headed south for our first adventure, to Interlaken. Sadly, it was terribly touristy. We stayed just long enough to eat some horrible pizza before driving up into the Alps. Here are Kristy and Dash at lunch.

Dash had to at least prove he had been to Interlaken, even if he didn't enjoy it much.

Daddy did some posing while Dash zonked out.

That evening, Dash 'n' Daddy stopped by Roche's conference center for a short visit before Mommy's business dinner. Not a bad workplace, eh?

You wouldn't know there was a huge, state-of-the-art facility here. This is what greets you at the front gate (literally):

The next day, Kristy and Daddy took Dash up the world's steepest cogwheel train (not nearly as steep as the price!) to the summit of Mount Pilatus -- so named because according to local legend, Pontius Pilate was banished here for being a Christ-killer. Someone, please banish ME here.

Guess what you can do here...do here...do here...do here:

Mommy had another business dinner that night, this time in the stables of the castle on Roche's peninsula. Presumably, they cleared any horse droppings. Dash 'n' Daddy stopped by briefly before heading back to the hotel for a short rest.

Then it was back for dinner with Kristy. The setting was nice, along Lake Lucerne.

Our mistake was getting said dinner (sad dinner, actually) from a grocery store, the Swiss equivalent of eating at 7-11. Not everyone found it unappetizing.

Ich bin ein berliner!

The next day was our last full day in the land of the Switzers. It started, as each morning, at breakfast with Mommy.

Then it was time to broaden the boy's horizons. Kristy joined Dash 'n' Daddy for a day trip to neighboring Liechtenstein, barely more than an hour's drive away.

Only after arriving in the capital, Vaduz, did we learn that "Liechtenstein" is German for "Land of a Thousand Yawns." The only thing of note in the city (if you can call this 5,000 person metropolis a city) is the castle of the Prince of Boredom.

In the "city center," which consists of one two-block row of restaurants, sits a statue apparently commemorating the country's...I'm sorry, the principality's unsuccessful history of flight.

The saving grace of the trip was the stunning Alpine views en route.

We stopped in one quaint lakeside village on the way back.

Mommy was a free woman our last evening in Switzerland. We were determined to enjoy a traditional Swiss meal. What's that?, we wondered. Fondue! So back to Lucerne we went, grabbed Kristy, and headed for the city's old section, crossing the Kapellbrücke, the oldest wooden bridge in Europe (built in 1333).

Our destination? The Old Swiss House, #1 AND reasonably priced, according to TripAdvisor.

Turns out TripAdvisor was (maybe) only half right. Reasonably priced, it wasn't. Why, even the Prince of Liechtenstein would have balked at the high cost of melted cheese. So off it was to...

Yes, Fondue House. We were hungry, it was getting late, and we knew what they served. What we didn't know was how long it would take to, you know, eat. It took an hour just to get water. Another hour later our food arrived. This is the face of slow service:

To make up for the slow service, the restaurant offered us free alcohol, the taste of which could only (in my imagination) be compared to moonshine. Daddy stole the shot glass.

The next morning we bid Auf Wiedersehen to Switzerland.

All photos ©2011 Garrito