Not that the students weren't excited to be spending a full day in a new school, but it is safe to say that most students were even more excited today since we were going to be having our first trip away from Basel. Basel is a city of of nearly 180,000 inhabitants, and while it has the intricacies of a Swiss urbanity, it does not necessarily have the same sort of natural panorama that is often associated with Switzerland. Basel's city center is alive with serpentine alleyways, distinct architecture, and the pulse of city life, all of which the students are starting to consider their own, but we headed south today to experience a different part of Swiss culture, to the lake city of Lucerne.
We arrived in Lucerne, city of approximately 80,000, and were amazed at the breathtaking views of the lakeside buildings and the picturesque beauty of Lake Lucerne. We had a guided walking tour of the city and had the chance to explore the Chapel Bridge, the oldest covered bridge in Europe (first constructed in 1333) and to see the Water Tower (which served as a prison/dungeon). Our guide informed us this was one of the most photographed sights in Switzerland, and our students were happy to add to the total.
Our walking tour ended in the Old Town, where students had some free time to get a bite to eat and do a bit of shopping. We then took a short ferry ride across the lake. By this point, the sun was shining and the clouds had dissipated to provide some great views of the Alps. While these are not the highest peaks in Switzerland, they gave us our first glimpse at the majestic beauty this country has to offer, although the pictures never seem to do it justice.
Our journey began at the train station. Train travel is one of the most popular modes of transportation in Switzerland, and it is an hour's ride time to Lucerne. Most students were a bit sleepy, but the ride offered us our first views of the lush countryside and our first peek at the Alps, although they were still mostly covered by early morning clouds.
We arrived in Lucerne, city of approximately 80,000, and were amazed at the breathtaking views of the lakeside buildings and the picturesque beauty of Lake Lucerne. We had a guided walking tour of the city and had the chance to explore the Chapel Bridge, the oldest covered bridge in Europe (first constructed in 1333) and to see the Water Tower (which served as a prison/dungeon). Our guide informed us this was one of the most photographed sights in Switzerland, and our students were happy to add to the total. 
Our walking tour ended in the Old Town, where students had some free time to get a bite to eat and do a bit of shopping. We then took a short ferry ride across the lake. By this point, the sun was shining and the clouds had dissipated to provide some great views of the Alps. While these are not the highest peaks in Switzerland, they gave us our first glimpse at the majestic beauty this country has to offer, although the pictures never seem to do it justice.
After our boat ride, we arrived at the Verkehrshous der Schwei (the Swiss Transportation Museum). A large museum located on the shore of the lake, the Swiss Transport Museum offers visitors the chance to learn and interact with all kinds of transportation. From the air, to the ground, to the sea, there seemed to be a little something for everyone.
The most popular attractions seemed to be the parachute simulation, the flight simulator, the scooters, and the numerous games set up in the outside portion of the museum. Some of our students proved that you really are never too old to play:
We took a bus back to town and hopped on our train back to Basel. It was quite an fascinating day, and our students are excited to spend the weekend with their host families. Each family has planned on some different activities for their students, and it will be exciting to reconvene as group on Monday to hear all about the weekend. We will be attending a reception at the Basel City Hall on Monday, and we are excited to be proud ambassadors from Reading.
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