I Remember ... Lugano, Switzerland

Saturday morning was beautiful, sunny, and warm ... it was hard to leave the paradise of this resort but a road trip was calling us to Switzerland. Passports in hand we boarded the bus for another country. It's somewhat of a long bus ride but filled with winding roads and very pleasant scenery.
Here's a photo of 10-year-old, Jack, a.k.a Mr. Vice President talking to his grandmother. What a trooper! I can only imagine how hard it would be for a boy of this age to sit on a bus for hours at a time. He was amazing ... a delightful guy. We loved getting to know their family ... Mom, Patricia, her three children and grandma.
We crossed the border into Ticino, located in the south of Switzerland and almost entirely surrounded by Italy which lies to its east, west and south. Located at the foothills of the Alps, the atmosphere is very much Italian. It is both alpine and Mediterranean. We were a little disappointed we didn't stop and get out at the border crossing. It would have been nice to have a Switzerland stamp in our passports. We arrived in Lugano at 10:15 a.m. and here's our first glimpse of the area ...

We spent most of the morning on our own at a shopping center. Our brief visit included strolling through the stores, picking up souvenirs and enjoying a few treats. We boarded the bus and headed back to Lake Maggiore at 12:15.





We even found a great place to stay if we ever make a return visit ... Hotel Walter.